Jesus As Lover: A Distortion?

I have heard some people say that the teaching of Jesus as lover of our soul is a distortion and a descent into sensual and carnal religion. I disagree. I think that the Psalms, the Song of Solomon, the prophet Isaiah, the gospel of Matthew, the gospel of John, Ephesians, Revelation and many other Biblical books all represent Jesus as a Bridegroom who is calling forth a Bride from among His covenant people.

In the Old Testament the Hebrew Prophets use this metaphor many times to describe the relationship of God with His covenant people Israel. (see Isaiah 54:5, Jeremiah 2:1-3, 3:14, 31:32, Ezekiel 16:1-14, Hosea 2:14-20)

In the New Testament letter to the Ephesians the apostle Paul also tells us that human marriage is a representation of God's relationship with His people. Husbands are instructed to love their wives in the same manner that Christ loves the ekklesia (the church). Wives are instructed to honor and submit to their husbands in the same way that the ekklesia honors and submits to Christ. (see Ephesians 5:22-33).

As far as the subject of how passionate a lover God is, we can see His passion for His people demonstrated many times in the Scriptures. One of my favorites is Zephaniah 3:17 which in the Hebrew says that God will spin around with joy and sing over us with songs of joy. God's love for us is not sensual in the sense of a physical relationship but it flows from His Spirit to our spirit with deep passion and fire. David the Psalmist says that the love of God is so exhilarating that it is better than life !! (Psalm 63:3). John the Baptist said that just hearing the Voice of the Bridegroom brought great joy to his heart (John 3:29). These are emotional responses to an emotional God. God Himself created emotion and created these responses in us to His fiery, passionate love. The Jesus as lover teaching is entirely Scriptural and must be understood through the Scriptures as a spiritual relationship. He is the lover of our soul!

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