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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
The imagery and symbolism of marriage is applied to Christ and the body of believers known as the church. The church is comprised of those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior ...
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Ariel HaNaviy
What does it mean that the Church is the bride of Christ? In short, the bride of Christ is none other than the Body of true believers from Jews and Gentiles (Eph 2:13-22), chosen of God to live with him in eternity (2 Cor 11:2). The bride is also associated with the New Jerusalem where God and the Lamb will dwell (Rev 21:2, 9, 10). The bride of Christ is rooted in Isra'el’s position of being “chosen,” which directly speaks to the Church’s spiritual mandate as "called-out ones," Greek=ἐκκλησία ekklesia, Hebrew=קָהַל kahal (1 Pet 2:9 which references Ex 19:6; Deut 7:6; Deut 10:15; Is 43:21 and Is 61:6). Remnant Isra'el is the bride of Christ (Rom 9:24-27; Rom. 11:17; Eph 2:12). Jews and Gentiles in Messiah actually make up Remnant Isra'el/the bride of Christ. According to Rom 11:17-24, some unfaithful branches (unsaved Jews) are broken off to make room for wild olive branches (Gentiles in Christ), but the bride as a whole does not “replace” National Isra'el as a whole, since the bride is actually incorporated into Remnant Isra'el. God does not have two brides. And since God has not rejected his bride National Isra'el (Rom. 11:1, 2; Rom. 11:28, 29), since he is able to graft unsaved branches back in if they do not persist in unbelief (Rom. 11:23, 24), this means the very existence of the bride of Christ also provides us a glimpse into the ontological nature of God the Father and God the Son (with the bride themes overlapping to provide the connection). Chosen National “unsaved” Isra'el • The bride of God (Is 54:5; Jer 3:4; Jer 31:32; Ez 16:8) Chosen Remnant “saved” Isra'el • The bride of Christ (2 Cor 11:2; Rev 21:9) We love Messiah, our Husband, but he in fact, as portrayed from “Old” to “New” Testaments, loved his bride first: (Deut 7:7-9; Eph 5:25-27).
Tim Beeker
Do a study on two things, in order to have a better understanding of who the bride is. The bride is actually the called out ones, belonging to Israel. These are both Jews and non-Jews. Do a study on "ketubah" and "chupah," in order to begin to see a clearer picture of who the Bride is. A man made a particular promise to his betrothed. This same promise was made by YeHoshua to His disciples, who stood in stead for the rest of obedient believers. Find out what the phrase was. Again, Isaiah 4:1 plays into this. It is a perfect picture of a group of people who want to be the bride, but set about doing their own thing, totally disregarding the things that the bridegroom wants his bride to accomplish. The true picture of the bride is seen in Rev. 19:7-10. They gain their righteousness that is seen in Dt. 6:24-25.
Anthony Clinton
The New Jerusalem is the Church, “the Bride”,“The Lamb’s Wife”. This concept is clearly shown forth in the Scriptures, from the parables, and the plain speech recorded in them. Beginning with Revelation 21 the fact that the new Jerusalem is demonstrated as the Church is seen firstly in Rev 21:2 Here The New Jerusalem Is the Bride that shall Marry Christ. It’s not unusual that the Church should be described as living stones placed in the Church and this portion of Scripture is alluding to living human beings that are called the New Jerusalem. Rev 21:9, continues to tell us from the disclosure of one of the seven angels that that the “Bride” is the New Jerusalem. This is not spoken of as “a place or a city in the sense of buildings and streets” It is called the Lamb’s “Wife”. Christ will not be marrying a city in that sense and the obvious explanation left is that the stones and the foundations are symbolically the people that are the Church. The twelve foundations are actually the apostles. In connection with this glorious picture one only needs to see the wording in 1Corinthians 15:35-49 to show that as with these beautiful stones mentioned each person raised in their new resurrection bodies will have a differing level of glory. 1Co 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. The very next chapter Rev 22:17 proves that this Bride is the Church because it says “And the Spirit and the Bride say come” and this is the evangelical call of the Church. She is sending out the invitation and urging the hearers to enter her and in doing so they will become part of that glorious celestial city that will marry Christ at the great last day feast at the Second Coming. Mat 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark Vestal
The statement would be in error. Believers today are already in Christ and Christ is already in the believer (Romans 8:1, Romans 8:10). It would make no sense for Jesus, the head of the church (us), to marry His own body. The current church, or 'called out' assembly, is filling Christ’s body until filled up; when “the fulness of the Gentiles come in” (Romans 11:25). Ephesians 1:22-23 "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." Colossians 1:18 "And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." Colossians 1:24 "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:" Romans 12:5 "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." The church, the body of Christ, is God’s “husbandry”: 1 Corinthians 3:9 "For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building." The bride of Christ is the kingdom of Heaven that Israel has been awaiting since promised to Abraham. This is clearly identified below as the "new Jerusalem" (Rev 21:2), or “holy Jerusalem” (Rev 21:10). This marriage occurs after the millennial reign of Christ on earth, when the new heaven and new earth are brought together: Revelation 21:1-2 "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Revelation 21:9-10 “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,” This point would be at the end of “the dispensation of the fulness of times” (Eph 1:10). It is when Israel’s earthly kingdom of Heaven (and her believing remnant ‘in Christ’), and the church, the body of Christ (in Heaven and also in Christ) will merge as one: Ephesians 1:10 “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:”
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