The City and the Bride

1
The New Jerusalem, the kingdom with God’s throne,
Is Christ, the ruling Head of God’s house, the church, God’s home;
The life within the church is the life of God Himself,
The life that rules and reigns, and saves from sin and self.
  New Jerusalem! The city and the bride!
Builded up, beautified, and wholly sanctified!
2
The New Jerusalem is in reality
The church with Christ as Head in God’s economy;
The content of the church must be the kingdom life,
Expressed through all the saints experiencing Christ.
3
The New Jerusalem is builded in the Lord,
A company in Christ established in the Word;
As fellow citizens, God’s kingdom manifest,
In spirit live and walk, and enter Sabbath rest.
4
The New Jerusalem, the bride who is prepared,
Is beautified by Christ, to be His wife, matured;
In nature and in life she must in stature grow
And in the Body live, the Body-life to know.
5
The New Jerusalem, eternal, builded bride,
From self she is delivered from independent pride;
Her righteousness is Christ yet in her daily life
She manifested God, and lived and worked in Christ.
6
The New Jerusalem, the city and the bride,
Remains in God forever, forever to abide;
A city that is holy, in God one entity,
And shining forth with Christ unto eternity.

Adapted from 2014 Spring ITERO, Message 2.

1
Joyce F. Solobola

Hamilton, New Zealand

Praise the Lord for such a beautiful bride. Lord, grow in me for Your eternal bride—New Jerusalem.