ECT Why the Bride of Christ is the Body of Christ.

[Lazy afternoon]

Why the Bride of Christ is the Body of Christ

We can start with the obvious --

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
Eph 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Eph 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Pauls ministry --

2Co 11:1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.


That should be evidence enough.

However it only requires a little time to prove that the 144000 are indeed the members of the Body of Christ who Paul and many others down the years have been preparing for the big day of the wedding feast.--

Rev 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
Rev 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
Rev 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
Rev 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Rev 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

These redeemed are--

These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.

Spiritual virgins as Paul said--

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Undefiled by women of the spiritual kind (not of God)

1Co 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.

Joh 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

Jas 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

1Pe 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

The 144000 are the overcomers of the Christians. They are the Bride of Christ.

Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.


LA

 

[SaulToPaul 2]

The Lamb's wife is a city.

 

[Interplanner]

All of this needs to be tied more tightly into the 1st century situation which is about how the new Christian fellowship sees and leaves Judaism. Judaism is the harlot, and is part of the 'weak and miserable elements of the world' Gal 4. All that matters about the bride of Christ is not which symbol will be used to represent it or where it is and when, but that it is not part of Judaism.

 

[Lazy afternoon]

The Lamb's wife is a city.

Yes it is, not made with stone, but with resurrected people in His Glory. (His Fathers glory and the Holy Angels.)


Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Mal 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

Rev 19:7 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.
Rev 19:8 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.
Rev 19:9 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.



Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

LA

 

[musterion]

Yes it is, not made with stone, but with resurrected people in His Glory. (His Fathers glory and the Holy Angels.)


Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Mal 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

Rev 19:7 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.
Rev 19:8 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.
Rev 19:9 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.



Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

LA

How can the Bride "maketh herself ready" when the Bride is a city?

Yes it is, not made with stone

Revelation 21 disagrees.

but with resurrected people in His Glory.

How, then, will kings of the earth enter into it/them? Rev 21:26.

 

[Lazy afternoon]

How can the Bride "maketh herself ready" when the Bride is a city?

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Revelation 21 disagrees.

Act 7:47 But Solomon built him an house.
Act 7:48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
Act 7:49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
Act 7:50 Hath not my hand made all these things?

How, then, will kings of the earth enter into it/them? Rev 21:26.

Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
Rev 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
Rev 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Isa 60:14 The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

LA

 

[Interplanner]

The Rev is image-rich and not as literal as you are thinking. It is a kind of literature that is understood as 'cartoon' most of the time.

As one example about the literalness of it, try to do a personnel and materiel inventory of the book. The last time I tried, I got to about -275% in the 9th chapter. Ie, when you account for the people and things mentioned in the book in a strict bookkeeping sense, you get out there to that chapter and there are no people or things left to be reduced again by a third etc.

It is not that kind of material.

It was pastoral material to help the 1st century Jewish believer come to terms with what was happening to Israel in their time (the 'harlot' was being 'stoned') and that there was a 'wedding' to take place of the true 'bride' from among all nations after the death of the harlot.

 

[Lazy afternoon]

The Rev is image-rich and not as literal as you are thinking. It is a kind of literature that is understood as 'cartoon' most of the time.

As one example about the literalness of it, try to do a personnel and materiel inventory of the book. The last time I tried, I got to about -275% in the 9th chapter. Ie, when you account for the people and things mentioned in the book in a strict bookkeeping sense, you get out there to that chapter and there are no people or things left to be reduced again by a third etc.

It is not that kind of material.

It was pastoral material to help the 1st century Jewish believer come to terms with what was happening to Israel in their time (the 'harlot' was being 'stoned') and that there was a 'wedding' to take place of the true 'bride' from among all nations after the death of the harlot.

Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Concerning the third, it is not a third of people but is the whole of the people called "the third"

It describes the last days churches, which began with the third who survived the judgments upon OC Israel and survived to become the churches which subsequently fell away through a few generations which became the Roman Catholic church and others.

There were others faithful, many of whom were slain by them and by other apostate systems, as history shows.

It does not follow that the RCC is the apostates of the end times. Some are and some are not.


Zec 13:8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

LA

 

[Lazy afternoon]

It should not be difficult to understand that the Holy City, being the Bride, the wife of the Lord, is made up of living people and not of stone when considering--

Joh 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
Joh 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
Joh 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Heb 12:22 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,
Heb 12:23 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,
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

LA

 

[Interplanner]

Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Concerning the third, it is not a third of people but is the whole of the people called "the third"

It describes the last days churches, which began with the third who survived the judgments upon OC Israel and survived to become the churches which subsequently fell away through a few generations which became the Roman Catholic church and others.

There were others faithful, many of whom were slain by them and by other apostate systems, as history shows.

It does not follow that the RCC is the apostates of the end times. Some are and some are not.


Zec 13:8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

LA

Those warning verses were expressed that way for the Judaizers of the 1st century so they would "get it." They were not meant to cause all the modern (as naseum) "systems" to say they were the "only ones" who know what the Rev means.

Better brush up on your math. 1/3 of a negative number is negative.

 

[patrick jane]

However it only requires a little time to prove that the 144000 are indeed the members of the Body of Christ who Paul and many others down the years have been preparing for the big day of the wedding feast.--

You aren't in the 144,000 :devil:

 

[Lazy afternoon]

You aren't in the 144,000 :devil:

It is open to all who want to become like the description of them.

Rev 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
Rev 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Rev 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.


Psa 149:1 Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
Psa 149:2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
Psa 149:3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
Psa 149:4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
Psa 149:5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
Psa 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
Psa 149:7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
Psa 149:8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
Psa 149:9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
LA

 

[heir]

We can start with the obvious --

The term "bride of Christ" does not appear anywhere in Paul's writings. If the Body of Christ were as you say, surely Paul would have said so, but he didn't.

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
Eph 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Eph 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

You fool! Christ's body (masculine) cannot be married to Christ (masculine) nor can Christ marry Himself! Try to actually think! Paul is writing that as members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones, we are subject to Him, Who is the Head of the Body and that the wife is subject to the husband as the body is to the head. The wife should respond to the husband as a body would the head. How do you miss that?

Pauls ministry --

2Co 11:1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

You are building your doctrine on something that Paul wrote to the Corinthians requesting they bear with him a little in his folly?

Also, Paul uses the plural "you" in verse 2 (as in the saved Corinthians). If he were speaking of the Body of Christ he would have used the singular "thee".

That should be evidence enough.

So you've taken the only two places in Paul's writings that could possibly be twisted to suit your bad doctrine and completely ignored the context in which they were said, the language that was used and as mentioned, that Christ's Body is not feminine. Only a perverter would think so.

 

[Lazy afternoon]

The term "bride of Christ" does not appear anywhere in Paul's writings. If the Body of Christ were as you say, surely Paul would have said so, but he didn't.

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Paul was preparing believers in Christ to be married to Him at His coming--

Rev 19:7 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.
Rev 19:8 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.

You fool! Christ's body (masculine) cannot be married to Christ (masculine) nor can Christ marry Himself! Try to actually think! Paul is writing that as members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones, we are subject to Him, Who is the Head of the Body and that the wife is subject to the husband as the body is to the head. The wife should respond to the husband as a body would the head. How do you miss that?

No.

There exists no relationship between Jesus and His own body members which are resurrected and in Heaven which you can ever be a part of.
Christ was resurrected entirely with nothing to be added to Himself in the future. (Other than a Bride and children)

You have invented an identity of your own imagination which did not begin at Pentecost.

The Church which is the fullness of Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit sent from the Father through Christ at Pentecost.

The only relationship which Paul is concerned about is that between Christ and that of His future bride/wife

You are building your doctrine on something that Paul wrote to the Corinthians requesting they bear with him a little in his folly?

Paul was not saying this as a part of his folly. He was speaking foolishly in his boasting of his apostleship, read further.

Also, Paul uses the plural "you" in verse 2 (as in the saved Corinthians). If he were speaking of the Body of Christ he would have used the singular "thee".

2Co 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

So you've taken the only two places in Paul's writings that could possibly be twisted to suit your bad doctrine and completely ignored the context in which they were said, the language that was used and as mentioned, that Christ's Body is not feminine. Only a perverter would think so.

You have thus so far called me a fool and now a perverter, because you are not a part of Christs bride.

If you were born of the Spirit you would know the truth.

Christ's body is indeed feminine and Christ is the groom.

Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Eph 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Heb 12:22 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,
Heb 12:23 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,
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.


Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.


Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.


Mat 9:15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him

Joh 3:29 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.

LA