religious Christians, not romantic Christians—S.S. 1:2-3.
WEEK 1 — OUTLINE
The Bride—the Goal of the Lord's Recovery
Scripture Reading: Rev. 19:7-9; John 1:29; 3:29; S.S. 1:2-3; 8:14
Day 1 ›› I. The Bible is a romance, in the most pure and the most holy sense, of a
universal couple—God in Christ as the Bridegroom and God's redeemed people as the bride—John 3:29; Matt. 25:6; Rev. 19:7; 21:2; 22:17:
A. Throughout the centuries God has had a romance with man; He created man
with the purpose of having a counterpart—Gen. 1:26. B. God is a lover, and He created man in the image of Himself as a lover; this
means that He created us so that we would love Him—Mark 12:30; Eph. 3:14-19. C. The entire Bible is a divine romance, and Song of Songs is an abridged form
of this romance—1:2-3; 8:14:
1. The Bible is a romantic book, and our relationship with the Lord should become more and more romantic. 2. If there is no romance between us and the Lord Jesus, then we are religious Christians, not romantic Christians—S.S. 1:2-3. 3. Romance is a word of the divine courtship; in the Bible we see that God is seeking our love—2 Cor. 11:2. 4. Song of Songs is more than a romance; it is a fantastic romance. D. Whatever we love, our whole heart, even our entire being, is set on and
occupied and possessed by—1 Tim. 6:10-11; 2 Tim. 3:2-4; 4:8, 10a; Titus 1:8: 1. "To love God means to set our entire being—spirit, soul, and body, with the heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30)—absolutely on Him, that is, to let our entire being be occupied by Him and lost in Him" (footnote 3 on 1 Cor. 2:9). 2. To love the Lord Jesus is to appreciate Him, to direct our being to Him, to open to Him, to enjoy Him, to give Him the first place, to be one with Him, to live Him, and to become Him—Matt. 26:6-13; 2 Cor. 3:16; Mark 12:30; Col. 1:18; 1 Cor. 6:17; Phil. 1:20-21; Hymns, #477, stanza 2.