Bible Study The Bride Of Christ

[Soul man]

As mentioned before in a previous thread 'The Need For The Revelation Of Christ.' The bride of Christ is far reaching in our way of thinking and lifestyle, it flows through doctrine to Him, Christ Who is the only life of the believer.
Staying with the theme 'The Bride of Christ. Somewhere a love affair between the Church and the Son, the Bride and the bridegroom, must have a correction. The Bride, the Church, must lose every controversial idea, doctrine, plan and purpose she ever had.
Somewhere, she must come to the place where she is no longer a mother's daughter, the niece of a great aunt, the child of a great man, no longer an educated, well trained young woman, and no longer has an earthly inheritance.
She is not marrying to better her earthly existence, but she is a pauper who has been into the greatest family in heaven. A correction must come to her so that there is no controversy between her and her lover.
The Bridegroom is not interested in what His Bride believes, what her doctrines are, how she has been led, or what her background is because He is going to swallow all of that up when He brings her into His family. There must be an event in her life that makes this so, a miracle that makes doctrine no longer important to her, only the Groom is important.

 

[Chopper]

I feel that a Bride is someone who the Groom has picked out of a mass of other available prospects. The parable of the virgins is, IMO, a classic example of this process. A few are chosen and a few are rejected.

More on my belief if needed.

 

[Soul man]

I would suppose there will be those that have rejected the conviction of the HolySpirit. The Bride is the Church, not something coming out of the Church apart from the Church. The Bride is the Birthed of God their Father, to be presented to the Son as a Chaste virgin.

 

[Hermit]

For me, the bride of Christ is the bridegroom's companion in the kingdom of God.

...Christ Who is the only life of the believer...
...A correction must come to her so that there is no controversy between her and her lover...
...There must be an event in her life that makes this so, a miracle that makes doctrine no longer important to her, only the Groom is important.

Unconditionality.

...The Bride is the Birthed of God their Father, to be presented to the Son as a Chaste virgin.

Unconditioned soul.
________________________________
The transcendence of human being to spiritual being.
The transcendence of imperfection to perfection.

What is perfection? Total faith, love, devotion and oneness in Christ. No more old, only new.
Oneness with Christ is ALL for Christ.
To give up everything for Everything.

 

[billybalke]

As mentioned before in a previous thread 'The Need For The Revelation Of Christ.' The bride of Christ is far reaching in our way of thinking and lifestyle, it flows through doctrine to Him, Christ Who is the only life of the believer.
Staying with the theme 'The Bride of Christ. Somewhere a love affair between the Church and the Son, the Bride and the bridegroom, must have a correction. The Bride, the Church, must lose every controversial idea, doctrine, plan and purpose she ever had.
Somewhere, she must come to the place where she is no longer a mother's daughter, the niece of a great aunt, the child of a great man, no longer an educated, well trained young woman, and no longer has an earthly inheritance.
She is not marrying to better her earthly existence, but she is a pauper who has been into the greatest family in heaven. A correction must come to her so that there is no controversy between her and her lover.
The Bridegroom is not interested in what His Bride believes, what her doctrines are, how she has been led, or what her background is because He is going to swallow all of that up when He brings her into His family. There must be an event in her life that makes this so, a miracle that makes doctrine no longer important to her, only the Groom is important.

You wrote: "The Bridegroom is not interested in what His Bride believes, what her doctrines are---".

Oh yes, the Bridegroom IS interested in WHAT the bride believes and what her doctrines are. Paul wrote: "TILL I COME, GIVE ATTENDANCE TO READING, TO EXHORTATION, TO DOCTRINE." I Tim.4:13. Again, TAKE HEED UNTO DOCTRINE; CONTINUE IN THEM: FOR IN DOING THIS THOU SHALT BOTH SAVE THYSELF, AND THEM THAT HEAR THEE." I Tim. 4:16. Right doctrine saves. Doctrine is what the Bride both BELIEVES AND TEACHES.

BTW, is it your desire to continue our one on one on the nature of man?? I have not heard from you in a while.

God bless,
Billy, for the truth.

 

[Hermit]

Soul man, I hope you do not mind my injection of post here to Billy. I am praying that Billy will consider that there is more to being a bride of Christ than being a follower of Christ.

You wrote: "The Bridegroom is not interested in what His Bride believes, what her doctrines are---".
Oh yes, the Bridegroom IS interested in WHAT the bride believes and what her doctrines are. Paul wrote: "TILL I COME, GIVE ATTENDANCE TO READING, TO EXHORTATION, TO DOCTRINE." I Tim.4:13. Again, TAKE HEED UNTO DOCTRINE; CONTINUE IN THEM: FOR IN DOING THIS THOU SHALT BOTH SAVE THYSELF, AND THEM THAT HEAR THEE." I Tim. 4:16. Right doctrine saves. Doctrine is what the Bride both BELIEVES AND TEACHES. ...

The bride of Christ has all faith and love with Christ's way, truth and life. That faith and love of truth is the only way into the soul where Christ and God are within us - the kingdom of God within _ Luke 17:21. and 1 Corinthians 3:16.

In that faith and love of Christ is full surrender to what is Christ, to what is True. This unconditionality not only accepts all of Christ, all Truth, but transcends all reading, all exhortation, all doctrine to being faithful and loving. Faith being the path, and loving is the guide, to Christ within us.

The bride has no concerns for this world where attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine is required. For in Christ, where all adoration and devotion of the bride is on, has all the readings, exhortations and doctrine in the bride's Bridegroom (in Christ). These things in Christ become obvious to the bride. There is no need for belief because it has transcended beyond belief, to the obvious, doubtless, and fearless Truth.

Being a bride of Christ requires a complete correction of soul to accommodate access to Christ within the soul. Anything else closes the door to the wedding banquet. Matthew 25:10 "...But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut..."

 

[Corn Pop]

God loves Adam. Adam falls. Adam needs messiah. God sends Christ. Christ reconciled Adam back to God. Adam and God walk together again. The end.

 

[Chopper]

I think it would be wise to identify "The Church". There are churches, and there is The Church of Jesus Christ. In one, the whole Church is the Bride. In the other, the church is a fellowship, assembly in which the Bride resides. The parable of the ten virgins is a picture of such an assembly. 5 are the Bride, and 5 are pew warmers.

 

[Eugene]

The Bride is the Church, not something coming out of the Church apart from the Church.

Good morning Brother Soul man, and others that may not agree with this. Am I understanding that you are saying that all the Church is the bride, or just a portion of it? If you consider the Bride only one portion of the entire body of Christ, what do you consider her qualifications? Thanks.

 

[Chopper]

Here's another thought on the Bride of the Christ of God the Father. Before the foundations of the world, Jesus picked His Bride....Ephesians 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
1:5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will."

The purpose of God the Father was to choose a Bride for His beloved Son. We see this process in the Old Testament as the Fathers would choose a bride for their sons. That was a picture of the future reality of Jesus and His Bride.

 

[Soul man]

Good morning Brother Soul man, and others that may not agree with this. Am I understanding that you are saying that all the Church is the bride, or just a portion of it? If you consider the Bride only one portion of the entire body of Christ, what do you consider her qualifications? Thanks.

You can referr to the answer I gave to Hermit. The bride is the church, the begotten of the Father. Some interprete the church as if we are liken to Israel in the wilderness or living some kind of a lifestyle that pleases the Father. Example; lifestyle is what comes out of a knowing, it is not a self-effort kind of projection to be anything in ones self.
The simplest words Paul ever uses: I am crucified with Christ. We have no life, when He dies you died as dead as Christ was on that tree. The proper way to to explain it is; you have no life of your own, the only life you have is Christ. Paul said it over 150 times, we are in Christ and that is the only place you find life written in the scriptures. That will lead the believer hopefully into an understanding of who they are. They are who they are by a birthing, not by anything they do. We do because of the birthing, we love the Christ in us more than we love ourselves.
We only think we have a life that God is somehow bringing correction to, a great deception rolls around inside the body of Christ.
Like the cross did not work, Paul calls them 'the enemy's of the cross.
I would call it the gospel of correction, you need to do this and you need to do that. Like the cross did not work. Very perverted gospel inundates this world.

 

[Eugene]

The simplest words Paul ever uses: I am crucified with Christ. That will lead the believer hopefully into an understanding of who they are. They are not they are by a birthing, not by anything they do. We do because of the birthing, we love the Christ in us more than we love ourselves.

The Bride is the Church, not something coming out of the Church apart from the Church.

I'm sorry Brother Soul man, but I'm still having a problem with your replies above. Let me ask it possibly more clearly, and that is: Do you believe the entire Church is the bride? You say in the above quote "They are not they are by a birthing, not by anything they do," and yet I read in Rev 19:7 that the bride has made herself ready, and Rev 19:8 suggests that was by her righteous deeds or works.

PS - Let me add Rom 8:17 considering heirs of God which all in Christ are, and JOINT HEIRS with Christ for those suffering or enduring with Him. Thanks.

 

[Hermit]

Personally, I see the Bride of Christ as the souls made perfect in and for Christ.
All I care about, above all else, is loving the Love that loves me.
While I am on earth, I am engaged to Christ (so to speak). That is how I see it.
I am in love with Christ, with God, with TRUTH.

 

[Soul man]

I'm sorry Brother Soul man, but I'm still having a problem with your replies above. Let me ask it possibly more clearly, and that is: Do you believe the entire Church is the bride? You say in the above quote "They are not they are by a birthing, not by anything they do," and yet I read in Rev 19:7 that the bride has made herself ready, and Rev 19:8 suggests that was by her righteous deeds or works.

PS - Let me add Rom 8:17 considering heirs of God which all in Christ are, and JOINT HEIRS with Christ for those suffering or enduring with Him. Thanks.

You read me before I could edit that, it should read right now. Yes I believe the entire church, the whole body, is the bride of Christ.

 

[Chopper]

The Bride of Jesus, IMO, is the pre-chosen Elect of God. They will be faithful to Lord right up, and including, their call to the marriage feast.

 

[Hermit]

The Bride of Jesus, IMO, is the pre-chosen Elect of God. They will be faithful to Lord right up, and including, their call to the marriage feast.

Chopper, does your opinion view include free-will or not?

 

[Chopper]

Chopper, does your opinion view include free-will or not?

Ah, interesting question my friend. I'm a Calvinist 95% true. 25% General Call of which Calvin left out. Now, to answer your question. For the Elect of God, free will is not considered. The Elect bask in the Grace of God, and to depart from that mighty call is never considered under the power of Christ Jesus Who keeps them (John 17) for His Own and none are lost.

 

[dirtfarmer]

Ah, interesting question my friend. I'm a Calvinist 95% true. 25% General Call of which Calvin left out. Now, to answer your question. For the Elect of God, free will is not considered. The Elect bask in the Grace of God, and to depart from that mighty call is never considered under the power of Christ Jesus Who keeps them (John 17) for His Own and none are lost.

hello Chopper, dirtfarmer here

It is my belief that Israel is the elect and the only election, predestination, of the believer is that once you are a believer, God has predetermined that you will be an heir and joint heir with Christ.

It is my belief that free will is only applicable to the body of believers. What choice does an unbeliever have? It is only after salvation that the believer is translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son.

In Joshua 24 The children of Israel were instructed to make a choice as to whom they would serve.

I understand that there are those that God " has chosen "some to be saved and some to be lost, I don't adhere to that doctrine. At this time to enter into that discussion would derail this thread, so I won't go there

 

[Edward]

We only think we have a life that God is somehow bringing correction to, a great deception rolls around inside the body of Christ.
Like the cross did not work, Paul calls them 'the enemy's of the cross.
I would call it the gospel of correction, you need to do this and you need to do that. Like the cross did not work. Very perverted gospel inundates this world.

I know what you mean. I think what happens to some, is that they don't realize...that there's just a wee bit more to it than the work of the cross. Now don't get me wrong, I do not disparage the work of the cross at all, but rather refer you Brothers and Sisters to...3 days later, the resurrection. In the work of the cross, we were given atonement for our sins. In the work of the resurrection, we were given much more.

After the resurrection we were given the Holy Spirit, the power of almighty God flows through us. Jesus sent them out two by two to preach, heal, cast out, and proclaim. So while some will stay at the foot of the cross, others will be sent out to do God's work. I believe it is these that will be the Bride of Christ.

If you live the beatitudes, then I don't think you have anything to worry about as far as being left behind for more purification. Like some will. I do not believe that the entire church is the Bride of Christ. All will be saved, but not all will be the Bride. Spotless.

 

[Soul man]

I know what you mean. I think what happens to some, is that they don't realize...that there's just a wee bit more to it than the work of the cross. Now don't get me wrong, I do not disparage the work of the cross at all, but rather refer you Brothers and Sisters to...3 days later, the resurrection. In the work of the cross, we were given atonement for our sins. In the work of the resurrection, we were given much more.

After the resurrection we were given the Holy Spirit, the power of almighty God flows through us. Jesus sent them out two by two to preach, heal, cast out, and proclaim. So while some will stay at the foot of the cross, others will be sent out to do God's work. I believe it is these that will be the Bride of Christ.

If you live the beatitudes, then I don't think you have anything to worry about as far as being left behind for more purification. Like some will. I do not believe that the entire church is the Bride of Christ. All will be saved, but not all will be the Bride. Spotless.

If the cross did not make the body of Christ spotless, nothing will. If there was a way to be purified and would bring life, wouldn't there be no need for a cross ? That is how Israel was dealt with, pure law.