Bride of Christ/ Body of Christ

Jan51

Well-Known Member
Those who distinguish the body of Christ from the bride of Christ seem to fall into two camps: those who think the bride is Israel, and those who think the bride is a more pure, elite group of Christians who will be raptured apart from the rest of the body/the church. Both are unscriptural. If part of the body/the church is raptured, that falsely teaches that part of the church goes through the tribulation. All false endtimes teachings come from one basic problem: not accepting the dispensational, literal, grammatical, historical interpretation of Scripture. The partial rapture/bride people don't distinguish between what is said to Israel, to the church, and to the tribulation saints.
 

Tall Timbers

Imperfect but forgiven
There is a teaching (with which I disagree) that the Bride of Christ is a select group of Christians taken from out of the whole Church (the Body of Christ), based on their faithfulness, to be the Bride of Christ. They point to Eve being taken out of Adam's body as a type.

Like so many cults that decide they're the "chosen ones"...
 

OutWest

Active Member
.
"The church . . . which is his body" (Eph 1:22-23)

Now, the question is: Which of Christ's bodies is that verse speaking: his crucified body or his glorious body?

Well; my money is on his crucified body, at least to begin with; and here's why I feel that way.

The Bible's version of Christianity is a lethal religion. It quite literally, in some mysterious way that I don't quite understand; satisfies the law of sin and death for Christ's believing followers by reckoning them as joint principals in his crucifixion.

Rom 6:3 . . Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

Rom 6:6 . . Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him

Gal 2:20 . . I am crucified with Christ

Col 3:3 . . For you died when Christ died

Now if Christ's death for sin that one time was sufficient for the sins of the whole world from first to last, then of course he need not die for sin again; which means that I will never again have to face death for sin either; viz: unless God is in the habit of practicing double jeopardy, my day in court is over and done with.

This is an element of biblical Christianity that many have taken to task as a license to steal, so to speak. Well; as a metaphor, that's exactly what it is; and in point of fact, the element about which I speak is not only a reality, but it's also a calling. However, liberated Christians such as myself are discouraged from taking advantage of the load off our backs.

"For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh." (Gal 5:13)
_
 
Last edited:

mattfivefour

Well-Known Member
This is an element of biblical Christianity that many have taken to task as a license to steal, so to speak. Well; as a metaphor, that's exactly what it is; and in point of fact, the element about which I speak is not only a reality, but it's also a calling.
Perhaps you could explain this a little.
 

Steve53

Well-Known Member
I get it.
There are folks who deride the notion of free grace and say that it means we're free to sin without repurcussions.
IMHO, the point those folks are missing is that while yes, OSAS, a true Christian doesn't want to be out of fellowship with God.
A true Christian tries not to sin. And when we catch ourselves sinning, we correct ourselves, and ask forgiveness to restore our fellowship.
Someone willfully sinning with no seeming regard or reverence for Christ's sacrifice, I would struggle to call a Brother in Christ.
 

mattfivefour

Well-Known Member
.
Now that you are here, I think you should take the reins as I suspect that you are much better qualified to teach the essentials of the Christian faith than I.
_
My friend, this isn't a matter of me of teaching anything here: it's a matter of me learning. I may be having a senior moment, but I am just not grasping the meaning of what you wrote. I most certainly do not wish to misunderstand you.
 

OutWest

Active Member
.
My friend, this isn't a matter of me of teaching anything here: it's a matter of me learning. I may be having a senior moment, but I am just not grasping the meaning of what you wrote. I most certainly do not wish to misunderstand you.

My bad. Apparently I was having a senior moment too. However, I fear that in attempting to explain myself further, I'll only muddy the waters even more. But you've put me in the spotlight so here goes.

I left out Jesus' resurrection in my previous post but suspect that I really must include it now.

Rom 6:4-7 . . If we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with him, that our body of sin might be done away with

Just so we're all on the same page: "our old self" is human nature, and the "body of sin" is the natural-born human body. Both of these were adequately judged on the cross via co-participation in Jesus' crucifixion. His followers weren't actually nailed up there in person of course, but God has somehow made Jesus and his followers partners in crime, so to speak. In other words: Jesus not only died on the cross for them, but he also died with them too, and they with him. Pretty amazing.

Anyway; as his followers were co-participants in Jesus' crucifixion, they are also co-participants in his resurrection. However, the "likeness of his resurrection" for our purpose has to include not only restoring Jesus' crucified dead body back to life, but also its transformation into a glorious body.

The reason I say "has to include" is because Jesus' followers would benefit very little were they brought back from death with their natural bodies and left that way without any changes because they'd just go right back to the slaves of human nature that they were before.

The things I've written in this post, and the one before it, have to be taken on faith because there is no empirical evidence to prove they're true. In other words: it's all on the books in heaven, and we just have to accept it though we cannot see the books for ourselves.

Rom 6:8-11 . . Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over him. For the death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life that he lives, he lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
_
 

mattfivefour

Well-Known Member
Thank you very much for this. In the main I do not disagree with what you have written: it is Scriptural. However there is one point which I would like to comment on and clarify.

Unfortunately I am just about to leave the house to take my wife to the hospital for further tests on her condition and do not have the time at the moment. I will try to get back to this later today; however, my wife is so severely allergic to the contrast dye that they use in the procedures that she will likely need a lot of after care here at home this evening. But I do promise I will get back to this as soon as I can.

Again, thank you for your response.
 
Back
Top