The expression "The Body of Christ" brings to our attention that the Wife of the Lamb is not to seek her own way, think her own thoughts, follow her own will. As the human body is to the head so the true Wife of the Lamb is to the Lamb. She obeys Him perfectly in every detail, every action, every word, every thought. She responds perfectly to the will of her Head at all times.

If in the human body, the members of the body do not respond perfectly to the head, a serious illness is present. So it is true that the Body of Christ has had a serious illness throughout its history.

What would church history have been like if the Christian churches had allowed Christ to be their Head? To this day the denominations follow their own wisdom, which they garnish with "prayer." Christ still is not the head of the churches that are called by His name—no, not by any means. However, Christ indeed is the Head of every true member of the Wife of the Lamb.

The term Body of Christ signifies the Wife of the Lamb is an eternally integral part of Christ. She is the complement of Christ. His royal anointing has been poured on her. She will be built up by the several ministries of the body until she is the fullness, the completion of Christ.

The "precious ointment" of the Holy Spirit on the Head of Christ runs down on the Body like the holy anointing oil on the collar and skirts of Aaron's garments (Psalms 133). The Wife of the Lamb is the body of Christ—the body, the fullness, of the High Priest of God.

The Wife of the Lamb is the most holy of the terms applied to the branches that are receiving their life from the true Vine whom God has planted. Christ refers to His Bride as "the light of the world."

"The Wife of the Lamb" speaks of the perfect, complete union of the saints with the Lamb. Human marriage is but a dim picture of the oneness of the Lamb and the members of His Wife.

It often is taught that in the future the millions of Christian believers (many—perhaps the majority—of whom are not in union with Christ) will stand before God the Father who then will perform a wedding similar to the Anglican ceremony. John the Baptist may be the best man.

It is true, rather, that we are being married to the Lord in the present hour. The manifestation of the marriage will take place in future ages.

The marriage of the Lamb is taking place now, as the believer is brought by the various techniques of the Holy Spirit into union with Christ. The complete marriage, the perfect reconciliation, will require the duration and full resources of the thousand-year Kingdom Age and no doubt is one of the principal reasons for the thousand-year period. (Who among us at this point is married perfectly to the Lamb?)

To be continued.