Who Is "The Bride Of Christ"By Fred HandschumacherStudents of the Bible understand "The rapture of the Church" as Jesus coming to receive his bride. Out of curiosity, I did a Scripture search on the word "bride" (as in Bride of Christ). The way some teach it you would think that the word appears everywhere in the New Testament. I found three direct references to "The Bride"; one in the book of Revelation, one in 2 Cor. 11:2 and one in Eph. 5:28-32. There are more indirect references when you consider the parables Jesus taught about the wedding feast. "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." (2 Cor 11:2 KJV)I feel a need to discuss this subject. Some false endtime prophecy teachers are now attempting to redefine the Bride of Christ" into an "elite" group of believers that possess a high level of devotion to the Lord. They teach that Christ's Bride doesn't include all believers--and their doctrine takes advantage of the general lack of knowledge concerning these issues found among most Christians today. They insist that "The Bride" represents only the "most devoted" believers who will be taken at the rapture. This is another variation of the partial-rapture error that is found in abundance in some Pentecostal Holiness and endtime prophecy oriented churches. It represents the continuing effort by legalists to divide Christ's body--an effort that's been going on since the days of the first century church. The epistles of Saint Paul clear up this confusion. There are two terms that describe all believers in Christ: One is "the body of Christ" and the other is "the Church". Both these terms describe the same group of people...all living believers in Christ on the earth. Now, lets hear what Saint Paul has to say:"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." (Col 1:18 KJV)And again..."And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." (Eph 1:22-23 KJV)And again..."Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." (1 Cor 12:27 KJV)Notice that Paul said all believers in Christ at Corinth were members of the body of Christ. He never said there was a special grouping. Again, this is interesting because Saint Paul considered believers at Corinth some of the most "carnal" under his care.Notice that Saint Paul calls "the body" (the Body of Christ) of which Christ is head--THE CHURCH. That means the "all" who is the body is the same "all" who is Christ's Church. Next, Paul makes another important connection... "So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 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. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." (Eph 5:28-32 KJV)In the context of speaking about the relationship between a husband and a wife, Paul says that his comments actually reveal "a mystery" about Christ and the church. To preserve the context of this Scripture...another way you might say this is, "Christ and his wife, the church". A bride becomes a wife--that's the end of the process.Don't allow anyone to deceive you into believing that the "Bride of Christ" is a special group of highly devoted Christians while everyone else is in a "lower" class and must suffer the "sin-purging" trials of the tribulation period. Jesus hates this practice of dismembering and dividing his body. If you've obeyed the Gospel in Romans 10:9-10 and 1 Cor. 15:1-4 as Paul commanded, you're saved, you're a member of the body of Christ, you're a member of Christ's church...and you're part of the Bride of Christ! Here is one way you can view this: The Church is made up of all believers on earth. However, when the Church is moved to heaven, it becomes the "Bride. Those who attempt to ensnare you by insisting that "The Bride of Christ" is a group of "professional level" believers that obtain their status through some "fervent" form of works is lying to you. For a peek at the "lamb's bride" read Revelation 21:2,9.
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107,
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