Is the Church a heavenly bride or a social establishment?

According to St. John Chrysostom , the Church is the bride of Christ and the subject of His love. He rejoices over her and lays down His life for her sake. He came down to raise her with Him to His heavens. He was incarnate and became man that she may enjoy His blessings and fellowship in His virtues. She is the unique heavenly bride! She never competes with the worldly institutions and at the same time she does not resist or ridicule such institutions but as a heavenly bride, she washes their feet in love, holiness and humility.

The secret of the true believer’s strength is that while he is practical in his life in the world, he is very much connected to his spiritual life with God and heaven without hypocrisy. The Church here on earth is the “icon of heaven” and her life here is a token of the heavenly life as St. John Chrysostom says, “The church is heavenly! She is nothing but heaven!”⁹⁷⁹

“Let our souls be heaven … Let us imitate Paul who while he was on earth, he was alive in heaven … Amazing again, where has He raised the Church? As though he were lifting it up by some engine, He has raised it up to a vast height, and set it on yonder throne; for where the Head is, there is the body also. There is no interval to separate between the Head and the body; for were there a separation, then were it no longer a body.”⁹⁸⁰

“It is in our power, if we wish, no longer to be in the flesh, no, nor upon the earth, but in heaven, and in the Spirit. Let us then be in ourselves, in heaven, in the Spirit. Let us abide in

977 R. P. Lawson in Origen, The Song of Songs, Commentary and Homilies (ACW 26:7).

978 Origen, Origen, The Song of Songs, Commentary and Homilies 11.8 (ACW 26:149).

979 St. John Chrysostom, Homilies On Hebrews 14.3 (NPNF I/14:434).

980 St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Ephesians 3 (NPNF I/13:62).

the peace and in the grace of God, that we may be set at liberty from all the things of the flesh, and may be able to attain to those good things which are promised in Jesus Christ our Lord.”⁹⁸¹

“For we ought to go out from this place as if it were from some sacred place, as men who have descended from heaven itself, who have become sedate, and philosophical, who do and say everything in proper measure.”⁹⁸²

“Contemplate this marvelous privilege. He sends angels to humans to guide them to heaven. Behold heaven being established on earth that heaven may accept the earthly beings.”⁹⁸³

“Behold how he set forth with their senses to the heavenly matters. For, as I already said: He repeats again and again, that they have whatever Christ has. In all his epistles he concentrates on making it clear that, in everything, they are partners with Christ. Hence, he uses the terms ‘Head and body’, and does his best to provide this concept to them.”⁹⁸⁴

“As His body was raised up on high, the heavenly matters were manifested. It is, therefore, befitting of us to have our thoughts, hope, and expectations, there (in heaven), lest we fail.”

“There is nothing more stable than the church, she is your salvation and your refuge. She is higher above the heavens and nearer than earth. She never gets old but remains fruitful forever. Thousands of people tried to describe her honor just as the Lord is called with many names...She is called a bride one time, a daughter another time, a virgin, maidservant, and a queen.”⁹⁸⁵