What we should consider is why this reference concerning why this passage, or any other passage in the New Testament prior to Revelation 18 does not specifically and directly address the bride of Christ. Alot of people bypass the rapture completely and say that the physical return of Jesus is the real rapture. It is wrong to think that the Spirit and Soul is or means the same thing, it is not. Wow. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. After the rapture. I've read that recently and am trying to find where in the scriptures they get that from. Christ, the Bridegroom, has sacrificially and lovingly chosen the church to be His bride (Ephesians 5:25–27). The rapture is the spiritual return of Jesus to take the saved to Heaven. And I don't let religion get in my way. The word says that all we have to do to be saved is call on the name of the Lord. Then Jesus continues in verse 19 where Jesus states: And I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and what ever you loose on earth will be losed in heaven. The change in us does not come from outside in but from the inside out. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. The 144,000 are only mentioned twice in the entire bible, both reference about them are located in the book of Revelations. And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the HEARTS of the people have grown dull. 6. No one has shown that the Bible anywhere mentions those words "the Bride of Christ" Tell me if the Bible doesn't talk about "the Bride of Christ" why teach it? But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. There actually is no such thing as "The Spiritual Gift of Discernment". 12:48-49). Though the New Jerusalem is not the bride of Christ, it complements Ephesians 5 in showing the loving relationship between Christ and His people. 5. Even in the Old Testament people were indwelt by the Spirit of God. Rome). So then if we sin willfully, we are forgiven of that too under the New Covenant. And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love [phileo = “affection”] thee. Grace does not stop working even if we willfully sin. BALANCE is important (Ecc 7.18 - it is grasp the one and not let go of the other. Ephesians 5:25-27 ESV / 590 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. The central theme of the whole Ephesians letter is reconciliation of the alienated within the unity of the church. 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: 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. In a very traditional sense, just as the faithful but imperfect bride follows and obeys the husband, so the righteous husband loves, provides for, protects and saves the bride. I only wanted to refute it because the "bride of Christ" doctrine denies the Pauline revelation of the "Gospel of Grace" since, essentially, the "bride of Christ" doctrine tells us that we have to "get ourselves ready"! 17 and 18 are not CHURCHES. we are SONS of God. So the bride of Christ is not the church singularly, but is the New Jerusalem wherein all believers may enter, those which are written in the Lamb’s book of life – not just the church. But still we can't be perfect. Mysteries that many of us try to explain or understand. This form of interpretation implies that God and those things which we refer to as His prophecies are not to be taken literal, only figurative. What audacity and ungodly deception. MATURITY ~ “as thy days, so shall thy strength be", 06. I believe one of the big problems we have in the Body of Christ is the understanding of the word WORKS as it relates in the OT and the NT. Where there is no doubt, God has identified them as special group of people from the twelve tribs of Isreal. The age and dispensation of grace had arrived! Yet, we know that the difference between the Old Testament saints and the New Testament saints is that the Holy Spirit indwells the believer of the New Testament – which makes up the church – and did not do so during the Old Testament. Jesus is coming soon....Amen, www.facebook.com/openyoureyespeople.emoaf, I love your boldness and truth, but unfortunately the church today has believed in this false doctrine cda is believing, we know it clearly says Jesus will not return to a bride that is blemished, we know the parable of the lamps and oil, this false message of grace is preventing the return of Jesus, Jesus told us we must be righteous and holy. Revelation 21:1-27 states: “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. And I used to debate for a church bride, but there was one thing I could never answer. They were having trouble believing it. To me it seems terribly inconsistent to make distinction after distinction between Israel and the Church and then turn around and say that they are one in the same, that is, the Bride of Christ. These images express the reality that the Church does not exist independently from Christ. And have the Keys to the Kingdom of God as Jesus stated in Matthew. Cause I feel like I'm beginning to surrender all to Him, and its been a process. Maybe you oughta read Romans and listen to what Joseph Prince's teachings are saying about grace and how it really works... God is even gonna overlook the fact that either one of us could be sinning by willfully preaching a false doctrine. It becomes a religion of works and not one founded in God's grace. In the same way that Israel is both a man (Jacob) and a kingdom, so the New Jerusalem is a woman and also a kingdom. He is my Dad, and I am His son, too. They are the Lamp and Oil of our salvation. The point I am trying to make is this. She has made herself ready through faith - which itself is a gift - she has done nothing of herself to 'earn' this - it is all for, by, and because of the glory of God. In the Scripture, it reads "...whereby we cry Abba (literally: "daddy"), Father." cdacoffee (author) from Idaho on January 28, 2013: "Sinning willfully" means that if I willfully do works to achieve no spot or blemish, salvation, blessings, holiness, sanctification, righteousness, and etc., etc. When we walk by the flesh and not by the Spirit. Paul said it clearly (writing to the church): Hebrews 10:26 (NKJV) For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,", People seem to think that "all I have to do is recognize Jesus and I have it made; the greatest and most false teaching by anyone. Jesus built (identified)His citizians for the Kingdom of God. Verse 2 previously called this "the holy city,new Jerusalem,...made "ready" as a bride adorned for her husband. his body and be sinfull at the same time? For I am merciful,' says the LORD; 'I will not remain angry forever. Or what about the Christian who is struggling with certain addictions? Heb 10:26. Realizing there lamps (Grace was ending) were going out, the five foolish virgins learned from the five wise virgins they need more oil (faith) for their Lamps (Grace. If one reads and understand the minestry of Jesus they will see that most parables relate to the Kingdom of God. Christ is the head of the church just as the husband is head of the wife (Ephesians 5:23). If that be the case then how is this "part" of the Body distinguished from the rest of the Body? We don't have to get ready. As a result, the term "Bride of Christ" was eventually coined in relation to this practice. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. Anyway, the saints who lived during the dispensation of the law (The Old Testament; Abraham, etc.) But the ones who believe the church is the bride of Christ cannot back it up with obvious scripture. Those that are chosen are described in Rom. 6) And you shall be to me a KINGDOM of priests and a holy nation. The "Bride of Christ" teaching takes away from us God's grace and gift of riaghteousness. God is a spirit, why would He marry an individual - Mormon theology. graceinus from those of the Ekklesia on October 13, 2012: It is amazing how we christians can see things in the bible that isn't there and then turn around and fail to see the things that are. He wants mankind to shift our sights back to the Kingdom which is the main subject of God's Word. To say that the "good news" is not also the Word is to have no basis for belief in Jesus or an authoritative document to stand firm in our faith. They where a Kindom, the High Preist were those who were to enforce God's Law (Covenant). Answer: The bride of Christ, who is invited to the marriage supper of "the Lamb," is mentioned specifically only two times in the Bible.Both references are in the book of Revelation (Revelation 19:6 - 9, 22:17). But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. DISCERNMENT ~ To Forgive Someone, Must They Repent. As we open our hearts (Spirit) to the Holy Spirit we will begin to see and hear. For as you can see from Scripture that a reference to certain cities and towns were references to the people who live in the cities themselves. The events in Revelation 21 occur AFTER Christ's millennial reign, AFTER the Great White Throne Judgment, and AFTER the first heaven and the first earth were passed away. It is because of Grace through Faith that we demostraight our NT Works towards our fellow man and God throught love. This has lead some to teach that the Bride will be those early Jewish and Gentile converts before the Dispensation of Grace was ushered in by Paul's prison epistles(not just this,of course,but many other proofs as well). )So they departed to find more oil. Covenant members of the church are likened to the bride, and Christ is likened to the bride groom. Ephesians 5:1-21contains a rather strong warning against foolishness and letting down one's guard against evil. ISN. He is love. We should not allow any religion to interpret the bible for us. False doctrine of grace? I believe Jewish/OT tradition was that the father of the groom was instrumental in choosing a bride for his son. Not just the 10 Commandments, but the ENTIRE covenant. Aside from being first coined by the Roman Catholic Church, this term has been invented out of perceived inferences of certain passages that says God's relationship to us is "as a bride". And what shall I more say? Heard what? Chapter 19 talks about a marriage: And after these things (woo-hoo)Babylon getting the heck beat our of her-that fake city that tried to be Jerusalem)I heard a great Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God. Then after will the New Jerusalem come down from heaven in all it's glory as it is explained in Chapter 21 of Rev. Again, a Kings word is LAW. Those sacrifices covered all the sins of the people for the year only. Because they were or became a KINGDOM and a KINGDOM must have LAWS. 2. When Abraham died he went to paradise not torment. And if I'm righteous in the sight of God under the New Covenant, then I am already ready. The Bride is one individual being and a secret and a mystery to all. Christ was our ultimate sacrifice AND perfectly obedient. There has been so much arguing and debate relating to the Bride of Christ doctrine. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” ~ John 14:2-3). The Body or the Bride:  Which Is It? I was reading this article which I agree with, but I ran into something rather interesting "Jesus can return now if God tells Him to. This is one way of demonstrating unity in the Body of Christ. Most christians don't see this. I would like to make one more off comment. If some respond to the Bridal Paradigm, let them enjoy that discovery because the Holy Spirit let them experience that significance. Currently, the main teaching regarding the "Bride of Christ" is that she is the church and must make herself ready. If the Church were the Lamb's wife then that angel would have show him "the Church", not the Holy Jerusalem. And even that could not be formulated in concrete because the Holy Spirit is ever so fluid. He gave us all of His authority as kings and priests in the earth. Again, the passage that comes closest to mentioning a bride from Revelation: 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. And cdacoffee has spent so much time and effort trying to bring this to light. For by it the elders obtained a good report. And let him who hear say; Come. Want to get more men active in churches, i.e. We have His authority in the earth. There is no doubt that some are wrong and some are right on this issue and many others. There is a resurrection of the Saints before the so called millininum and another right after the millinimum for Isreal. Then the voices say, Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath mader herself ready.