Bible Study Subject
~ Who or what is the Bride of Christ? Is the Bride of Christ a Being or an inanimate object? Should the Bride of Christ only be considered as symbolic? ~
Let’s take a look see what the Word of God has to say about this subject.
In Revelation 21:9-12 we read, “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 show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. *And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, *Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; *And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:”
Let me share a thought with you here in regard to the Bride of Christ, the Great City, and the Holy Jerusalem and of the Stones, the Building Blocks that it is comprised of. Is it possible that Jesus being the Chief Corner Stone and the Apostles being the Foundation that the Saints might actually be the Building Blocks of the City itself?
The Apostle Peter in 2nd Peter 2:5 said that the Saints are called Lively Stones, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded."
The Saints are not to be confounded to the fact that they are part of the Building,
the Body of Christ ~
And in the Book of St. John, Jesus says something about going to prepare a place for the Saints. Could this possibly be like King Solomon did when he had the Temple built that all the stones were precisely cut and prepared prior to being brought to the building site that we too are being shaped to be part of the bride of Christ, the Holy City, New Jerusalem?
The Apostle John in St. John 14:2-3 said, "In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. *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."
My Bible tells me that every part supplieth. Ephesians 4:16 - we, the Saints, of God are those parts.
In Revelation 21:2 John states, “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
The Angel of the Lord in Revelation 22:16-20, reported to John, “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. *And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. *For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: *And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. *He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
In Romans 7:4-6, we read where the Apostle Paul wrote, "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. *For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death."
It sounds to me like the Saints are to be married to Jesus; this would make them His Bride.
The Apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians 12:18-27 wrote, "But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. *And if they were all one member, where were the body? *But now are they many members, yet but one body. *And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. *Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: *And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. *For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: *That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. *And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. *Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."
The Saints are the Body of Christ and Jesus is the Head of the Body, everyone fitly
joined together according to God’s purpose ~
In Ephesians 4:10-16, the Apostle Paul write, *"He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. *And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; *For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: *Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: *That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; *But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: *From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."
The Body of Christ like an automobile has many parts and every part must be in its place, functioning as it is designed to do before the Body is complete. That, I think is why the Apostle Paul said, “there is a time appointed.” Galatians 4:2
Believe it or not, Jesus is coming back for a perfect people. Some would say that we cannot be perfect. However, to say that would mean that Jesus was being unrealistic in St Matthew 5:48, when He said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
In Hebrews 6:1 in part tells us to go on unto perfection; "not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God."
Perfection is what the Body of Christ will be when Jesus returns to gather the Elect unto the Kingdom of our Heavenly Father. But until that time, we must strive, that means fight, for the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints of old. Jude 1:3
The Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:5 (in part) said, “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” And in 1st Corinthians 2:16, we find this statement of Paul, “we have the mind of Christ.”
Therefore, we need to be mindful of the kind of life we live so we might be found worthy of entering in though the gates of that Holy City ~
In Ephesians 5:29-32, the Apostle Paul wrote, "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."
We, the Saints of the Most High God are to be joined to and be part of the Body of Christ, the Church, the New Jerusalem.
We need to rightly discern (know and understand) the Body of Christ that we are part of, because in 1st Corinthians 11:30-31, we find that because some do not rightly discerning the Lord’s Body, many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (die). For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
The Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 49:16-18 wrote, "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. *Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee. *Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. *As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth."
Because of the nail scars in the hands of Jesus, you and I are made free from the Law of Sin and Death and we SHALL inherit the earth. Praise His Holy Name! ~
The Prophet Joel in Joel 2:16-18 wrote, "Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. *Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? *Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people."
Every Saint is to be busy building up the other members of the Bride of Christ which is also the Body of Christ. We should be jealous for one another is so much that we encourage one another and look after each other so, that every part of the Body is brought into perfection.
In St. John 3:27-29, the Apostle John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. *Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. *He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled."
The Bride of Christ should only have eyes for Jesus; they should not look to or take part with any other but Him.
In closing let me say this, it is my firm belief that I am a part of the Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ along with all of the other Saints from the beginning of time to the ending of time.
Derwood A. Stewart, Minister
House of Prayer Sabbath Ministries
Comments? Email Us: hope@preachersteacher.org
