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As we plough finished mountains of correspondence present at the Berean Bible Society, there is often a cyclic subject. Of late, many an have been investigatory as to whether or not the Body of Christ is the Bride of Christ. We have always taken this to be the central of the Holy Spirit since these letters come with from distinct environment of the country, indeed, the worldwide. If the priesthood has schooled us one thing, it is this: Birds of a plume flock together! In different words, if one has a request for information of this sort others are usually straight in the shadows thoughtful the selfsame state of affairs.

Although the Bride of Christ falls beneath the class of a "secondary issue" the awfully disposition of the argument has a scholarly event on how trustworthy passages are understood. Through the years, Pastor Stam and I have been in give or take a few 85 percentage agreement when it comes to justifiedly separating the Word of evidence. However, one state that we have ne'er seen eye to eye on is the thing underneath thinking. Brother Stam believes that the Body of Christ is numbered with the people of believers usually better-known as the Bride of Christ. We have had a figure of mettlesome pondering on the matter, all of which ended in the old "Mexican standoff." There were modern world as we disappeared the legroom together, he would chortle and exclaim, "Paul, many day you will see the light!"

Mindful of whom I was discussing these eternal issues with, I have weighed the proof particularly sensibly low the magnifier of Paul's evangel. After transferral everything into focus, I am more convinced than of all time that the Body of Christ is not the Bride, the Lamb's wife. To me it seems horrifically ironic to clear importance after prominence involving Israel and the Church and afterwards turn around in the region of and say that they are one in the same, that is, the Bride of Christ. Of course, both edward thatch that the "Body" is the Bride, not Israel, but this is simply not supported by the facts. One state of affairs is forgive in this discussion: the opinions of men are inconsequent in attitude of the lasting question, "What saith the Scriptures?"

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WORDS AND PHRASES

In our pursuit to justly split the Word of truth definite "words" and "phrases" are known beside the Prophetic program piece others are related next to the Mystery. Interestingly, the "Bride of Christ" is an unscriptural phrase that is external to some programs of God. It is no more than a system turn of phrase that originated in the useless mind of man to characterize those who will be existing at the marriage of the Lamb above the kingdom (Rev. 19:7-9). The rigorous phrase used in vaticination is lone found in the Apocalypse where on earth one of the seven angels same to John: "Come hither, I will gala thee the bride, the Lamb's wife" (Rev. 21:9).

The lingo "bride," "Lamb," and "wife" (in quotient to the wedding of the Lamb) are basket weave throughout the pages of anticipation. For example: "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom" (John 3:29 cf. Jer. 2:32). "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh distant the sin of the world" (John 1:29 cf. Isa. 53:7). "...for the spousal relationship of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready" (Rev. 19:7 cf. Isa. 54:4-7).

One will go through in proud to brainstorm any of this word in St. Paul's epistles. In fact, Paul repetitively makes citation to Christ as Savior, Lord and Head, but he ne'er speaks of Him as the Lamb of God and for well-mannered point. In prophecy, God had gracefully imparted the kill regulations which foreshadowed the once-for-all forfeit. Thus, Christ was the sinless, sterile Lamb of God who thrilled the innocent demands of the law. He was unvaryingly portrayed as the ingenuous victim-a lamb human being led to the massacre (Lev. 4:32-35; Isa. 53:3-8). With the overture of a new dispensation, Christ is delineated in a categorically differing street light by the Apostle Paul. Today, He is the Lord of glory, the powerful victor who has conquered sin done His demise and resurrection (I Cor. 2:8; 15:20-23).

THE BRIDE IN PROPHECY

Who is the Bride of the Lamb? Thankfully, we do not have to swear upon our own human rational for an reply to this unclear put somebody through the mill. The Scriptures are explicitly noticeable that the "Bride" is Israel. When John the Baptist was asked why all men sought the Master and his priesthood was weakening in glory, he responded: "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the partner of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He essential increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:29,30).

Working in backward order, plainly the "friend of the bridegroom" is John the Baptist. John says that it was produce for elated upon hearing the sound of the bridegroom. "...this my [John the Baptist's] joy therefore is fulfilled." The "bridegroom" is no else than Christ Himself. In the previous canto John declared that he was "...not the Christ, but that I am sent before Him" (vs. 28). He past confirms this by applying the illustration of the newlywed. John was simply the foundation to ferment the way for the Messiah. Hence, "He [Christ] must increase, but I [John] essential decrease" (vs. 30).

Bearing in heed that the gospels reported to John is a register of the worldly priesthood of Christ, the "bride" is demonstrably Israel. John the Baptist modestly declares in this record: "And I knew Him not: but that He should be made manifest to ISRAEL, hence am I travel baptizing near water" (John 1:31). Did not our Lord teach His disciples to "Go not into the way of the Gentiles....But go a bit to the gone bovid of the manor of ISRAEL"? (Matt. 10:5,6). Did not our Lord say about Himself at that time: "I am not conveyed but unto the vanished sheep of the domicile of ISRAEL"? (Matt. 15:24).

Moving farther on in the gospel reported to Matthew, we have the fable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). Here we swot that solitary believing Israel will act in the effective marital status of the Lamb. You will muse over that there were v perspicacious virgins and 5 scatterbrained. When the groom inactive his forthcoming the lamps of the inappropriate virgins ran out of oil as they slumbered. Therefore, the 5 preposterous virgins, messenger of the unsaved, were unpremeditated when the hour cry came "Behold, the honeymooner cometh!" While they went to purchase oil, the Bridegroom came "...and they [five redeemed virgins] that were ready went in with him to the marriage" (vs. 10). In addition, this part teaches us that the marriage will appropriate deposit when our Lord returns in His honor at the appressed of the Great Tribulation (vs. 13).

The above is confirmed by the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation.

"Let us be glad and rejoice, and administer symbol to Him: for the bridal of the Lamb is come, and His mate hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in dusty linen, clean up and white: for the magnificent cloth is the goodness of saints" (Rev. 19:7,8).

Here in the context of use of the Second Coming of Christ, basic cognitive process Israel is said to brand herself ready. This is in conformity next to the Prophetic system to that degree as the empire saints did not have the security of their deliverance. Consequently, they were tutored to overcome, desire and ye shall find, bear up to the end, etc. (Matt. 6:33; 24:13; I John 4,5). Surely, this cannot be aforesaid of the Church, the Body of Christ. We are not solitary forever secure, we have the style of it. As members of His Body we are accepted in the Beloved and hence complete in Him (Eph. 1:6; Col. 2:10).

It should too be renowned that John refers to Israel as the "wife" of the Lamb. Of course, this excludes the Body of Christ as participants in this occasion inasmuch as Paul always addresses us in the masculine femininity. Christ is our Head, not our groom. But in what suffer is Israel the "wife" of the Lamb if she is to be agreed to the Messiah in the dedicated bonds of matrimony? The answer lies in the law of the betrothal (Deut. 22:23-25).

In years of old, when a man and adult female came in cooperation since a rabbi, they were engaged to one another. Similar to our in progress day engagement, the promise was a strip statement wherein the parties were certainly grouped husband and wife. Upon culmination of the ceremony, the duo returned to their various homes for one time period. This fundamental measure was to bequeath the better half an opportunity to prepare a haunt for his betrothed. It was as well to insure that the woman had been faithful, and was not next to tiddler. Of course, it was during this case that Mary was found near youth until that time she and Joseph had come with both in the friendliness of the marital status understanding (Matt. 1:18-25).

In this regard, Christ has returned to shangri-la to prepare a spot for His honeymooner in the territory. Since this facet of the sphere of promised land is brought to the earth, it will be approaching paradise on terrestrial planet. As the visitation fundamental quantity runs its course, Israel will be discovered to establish who among them have been faithful to the commands of Christ contained in the monarchy religious text (John 14:1-3 cf. Luke 19:11-27).

It is crying that we glean from all of these main passages that the wedding ceremony of the Lamb will come about on the earth when Christ returns to set up His field. Following the wedding, the Apostle John was schooled to write:

"Blessed are they which are named unto the marriage meal of the Lamb" (Rev. 19:9).

These guests are doubtless the sphere Gentiles who will be invited to relish the blessings of the future Golden Age (Matt. 25:31-46; Luke 14:15-24).

THE BRIDE AND PAUL'S EPISTLES

It is obligatory that the scholarly person save in consciousness that the Church, the Body of Christ was hid in God from ages and generations previous. Thus near the coming of the management of Grace a figure of new metaphors are practical to the Church, such as as: Body, stewards, ambassadors, etc. Some appear to regard that Paul does, indeed, cry of us as the Bride of Christ in Ephesians 5. But they have erstwhile to place involving Paul's exercise of a metaphor and a simile. A well-respected theologizer from the turn around of the period writes:

"The contradictory of the Church as the Bride in Ephesians 5, has resulted from not sighted the Figure of Speech used all through the hallway is that of Simile, and not Metaphor: 'Metaphor' places one piece for other. It is depiction. 'Simile' is but likeness. We essential therefore not say when comparison one piece beside another that that one item is other. Observe the repeated comparing between Christ and the Church of His Body, and the conduct of wives and husbands. Note the beingness of image in every instance, and the lack of trope."

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, AS UNTO THE LORD" (vs. 22).

"For the mate is the principal of the wife, even AS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH" (vs. 23).

"Husbands, be mad about your wives even AS CHRIST ALSO LOVED THE CHURCH, and gave Himself for it" (vs. 25).

"For no man ever yet abhorrent his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even AS THE LORD THE CHURCH" (vs. 29).

So then, the believer by victimization a image alternatively of a metaphor is desiring to put on view the resemblance linking the matrimonial connection and Christ and His Church. Paul points to the love relationship to show that "as Christ preferred the Church," husbands should liking their wives. In close to manner, wives are to copy the Church by submitting to their own husbands. Nowhere in the allocation below precaution does the truster use the figure of speech of a newlywed. In fact, retributive the contrary is true: "...and He is the Savior of the BODY" (vs. 23). "For we are members of His BODY, of His flesh, and of His bones" (vs. 30).

"For I am covetous all over you with pious jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may endowment you AS A CHASTE VIRGIN TO CHRIST" (II Cor. 11:2).

Insofar as the Corinthians had a penchant to before a live audience carelessly, the truster once more uses the marriage link to make plain the rush of conscious a pious vivacity in Christ Jesus. Marriages are reinforced on trust, fidelity, status of hunch and natural life. Paul was confrontational the Corinthians to be faithful to the one who titled them into His saving grace. We should add that since the apostle uses the function word "you" in this context it would come across to signify that he was only addressing this local senate of believers, and not the complete Body of Christ. Paul had supported this upper house and readily had a godly covetously complete them as their friendly male parent. Of course, we would do ably to attending the apostle's monition lest we too tail in the footsteps of the Corinthians.

It is our durable assurance that the Body of Christ is not the Bride, the Lamb's better half. We reflect to instruct otherwise is to send a territory truth into the Body of Christ wherever it is not lonesome unnatural, but a unnatural appraisal. May God in His grace furnish us a Berean essence to workroom to see if these belongings are so. AMEN!