#StandUnadulterated

By: Kolleen Lucariello

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite things to do on a Sunday visit with my grandparents was scan the Bridal section of the local newspaper. I would critique the photo of each bride until I had determined which one wore the prettiest dress and the most elegant veil. Then, I would begin to dream of the gown I would one day wear, convinced that when my face graced the page, my veil would be exquisite and my dress would be the most beautiful of all.

Looking back, it seems I was wired with a deep yearning to be a bride. I just didn’t understand that my longing wasn’t just to be dressed up for a day. Don't get me wrong; I wanted to be seen and celebrated as a bride, but it wasn’t the lace, the tulle, or the satin that captivated me. I wanted to be loved, to be chosen, to find the one to whom my heart belonged.

The day finally came when I walked down the aisle to my groom. My veil was in place, I wore the dress made just for me, and I was finally living the moment I had dreamed of since I had been a little girl. At the altar, Pat stood waiting for me. What I didn’t realize then was this: my days as a bride wouldn’t end at midnight. Because along the way, I would meet Another. One who had chosen me long before I ever walked that aisle. One who intended to be my eternal Bridegroom.

Throughout the Bible, God consistently used marriage to describe His relationship with His people. While some may see the Church as merely an organization or a building, Scripture tells a much more intimate story. She—the Church—isn’t just an institution. We’re not a brand or a building. We’re a Bride. And not just any bride—we’re the Bride of Christ.

Chosen by the Father for His Son, Jesus.

Loved with a covenant love.

Longed for by the Groom who gave His life to secure our future with Him.

And just as I, as a little girl, once dreamed about how I would be dressed on my wedding day, we are invited now to consider a far more important question: Are we making ourselves ready for our Groom?

Matthew records a parable Jesus told about the kingdom of God being like ten virgins (Matthew 25:1–13). What we might miss from our modern, Western perspective is how closely this parable mirrors the customs of a traditional Jewish wedding in Jesus’ day.

In that culture, once a bride was betrothed, she was considered promised—legally bound to her groom. After the betrothal, the groom would leave to prepare a home for them, usually an addition to his father’s house. No one—not even the groom—knew the exact day or hour the father would send him to retrieve his bride. But when that moment came, it was marked by a joyful announcement: a trumpet would sound, and a processional would begin as the groom walked through the streets to take his bride and bring her to their new home. When the groom arrived, he would expect to find his betrothed dressed accordingly: watching, waiting, and ready.

This is the bride Christ is returning for. One who has prepared herself for her Groom. One who is dressed accordingly, not just in outward appearance, but in inward devotion. What is the bride of Christ wearing? Paul described in his letter to the Colossians how the bride has clothed herself in "tender compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." A bride who is willing to "bear with one another and forgive each other." When she has a grievance against another, she humbly forgives because she recognizes how much she's been forgiven. And above all of that, she puts on love, knowing that is the bond of perfect harmony" (Colossians 3:12-14).

In a culture that pushes hustle over holiness and performance over presence, it’s easy to appear prepared on the outside while running on empty inside. But Jesus isn’t returning for a Bride who’s simply dressed up in religious routine—He’s coming for one who is burning with love, filled with His Spirit, and ready to go with Him when the call comes. The Bride of Christ is not distracted. She is not diluted, nor is she chasing lesser loves. She's faithful in the waiting, unwilling to flirt with the world as she waits expectantly for her Groom. She's not trying to be a trendier version of herself; she is devoted to becoming truer to the identity Christ died to give her.

She is fully His.

Faithful.

Pure.

Ready.

She is unadulterated.

We'd love for you to connect and join this month's conversation! Find a chapter here.

When something becomes adulterated, it has been rendered poorer in quality by adding another substance, typically an inferior one to it. What happens when the Church—meant to be a radiant bride—becomes adulterated? We become an inferior version of who God meant for us to be.We lose our distinction. We blend in instead of stand out. We reflect culture instead of covenant. God never intended for the Bride of Christ  to be just influential—He intended for her to be intimate with his son. Intimacy reveals kingdom identity.When you know who you are in Christ y our influence changes because you become the best version of yourself.

God never intended for the Bride of Christ to be just influential—He intended for her to be intimate with His Son. Intimacy reveals kingdom identity. When you know who you are in Christ your influence changes because you become the best version of yourself