Rather, “we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones,” i.e., “ye are the body of Christ (sōma Christos), and members in particular” (cf. Laws passed that violate the Constitution are not legal. Cliff, I am discovering theology, not creating it. Jesus is the New Israel, the son who obeyed perfectly “Out of Egypt I called my Son.”. What I care about is what the Scriptures state. I have little tolerance when I look around Christendom and see the ignorance, error, and dearth of knowledge of God. However, in the ways of God, Rachel was withheld and he was given the less attractive Leah; afterwards he got Rachel as well. It is a different age. This is not true, but this is the belief that most of the Modern Church teaches. I totally believe Paul is the man. Everything in the city speaks of Israel and the city is adorned as a bride. The Elect or Israel(descendants), do not suffer at all. Paul never used the phrase the “Bride of Christ” — the classic motif of the church. The N.T. He tells that the church is the bride … Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Jesus’ ministry was to Jews and he was recognized as the King of the Jews. “, You are a royal priesthood, a holy people, a nation. Sound theology must be based upon what the Bible says, not upon what it does not say. The old was seen, temporary,external, of the flesh, earthly. Don, I enjoyed this article. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. I much rather prefer a more progressive interpretation of scripture as I have been trying to share with you. 2 Timothy 2:15; “15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”. The Father and the Son send the Spirit in baptism to make us one in Christ. Great article! from going to the gentiles. 235 The Apostle speaks of the whole Church and of each of the faithful, members of his Body, as a bride "betrothed" to Christ the Lord so as to become but one spirit with him. The church age is the betrothal phase, the time when God is calling out a bride for His Son. Jacqueline, It’s been many years since I read Nee and I’ve forgotten much of what he wrote. This is probably the first prophetic hint of the reconcilation of the gentiles to be equal to Israel. If Paul was God’s man we have him revealing new theology—things God had kept hidden. Also were Gentiles ever refered to as sheep? But if one will actually read the Scriptures, one will find they tell a wholly different story than tradition. To be saved in the Tribulation requires enduring to the end (Matthew 24.13). Israel is under the Mosaic Law, the Church is under grace. They become one. Unfortunately, many have relied upon those doctrines of demons and have lazily accepted what others have preferred without investigating the foundation for those doctrines (Pre Trib rapture and dispensationalism). Nothing you have written is in the Bible. My goodness what a labyrinth of controversy there is over the identity of the church and Israel revealed in this article and the comments on this web site. Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Members of the Church, the body of Christ, are called children of Abraham, because Abraham was saved by faith alone. It was God’s plan to rise up another group to be at least equal to if not greater (in order to create jealousy) than the Israelites. I have argued on my Blog that the Man Child of Revelation 12 is The Church not Jesus. God is interested in details and we should be too. Today, we humbly ask you to defend Catholic Online's independence. Rather, the author encourages the readers to constantly give thanks with song in their hearts because of what God has done for all in Christ. For instance, when Babylon is used, it is not about Babylon, it is a reference to Rome. [4] The Prophet Hosea notes his bride in chapter 2, verses 16 and following. 1 Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. Resolutions can become reality, when we turn to the One who makes it possible, the One who truly makes all things new, Jesus Christ the Lord. Twelve. We receive our inheritance by Faith, as Abraham did. I wouldn’t say my focus is only on the big picture. What would you say of Watchman Nee’s analysis (it does seem a possibility, too):- Today the church is the Body of Christ, but in the future the church will be the bride of Christ. Believers secure righteousness in a nation. Anna, If you really believe this, throw away your Bible. But Christ’s dying for our sins and rising from the dead—believing this for salvation was a secret. Blessed are those who Wait upon The LORD, now and forever more. 5:28] Members of the ekklēsia are "members of his own body" because it is written in Genesis 2:24 "and the two shall become one flesh". Who is the Woman in Rev 12? Christianity today is what Judaism had become in the Lord’s day: tradition has replaced the Scriptures. Each has separate resurrections. Jesus repeated His warnings in greater detail in Revelation 2-3. The Bible says there is but one body, or church, into which Jesus calls His end-time people—the bride of Christ. This is what Revelation 2-3 is about, i.e., overcoming. No one knew this before Paul. It’s our goal for God’s love to be manifest in signs, wonders and miracles. This is the ultimate manifestation of the church. Paul’s letter to the Galatians describes it. Is not the gentile “church” Israel then? A society of Christians is a good society. Michael, The use of “body” signifies an organic relationship with Christ. And my fight is against 1,900 years of bad theology. will skew the way you view the Church, the gospel, the promises, and mission. Then is this the group that forms the “Other sheep of another fold” that Jesus spoke of? For one to own land in Judea one had to have written proof of ancestrial birthright and all those records were kept in the temple and burned with HER judgment, 70 AD. Just doing my job. That prelude to the subject's text takes up again the theme of loving submission that began with the example of Christ in 5:2: "Be submissive to one another out of reverence for Christ. All this reminds us that our hope is not in this world but in Christ. Christ is the groom Christ in me The bride is unity between the flesh and soul United by Spirit of Christ in you in me. If God is done with Israel, God is a liar. Required fields are marked *. There are no more tribes of Israel. What a shame. One SEED, the Messiah. I just find your strong dispensational framework a bit hard to swallow. Don, How do you explain 2 Corinthians 11:2 2 – I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. All Church doctrine comes from Paul’s letters and Paul was the founder of the Church, even as Abraham was the founder of Israel. Just as husband and wife are to be "one flesh",[Eph. The “gates of hell” (death) not prevailing against them. But no Scripture states the body will become the bride. However, we are the “Body of Christ” (cf. p. 815, Gotquestions "What does it mean that the church is the bride of Christ", Christian article on who the "Bride of Christ" is, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bride_of_Christ&oldid=994939715, Articles needing more viewpoints from September 2011, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 18 December 2020, at 09:40. In Matthew 25.31-32 Jesus said He would separate people from all nations (those who would enter His kingdom and those who would not) like a shepherd separates sheep and goats. I do not understand why so many people wish to make the Church the bride of Christ when the Scriptures say we are the body of Christ, not the bride. The Old Covenant is EVERLASTING as stated in scripture, it is still in effect, and the people of Hebrew Descent know this, and they will follow it, as well as The New Covenant which is having faith in the Messiah Yahoshua, and thus are Completely spared The Wrath Of God. He’s not teaching the Church is the “bride of Christ.”. There are no more tribes of Israel. I teach as Woman’s Bible Class, and our lesson is on the Body of Christ, however the book we are using insist that the Church is the Bride, from reading scripture Paul always calls the Church The Body, The Old Testament call Israel the wife, even though God divorced Isarel He took her back.. Instructions for Christian Households (). Thanks for your insights! Mortality must put on immortality. The context of Revelation 19:7 is marriage so this should inform the reader why numerous Bible translations are consistent with the Greek in translating γυνὴ as "bride". I know there isn’t much in Scripture to confirm how the Body of Christ is connected to the New Jerusalem but would you agree that we have a place in the New Jerusalem? My eyes are opened!! Maybe that’s more than you wanted but it is a start. But His intention and plan from since the foundation of the world (Eph 1) has always been the same. (1977). Les Feldick’s program led me to Isaiah 62. John 1 teaches Jesus came to give us the ability to become Sons of God. Thanks. Eph. The church is th entire body of Christ all the members together are seen as one church Israel becomes Spiritual Israel because of indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Mat 25:31  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: Mat 25:32  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: Are the sheep here refering to both Jews and Gentiles, whose good works are reveald in this next verse as being done unto Christ’s brethren (the Jews) during the Tribulation period? , is understood to mean "a son's wife," or "daughter-in-law," -"bride." 1 Corinthians 16:19 The churches of Asia salute you. Christ is the second Adam. I understand that as Believers we are grafted in and become apart of the body of Christ but aside from the descriptive language of a groom and a bride and a wedding party, do not both believing Jews and Gentiles make up the body of Christ?