Talk:Bride of Christ

Israel and the Church - Israel is the Wife of Jehovah

Church is the Bride of Christ

All believers are saved, but all are not in the Bride of Christ.

One of the most controversial subjects being discussed

in Baptist churches today

is the identity of the Bride of Christ.

Unfortunately, more confusion exists as to the meaning of the term,

than as to the identity of the Bride.

Much of the controversy surrounding the identity of the Bride

is centered on our understanding of Revelation 19.7-9.

7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him:

for the marriage of the Lamb is come,

and his wife hath made herself ready.

8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white:

for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

9 And he saith unto me, Write,

Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.

And he saith unto me,

These are the true sayings of God.

There are many differing opinions as to the true identity of the Bride of Christ.

Some say the Bride is Israel, See --> Israel and the Church

which will be reunited with its Messiah during the Millennium.

The Old Testament does portray Israel as the "wife" of the God,

but describes her as unfaithful, divorced, and rejected.

Israel will be reunited with her estranged Husband at the time of the second coming,

but according to Zechariah 12.10 and Zechariah 13.9

that reunion will take place on earth,

not in heaven as the events of Revelation 19 obviously do.

Some say the Bride is all the redeemed from all ages

(John Gill's note on Matthew 22.2 in his New Testament Expositor

is a good example of this view).

This cannot be true because,

(a) Everyone that will be saved is not yet saved at this time

(tribulation saints, and those born and saved during the Millennium),

(b) John the Baptist was definitely saved,

but said he was not part of "the Bride" (John 3.29).

And some say the Bride is "The Church",

meaning the universal, invisible, mystical body of Christ

made up of all of the redeemed from the time of Christ until the rapture.

This is by far the most prevalent view held today by most Baptists.

Those who hold this view generally interpret Ephesians 5.23-33 and 2 Corinthians 11.2

to mean the "universal" church rather than the local church,

to whom the letters were addressed.

The problem with this position is Ephesians 4.4-5

4 There is one body, and one Spirit,

even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

It is obvious here that the Bible clearly teaches there is only one body.

This passage does not indicate a numerical singleness, but a typical singleness.

By this I mean there is only one type of true New Testament church

(called the body in Colossians 1.18) .

We must now ask ourselves a question.

Which type of church is the true New Testament church?

Is it the "universal, invisible" church of liberal ecumenical Protestantism,

or the local, visible church of the Baptists?

There are three positions that prevail today.

(1) The true church is local, and visible.

(2) The true church is universal and invisible.

(3) The true church is both local and universal, both visible and invisible.

The first position is both logical and Biblical,

having over 99 verses of Scriptural support.

The Second position is logical, but without any Scriptural support.

The third position assumes the Bible is wrong, not one (type of) body,

but two (types of) body, which of course means, if the Bible is wrong, God is a liar!

So, what is the answer.

Does the Bible specifically say, one way or the other,

what the identity of the Bride of Christ really is?

I believe it does, and does so most emphatically.

I believe much of this confusion is based on two unfortunate facts.

1. A misunderstanding of the identity of the true New Testament church.

2. A misunderstanding of what is meant by the term "Bride of Christ."

If we can clarify these two areas of confusion,

we can make much progress in identifying the Bride of Christ.

The word "church" is used seventy-seven times in the New Testament.

The word "churches" is used thirty-seven times.

Of these 114 references to "church" or "churches," by reading the context,

you can see that 99 references are to local churches.

One reference is to the assembly of the Nation of Israel in the wilderness,

and the remaining 14 are references to the "church" generically,

that is, no church specifically, all churches in general.

In referring to the true New Testament church,

the Bible uses three metaphors:

The Body of Christ (Colossians 1.18, Colossians 1.24),

The Bride of Christ (John 3.29 Revelation 18.23; Revelation 22.17

cf. Ephesians 5.31-32; 2 Corinthians 11.2),

and The Building of Christ (1 Corinthians 3.9; [[Ephesians 2.21).

I fear that many (if not most) who call themselves Baptists,

misunderstand one, two, or occasionally all three of these metaphors.

Most Baptists realize the church of the New Testament is Local, Visible, Organized

(having officers: Pastors and Deacons),

and duly Constituted (having been properly planted, exercising church authority,

and having a membership roll).

However, when we see the metaphors: Body, Bride, and Building;

we often revert to the "universal, invisible, mystical" thought patterns of protestant teaching.

When we see the term "Body of Christ",

we often forget this term is a metaphor

used to illustrate truth concerning the true New Testament church.

The term "Body" when referring to the church is never used in a mystical fashion,

but is used simply as an identifier.

"The Body of Christ" is a metaphor of identity, a group of people, joined together, belonging to Jesus Christ!

Some think of it like a "student body"

Some think of it as all of the saved persons,

but it really is like His wife, one body, the Church.

There is nothing mystical about it.

The term "Body of Christ" is simply a way to illustrate the relationship between

Jesus Christ and His local, New Testament churches.

Likewise the metaphor "Building" is simply a reference to that which Christ has built,

namely His true New Testament church (Matthew 16.18).

In Ephesians 2.21, the "Building" is said to be "fitly framed together."

Together means "all in one place", or local, and if local, then also visible,

and organized (not a pile of wood, but a framed together building).

The term "Building" refers to the relationship between Christ and His church

in the area of His guarding, keeping, and protecting the church.

As a building is a place of shelter and safety during a storm,

so also is the true New Testament church a place where we will be kept safe and sheltered

from the storms of daily life,

and be protected from the onslaughts of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

The "Building" or Temple of God also speaks of our worship of Him as a "Royal Priesthood,"

offering Spiritual Sacrifices to Him who is our keeper and protector.

Now we come to the "Bride."

Each true New Testament church is pictured as a bride, with Christ as the Bridegroom.

This metaphor is used to illustrate the love relationship of Christ for His churches,

and the obligation for the Lord's churches to be faithful,

in contrast to the false churches that are pictured as a harlot in Revelation chapter 17.

"And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials,

and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither;

I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:"

This false church is

(a) unfaithful [a great whore]

(b) condemned [under judgment]

(c) universal [sitteth upon many waters].

This chapter goes on to say,

"With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,

and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication,"

which identifies this false church as a state church

("with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication"),

formalistic ("And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,

and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls,

having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:"),

and persecutes the true New Testament church of Jesus Christ

("And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints,

and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus:

and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.").

So we see that the term "Bride" refers to the relationship of Christ to His churches

in the area of purity (separation), and possession (the Bride belongs to the Bridegroom),

in contrast to the false, unfaithful "church" called a "harlot".

There are two passages of Scripture to search in order to properly identify the Bride.

In Genesis 24 we see a beautiful picture of the Bride.

Abraham (type of God the Father),

sends his servant (type of the Holy Spirit),

into a far country to call out a bride

for his son Isaac (type of the Lord Jesus Christ).

In reading this passage there are some very important things to notice.

(1) The servant (the type of the Holy Spirit) was sent (in verse 4) "unto my country,

and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac."

The servant was sent only to the country (kingdom) of the Father,

to call out a wife only from the kindred (family) of the Father.

In the New Testament the Kingdom of God is clearly identified

as consisting of all of the redeemed (Matthew 8,11; Luke 13.28-29),

and the family of God (Ephesians 3.15) is identified as also including all of the redeemed.

It is from this kingdom, and from this family,

that the servant is instructed to call out a bride for the son.

The bride is to come out of the kingdom of the father,

and out of the family of the father.

You will notice that Isaac did not marry the whole family,

but only one part of the family,

Rebekah (the one who was faithful in doing all that the servant asked of her).

All of the redeemed will not be part of the Bride,

but only those members of His true New Testament church.

The second passage that we must look closely at is Hebrews 12.22-24.

"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God,

the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn,

which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all,

and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,

and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel."

Here we see a prophecy of our coming into heaven

and seeing all that is in store for us there.

We see first of all

(1) an innumerable company of angels,

(2) the general assembly,

(3) the church of the first born,

(4) God the Judge, and

(5) the spirits of just men made perfect,

(6) Jesus the mediator, and

(7) the blood of sprinkling.

Number 1, the angels, is self explanatory.

Number 2, the general assembly, is an interesting group.

In the time of Christ the Greek nation was divided into many independent City-States.

Each City-State had its own Assembly, or governing body,

that made all of the laws for that City-State,

and functioned as a general court of last appeal.

We see this City-State Assembly illustrated in Acts 19.28-41.

However, all of the people living in the Greek nation at that time

did not live in one of the organized City-States,

some lived in the rural areas,

not under the governing authority of any of the City-States.

These un-represented people (not part of any particular assembly)

would meet together once a year in a great General Assembly

and conduct the business of the rural areas of the nation.

The Bible says there will be a General Assembly in heaven,

that is, a group of people who are not represented by,

or under the authority of, any of the organized specific assemblies.

The Bible clearly identifies the specific Assembly as the local New Testament church

(see Scripture quotations from above paragraphs).

This heavenly "General Assembly" are clearly those folks from the gospel era who were saved,

but were never baptized into the membership of any of the Lord's specific assemblies,

the New Testament churches.

Number 3, the Church of the First Born, is that group of saved,

baptized people who were members of the Lord's (the First Born, Colossians 1.18)

true New Testament churches.

Number 4, God the Judge is also self explanatory.

Number 5, the spirits of just men made perfect,

is a reference to the Old Testament saints according to Hebrews 11.32-40.

The rest, 6 & 7, are also self explanatory.

So then, we see there will be a gathering in heaven of three distinct groups of redeemed people:

(a) the General Assembly (those saved during the Gospel era,

but not members of, or under the authority of, any Special Assembly),

(b) the Church (Special Assembly) of the First Born, and

(c) the spirits of just men made perfect (Old Testament Saints).

These three groups will be:

(a) General Assembly: the friends of the Groom (John 3.29),

(b) the church: the Bride (Ephesians 5.31),

(c) Old Testament Saints: the honored Guests (Revelation 19.9).

We see, therefore, that the Bride of Christ is not all of the redeemed,

nor even all of the saved from the Gospel Era (Church age),

but only those faithful members of true New Testament churches.

WAIT A MINUTE! It sounds to me like the writer of this article is a "Baptist Brider."

That depends on what you think a "Baptist Brider" is.

If the average Christian is asked for a definition of the "Baptist Bride" position,

he would be hard pressed to give an intelligible answer.

Some would say the "Baptist Bride" position means "Only Baptists are going to Heaven."

Others would say, "Only Baptists will be raptured."

Others would say, "The Church is the Bride of Christ"

If the Baptist Bride position means only Baptists are going to heaven,

then I am not a Baptist Brider.

If the Baptist Bride position means only Baptists will be raptured (partial rapture theory),

then I am not a Baptist Brider (nowhere does the Bible ever teach the "rapture of the Church",

but it does teach the rapture of the saints,

all of them: Old Testament saints, New Testament saints, church members, and non-church members,

all will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air).

But if you believe the Baptist Bride position means the Bride of Christ

will be made up of those who were members of the true New Testament church of Jesus Christ,

then, yes, I am a Baptist Brider!

The Bible says the Bride is the Church

and it is local and visible.

2 John 1.8

The church, the Bride of Christ, faultless, a chaste virgin,

to the Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ, at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

---

Ephesians 5.22-33

John 3.29

The Bride of Christ is comprised of only,

and all the members who have been scripturally baptized into a New Testament Church,

and that Christ will present this Bride to Himself at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

We totally reject the false doctrine of the universal invisible church.

The Church, according to divine purpose and plan, is a visible, local, organized body;

that is composed of baptized believers associated together by a covenant of faith and fellowship in the Gospel.

God’s plan for financing the ministry of the church is through the giving of offerings.

The Commission was given to the churches, not individuals.

Members should be voted into the fellowship of the local body by the local body.

Unruly church members should be prayerfully and Scripturally disciplined by the local Baptist church;

and that letters of membership should be granted to sister local Baptist churches of the same faith and practice.

Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances personally set in the church of the living God by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Baptism places a believer into the membership of a New Testament Baptist Church.

The Lord's Supper is restricted to a closed communion

within the membership of the local Baptist church.

The elements of the Lord's Supper are unleavened bread and wine.

Taken from www.baptistpillar.us

A Baptist Bride

To take the position that all saved persons will be a part of Christ’s Bride

is the equivalent of saying, that one church is as good as another,

and that all will receive equal honor at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Beloved, this is just not so.

If this be true, then one might as well be a Catholic,

or a member of one of the many other organizations which call themselves New Testament churches,

but which, in fact, came into being fifteen, or sixteen hundred years too late

to be able to make claim to New Testament authority.

As the writer of the article from which I have quoted rightly declares,

all of the saved will be with the Lord in glory,

and will be present at the wedding supper,

but all will not be a part of the Bride,

nor have the special honor which will be accorded to the Bride of our Blessed Lord.

Jesus Established The Church

(The Church was started when Jesus was baptized

He was the first member and head of His Church)

This Day-of-Pentecost origin of the church is too ridiculous to merit consideration here.

Jesus said that He — not the Holy Spirit — would build His church Matthew 16.17-18.

See Luke 6.12-16 where Jesus, after all night prayer,

called His disciples to Him, and out of them, chose twelve

whom He named apostles. See 1 Corinthians 12.28,

where it is stated that the apostles were set in the church first.

There are too many evidences of the fact that Christ set up the church

while He was on earth to need discussion here.

The Baptist Name

Although Baptists have been called by various names since the days of the origin of the New Testament church,

I believe that the name Baptist, itself, as relating to the church, is scriptural.

John was called “Baptist” in the New Testament.

He was sent from God to prepare the material of which Jesus would set up His church.

I believe that the one true church which Jesus set up was a missionary Baptist church.

We realize that today the name “Baptist” is used promiscuously by many groups which bear little likeness

to the new Testament church in doctrine, practice, organization, etc., etc.

True missionary Baptists today preach the same doctrines,

have the same kind of organization, hold to the same ordinances,

have the same kind of government, and recognize Jesus the one only true Head of the New Testament church (Eph. 1:22-23).

The church is also called His body.

Now a church, according to the Greek New Testament can only be a visible assembly.

Also the word “body” (Greek: soma), which is used many, many times to indicate the church,

means a visible, organized body.

It cannot be invisible, nor universal.

Jesus used the human body to picture the structure of His church.

The word is used 18 times in I Cor. 12, and every time has to do with the church.

The Bride of Christ

The Bride of Christ will be composed of the aggregation of all true New Testament churches —

of course, minus any unsaved who are members.

I believe these true New Testament churches are true missionary Baptist churches.

As to independent churches, we know that all New Testament churches were independent.

There were no Conventions, nor General Organizations.

Two Opposing Positions

There are two common objections raised pertaining to our claim of a Baptist Bride:

1. Opponents will raise the questions as to Paul’s words concerning Christ’s Bride, the church,

as given in Ephesians 4.4 and Ephesians 5.22-32.

In considering these scriptures,

keep in mind that he is speaking to a local church;

and truly there is only one church (one kind of church, as set up by our Lord).

Also he speaks of the church in an institutional sense,

as we might say, “the home, the school,” etc.,

without reference to any particular local home, or church, or school.

As to Ephesians 5.22, church is used in the same institutional sense.

2. The second objection raised by opponents of the Baptist Bride position is,

that the impurities, and disobedience of many of these churches, would disqualify them;

hence the Bride will have to be made up of all saved people.

This, too, I must deny,

for Ephesians 5.25-27 tells us: “Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, but holy, and without blemish.”

So, my friends, when the Bride is presented to Jesus, the Bridegroom,

she will have been cleansed and made acceptable to Him.

Other Evidences

Matthew 22.1-14 is an irrefutable reference,

for it is quite obvious that this parable has to do with the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

And, beloved, there were “guests” at this wedding.

Surely we never heard of a happy wedding occasion, such as this,

with only the Bride and Groom present.

Again, John 3.29 says, “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom;

but the friend of the bridegroom;

which standeth and heareth him rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice:

this my joy therefore is fulfilled.”

It is easy to see that the friend of the bridegroom here is John,

but he was not a part of the Bride.

I also urge you to read carefully Psalm 45.8-17.

Without doubt, this is a picture of the happy occasion of the marriage, and glorious reception.

Verse 14 says: “She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework:

the virgins her companions that follow here shall be brought unto thee.”

There is one other scripture which I shall mention here,

which is usually referred to by the anti-Baptist Bride group —

also by those who teach of an invisible, universal church,

and that everyone who is save is in the church, the body of Christ.

This is Heb. 12:22-23, where, in contrast with the law,

we are told of that to which we come.

“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God,

the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn,

which are written in heaven,

and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.”

Now it is quite obvious to those who know anything about the Greek rendering of this,

that “general assembly,” and “church of the firstborn” are entirely two different things.

The word used for “general assembly” is panaqurei, and means “the assembly of an entire people.”

This evidently refers to all of the saved of all ages.

However church, in “church of the firstborn,” is ekklesia, and means “assembly.”

It is the word used for “church” throughout the New Testament.

The “general assembly,” and “church of the firstborn” cannot be one, and the same.

Dear friends, I must stand upon the proposition,

that the church that Jesus built while He was here on earth was an old time missionary Baptist church,

and that the aggregation of such churches will constitute the Bride of Christ.

All who are born-again will be there,

but only the Bride will have the place of highest honor.

The Bride and the Bridegroom will not be alone at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9);

the saved of all ages will be there.

And what a time of glory it will be! Hallelujah!

There are so-called churches today which believe and preach salvation by works;

the New Testament churches preached salvation by grace, through faith,

and that unto good works (Eph. 2:8-10, Phil. 3:5).

There are so-called churches today which believe and preach baptismal regeneration;

the New Testament church preached the new birth by the Spirit of God.

They made disciples, then baptized them.

There are so-called churches today which believe and preach sprinkling or pouring for baptism;

the New Testament churches preached and practiced the only mode that can in any way be called baptism;

that is immersion in water.

There are so-called churches today which believe and preach church government by a select few;

the New Testament churches practiced authority and rule by the church,

believing in the autonomy given the church.

There are many so-called churches today which believe and preach that a group must belong to,

or be affiliated with some convention, or other organization;

the New Testament churches believed in the absolute independence of every local body of Christ,

and recognized no head except Jesus, the Founder of the church (Eph. 2:23; Col. 1:18).

There are many so-called churches today which believe, preach, and practice “open communion”

that is, let any Christian come and participate in that church’s observance of the Lord’s Supper;

the New Testament churches observed the Lord’s Supper as a local church ordinance.

Limited time and space prevent our going on and on with this list of differences in the practice of many so-called churches,

and that of old time New Testament Baptist churches today.

But we stand upon the Book.

In the light of these things, I must say that we believe in a true Baptist Bride.

And we believe that the bride will have the place of honor.

Otherwise, one church is as scriptural as another,

and that is not so.

All believers are saved,

but all are not in the Bride of Christ.

By M. H. Hall

---

One of the most controversial subjects being discussed in Baptist churches today

is the identity of the Bride of Christ.

Unfortunately, more confusion exists as to the meaning of the term,

than as to the identity of the Bride.

Much of the controversy surrounding the identity of the Bride

is centered on our understanding of Revelation 19:7-9.

"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him:

for the marriage of the Lamb is come,

and his wife hath made herself ready.

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white:

for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed [are] they

which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.

And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."

There are many differing opinions as to the true identity of the Bride of Christ.

The Old Testament does portray Israel as the "wife" of the LORD,

but describes her as unfaithful, divorced, and rejected.

Israel will be reunited with her estranged Husband at the time of the second coming,

but according to Zechariah 12:10 and 13:9

that reunion will take place on earth, not in heaven

as the events of Revelation 19 obviously do.

Some say the Bride is all the redeemed from all ages

This cannot be true because,

(a) Everyone that will be saved is not yet saved at this time

(tribulation saints, and those born and saved during the Millennium),

(b) John the Baptist was definitely saved, but said he was not part of "the Bride" (John 3:29).

And some say the Bride is "The Church", meaning the universal, invisible, mystical body of Christ

made up of all of the redeemed from the time of Christ until the rapture.

This is by far the most prevalent view held today by most Baptists.

Those who hold this view generally interpret Ephesians 5:23-33 and 2 Corinthians 11:2

to mean the "universal" church rather than the local church,

to whom the letters were addressed.

The problem with this position is Eph. 4:4&5,

"There is one body, and one Spirit,

even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

One Lord, one faith, one baptism..."

It is obvious here that the Bible clearly teaches there is only one body.

This passage does not indicate a numerical singleness, but a typical singleness.

By this I mean there is only one type of true New Testament church

(called the body in Col. 1:18) .

We must now ask ourselves a question.

Which type of church is the true New Testament church?

Is it the "universal, invisible" church of liberal ecumenical Protestantism,

or the local, visible church of the Baptists?

There are three positions that prevail today.

(1) The true church is local, and visible.

(2) The true church is universal and invisible.

(3) The true church is both local and universal, both visible and invisible.

The first position is both logical and Biblical,

having over 99 verses of Scriptural support.

The Second position is logical, but without any Scriptural support.

The third position assumes the Bible is wrong,

not one (type of) body, but two (types of) body, which of course means,

if the Bible is wrong, God is a liar!

So, what is the answer.

Does the Bible specifically say, one way or the other,

what the identity of the Bride of Christ really is?

It does, and does so most emphatically.

Much of this confusion is based on two unfortunate facts.

1. A misunderstanding of the identity of the true New Testament church.

2. A misunderstanding of what is meant by the term "Bride of Christ."

If we can clarify these two areas of confusion,

we can make much progress in identifying the Bride of Christ.

The word "church" is used seventy-seven times in the New Testament.

The word "churches" is used thirty-seven times.

Of these 114 references to "church" or "churches," by reading the context,

you can see that 99 references are to local churches.

One reference is to the assembly of the Nation of Israel in the wilderness,

and the remaining 14 are references to the "church" generically,

that is, no church specifically, all churches in general.

In referring to the true New Testament church,

the Bible uses three metaphors:

The Body of Christ (Colossians 1:18, 24),

The Bride of Christ (John 3:29; Rev. 18:23; 22:17 cf. Eph. 5:31-32; 2 Cor 11:2), and

The Building of Christ (1 Cor 3:9; Eph. 2:21).

Many if not most who call themselves Baptists,

misunderstand one, two, or occasionally all three of these metaphors.

Most Baptists realize the church of the New Testament is Local, Visible, Organized

(having officers: Pastors and Deacons),

and duly Constituted (having been properly planted, exercising church authority,

and having a membership roll).

However, when we see the metaphors:

Body, Bride, and Building;

we often revert to the "universal, invisible, mystical" thought patterns of protestant teaching.

When we see the term "Body of Christ",

we often forget this term is a metaphor used to illustrate truth

concerning the true New Testament church.

The term "Body" when referring to the church is never used in a mystical fashion,

but is used simply as an identifier.

The "Body" of Christ is said to be "fitly joined together" in Eph 4:16.

That word "joined" is the same root word we use for "joint",

as in the "elbow joint", the "knee joint", and so forth,

indicating our body is all one piece, joined together in one place, visible,

and organized (the arm bones are connected at the elbow,

if one arm bone and one leg bone were joined at the elbow, we would not be very well organized!),

and the "Body of Christ" is joined together, in a local, visible, organized body.

In like manner, "the Body of Christ" is a metaphor of identity, a group of people, joined together,

belonging to Jesus Christ!

There is nothing mystical about it.

The term "Body of Christ" is simply a way

to illustrate the relationship between Jesus Christ and His local, New Testament churches.

The "Body" metaphor illustrates the church's service to the Lord.

That service is Pastoral (caring for established churches), and Missionary (establishing new churches).

Every person in a true New Testament church

should be involved in one of these areas of service.

Deacons assist the Pastor in caring for the people in the church.

The Sunday School teachers help teach the people in the church.

The nursery workers help greatly in assisting the Pastor by providing safe and loving care for infants

and toddlers during the services.

The members of the church assist the Pastor, and the Missionaries,

by the regular giving of their offerings.

The term "Body of Christ" illustrates the relationship of Christ to His church in the area of service.

Likewise the metaphor "Building" is simply a reference to that which Christ has built,

namely His true New Testament church (Matt, 16:18).

In Eph. 2:21, the "Building" is said to be "fitly framed together."

Together means "all in one place", or local,

and if local, then also visible, and organized

(not a pile of wood, but a framed together building).

The term "Building" refers to the relationship between Christ and His church in the area of His guarding,

keeping, and protecting the church.

As a building is a place of shelter and safety during a storm,

so also is the true New Testament church a place

where we will be kept safe and sheltered from the storms of daily life,

and be protected from the onslaughts of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

The "Building" or Temple of God also speaks of our worship of Him as a "Royal Priesthood,"

offering Spiritual Sacrifices to Him who is our keeper and protector.

Now we come to the "Bride."

Each true New Testament church is pictured as a bride, with Christ as the Bridegroom.

This metaphor is used to illustrate the love relationship of Christ for His churches,

and the obligation for the Lord's churches to be faithful,

in contrast to the false churches that are pictured as a harlot in Revelation chapter 17.

"And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials,

and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither;

I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore

that sitteth upon many waters:"

This false church is

(a) unfaithful [a great whore]

(b) condemned [under judgment]

(c) universal [sitteth upon many waters].

This chapter goes on to say,

"With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,

and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication,"

which identifies this false church as a state church

("with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication"),

formalistic ("And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,

and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls,

having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:"),

and persecutes the true New Testament church of Jesus Christ

("And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints,

and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus:

and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.").

So we see that the term "Bride" refers to the relationship of Christ to His churches

in the area of purity (separation), and possession (the Bride belongs to the Bridegroom),

in contrast to the false, unfaithful "church" called a "harlot".

There are two passages of Scripture to search in order to properly identify the Bride.

In Genesis chapter 24 we see a beautiful picture of the Bride. Abraham (type of God the Father),

sends his servant (type of the Holy Spirit),

into a far country to call out a bride for his son Isaac (type of the Lord Jesus Christ).

In reading this passage there are some very important things to notice.

(1) The servant (the type of the Holy Spirit) was sent (in verse 4) "unto my country,

and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac."

The servant was sent only to the country (kingdom) of the Father,

to call out a wife only from the kindred (family) of the Father.

In the New Testament the Kingdom of God is clearly identified as consisting of all of the redeemed

(Matt 8:11; Luke 13:28-29),

and the family of God (Eph. 3:15) is identified as also including all of the redeemed.

It is from this kingdom, and from this family,

that the servant is instructed to call out a bride for the son.

The bride is to come out of the kingdom of the father,

and out of the family of the father.

You will notice that Isaac did not marry the whole family,

but only one part of the family, Rebekah

All of the redeemed will not be part of the Bride,

but only those members of the family of God

that are members of the New Testament church

The second passage that we must look closely at is Hebrews chapter 12:22-24.

"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God,

the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn,

which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all,

and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,

and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel."

Here we see a prophecy of our coming into heaven and seeing all that is in store for us there.

We see first of all

(1) an innumerable company of angels,

(2) the general assembly,

(3) the church of the first born,

(4) God the Judge, and

(5) the spirits of just men made perfect,

(6) Jesus the mediator, and

(7) the blood of sprinkling.

Number 1, the angels, is self explanatory.

Number 2, the general assembly, is an interesting group.

In the time of Christ the Greek nation was divided into many independent City-States.

Each City-State had its own Assembly, or governing body,

that made all of the laws for that City-State,

and functioned as a general court of last appeal.

We see this City-State Assembly illustrated in Acts 19:28-41.

However, all of the people living in the Greek nation at that time

did not live in one of the organized City-States,

some lived in the rural areas, not under the governing authority of any of the City-States.

These un-represented people (not part of any particular assembly)

would meet together once a year in a great General Assembly

and conduct the business of the rural areas of the nation.

The Bible says there will be a General Assembly in heaven,

that is, a group of people who are not represented by,

or under the authority of, any of the organized specific assemblies.

The Bible clearly identifies the specific Assembly as the local New Testament church

(see Scripture quotations from above paragraphs).

This heavenly "General Assembly" are clearly those from the gospel era who were saved,

but were never baptized into the membership of any of the Lord's specific assemblies,

the New Testament churches.

Number 3, the Church of the First Born, is that group of saved,

baptized people who were members of the Lord's (the First Born, Col. 1:18) true New Testament churches.

Number 4, God the Judge is also self explanatory.

Number 5, the spirits of just men made perfect,

is a reference to the Old Testament saints according to Hebrews 11:32-40.

The rest, 6 & 7, are also self explanatory.

So then, we see there will be a gathering in heaven of three distinct groups of redeemed people:

(a) the General Assembly (those saved during the Gospel era, but not members of, or under the authority of, any Special Assembly),

(b) the Church (Special Assembly) of the First Born, and

(c) the spirits of just men made perfect (Old Testament Saints).

These three groups will be:

(a) General Assembly: the friends of the Groom (John 3:29),

(b) the church: the Bride (Eph. 5:31),

(c) Old Testament Saints: the honored Guests (Rev. 19:9).

We see, therefore, that the Bride of Christ is not all of the redeemed,

nor even all of the saved from the Gospel Era (Church Age),

but only those members of true New Testament churches.

If the average Christian is asked for a definition of the "Baptist Bride" position,

he would be hard pressed to give an intelligible answer.

Some would say the "Baptist Bride" position means "Only Baptists are going to Heaven."

Others would say, "Only Baptists will be raptured."

Nowhere does the Bible ever teach the "rapture of the Church",

but it does teach the rapture of the saints,

all of them:

Old Testament saints, New Testament saints, church members, and non-church members,

all will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air).

A proper understanding

of the true New Testament church

is absolutely necessary in order for our church members

to realize that we are the Bride of Christ

the judgment seat of Christ

receive full reward

the Marriage feast of the Lamb

XXxX xxx,x,xxx,xXxX xXxX xXxX xXxX

Leviticus 26:12

Israel turned from God to serve idols,

for which he divorced her and sent her into exile. We

Isaiah 50:1

Jeremiah 3:8

God divorced Israel

Gentiles to be grafted in

A New People Group

Matthew 16.18

The Ekklesia (the church) is often and clearly referred to as the body of Christ

Ephesians 4.11-12

Ephesians 3.6

Ephesians 5.31-32

Jesus "lands" at Jerusalem (Acts 1:9-11)

Coming with Him are the saints

acompanying the bridegroom

In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,

which is in front of Jerusalem on the east..."

Zechariah 14.4

And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.

Revelation 19.14

when His mother Mary had been betrothed (mnesteuo) to Joseph,

before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 

Matthew 1.18

Here the word "betrothed" is mnesteuo, and means "to espouse, betroth." As such, and at this stage of the 'marriage' Joseph has no right yet to be one flesh with Mary.

For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed (harmozo) you to one husband,

so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.

2 Corinthians 11.2

many point to the Israel marriage ceremony/tradition

to depict Jesus' return for the bride

1 Corinthians 1.30

Paul teaches these Messianic Gentiles

that they are many times referred to as "the body of Christ."

Who then is the church

The Bride of the Lamb

In Revelation, regarding the bride of Lamb,

Revelation 21.9-10

Hosea 2.18-20

[]Luke 13]].34-35

Revelation 19.7

In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,

which is in front of Jerusalem on the east

Zec 14:4

John 14.1-3

Matthew 15.24

The Time of the Gentiles

Romans 11

a partial or temporary hardening

has occurred against Israel

so that the Gentiles could be grafted

into the olive tree.

"... a partial hardening has happened to Israel

Romans 11.25-26

after the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,

Israel will turn and accept Jesus as their messiah and thereby re-establish the covenant,

Gentile Christians will be taken up

before Israel acknowledges Jesus as its Messiah.

The rapture of 1 Thessalonians 4.17

In Ephesians, Paul spoke of the eventual reunion of the uncircumcised and the circumcised,

the Gentile Christians to the Jewish Christians.

But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2.11-16

The Wedding

Israel, divorced from God long ago,

can now give herself into marriage,

Zechariah 9.9

Revelation 22.16-17

Footnotes

1 Ephesians 5.25-27

2 Matthew 15.24

3 Matthew 23.37

4 Romans 11.25

5 Hebrews 8.8-13

6 Romans 11.14

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