Bride of Christ

Bride of Christ

Just who is the Bride of Christ? From what I have been reading over the last two years - I am starting to see evidance that it is not all Christians who are the bride - like I once thought.

Can you think of any scriptures that would either support or contradict this viewpoint?

Larry II
 
I believe the Church to be the body of Christ, the bride of Christ and the New Jerusalem of Christ.
 
There is a lot of symbolism in the "Bride of Christ". And there is a purpose for it. Trying to figure out exactly who this refers to is almost like trying to figure out who is really saved compared to all that claim to be Christian.

As you follow the story that Christ told us, there is a LOT of symbolism used that really doesn't make a lot of sense to us today. But, it would have made a lot of sense to His audience at the time. Because when He talks about it, it was match by match compared to the Jewish wedding ceremony in those times.

He talked about going to prepare a place for us, and that nobody would know when He would return to collect His bride. In the Jewish wedding ritual, after the husband paid a price to the bride's parents, he would leave and begin building a room on his father's house for them to live. But, he himself did not even know when that room would be acceptable. Only his father would know, and his father would tell him when the room was complete and he could go gather his bride.

In their time, the groom would go in the middle of the night, with great fanfare. Waking the whole town to announce that he has returned for her. And the Bible tells us, that Christ will also come as a thief in the night, as the trumpet sounds, to collect His bride as well.
 
Oh, Banareth! That was beautiful!! Thank you for sharing that!
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Maybe I should have added, "Do you believe there is a hierarchy in heaven or are all believers the same?" Is there a ruling or upper class? - I guess I didn't communicate clearly what I was thinking. Granted, all who are in heaven are there because of the Cross and are loved by God. Does your life determine your status in Heaven? I really am not sure, but have been thinking differently because of my studies of the Temple, Jewish law and mostly Rick Joyners books.

Larry II
 
That there is hierarchy in heaven I am fairly sure. God had already assigned who would sit at the right hand of Jesus . The twenty four elders have seats around the throne and we are rewarded for our works. Those who used their talents would receive more and we all have rank- priest and king It just seems to add up to me.
 
I'll sweep the streets if I have to as long as I'm there.

Rooster: That is until you get kicked out for embezzling the golden bricks...
 
The dirt is gold there so relax on that one~:)
 
Here is a case of striving for position in heavens kingdom. But Jesus made it plain that the humblest would be the greatest in His kingdom and those who seek to be exhausted will be the least.



Mat 20:21
And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
Mat 20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
Mat 20:23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
Mat 20:24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
 
Amen, Bo!

When Jesus returns, I like to think that the president and the rich and the famous and the proud religious leaders are all going to be lined up to get audience with Him. Each pushing to the front of the lines, dressed in expensive clothes and wearing expensive perfumes. They'll look at other people in the back of the line and say...I'm better than you, so I should see Him first.

...but He's going to be around the corner, talking to the meek, the humble, and the servants.:)
 
There is a lot of symbolism in the "Bride of Christ". And there is a purpose for it. Trying to figure out exactly who this refers to is almost like trying to figure out who is really saved compared to all that claim to be Christian.

As you follow the story that Christ told us, there is a LOT of symbolism used that really doesn't make a lot of sense to us today. But, it would have made a lot of sense to His audience at the time. Because when He talks about it, it was match by match compared to the Jewish wedding ceremony in those times.

He talked about going to prepare a place for us, and that nobody would know when He would return to collect His bride. In the Jewish wedding ritual, after the husband paid a price to the bride's parents, he would leave and begin building a room on his father's house for them to live. But, he himself did not even know when that room would be acceptable. Only his father would know, and his father would tell him when the room was complete and he could go gather his bride.

In their time, the groom would go in the middle of the night, with great fanfare. Waking the whole town to announce that he has returned for her. And the Bible tells us, that Christ will also come as a thief in the night, as the trumpet sounds, to collect His bride as well.


This was an absolutely amazing explanation. I completely agree.
 
Wow there was a lot of good posting done on this thread - I like the way you think. You are on track 100%.

I spent 2007 studying the Temple, Tabernacle, and Jewish law among other things. The study is far from over. I learned that the veil that was torn on the day Jesus died was not the one to the Holy of Holies like I was taught all my life. It was the huge 80' X 26' veil that was hung in front of the Holy Place. This veil was symbolic of the body of Christ - according to Hebrews.

Once you walk through the torn veil by way of Gods salvation - you are symbolically in the Holy Place - this is where the Priests ministered. However, the veil to the Holy of Holies was a much smaller double curtain. The priest entered on one side and walked between the two curtains and exited into the Holy of Holies on the opposite side. The curtains did not run to both walls but were staggered. By using this zig zag procedure no one could see into the Holy of Holies while he was entering.

I said all of that to say that anyone who entered the Holy Place could just simply walk into the Holy of Holies - if they wanted to. Most of us don't take this step, but remain in the Holy Place. Here we can do pretty much as we please and can retain most of the control over our lives.

Everything God does is by our own free will. God gives us invitations to walk into the Holy of Holies. All we have to do is walk through the curtain. It means total surrender and death to self. It is painful to be consumed by the fire of God. He burns off all of our old nature. He prophesies this in Zechariah.

I believe that Zechariah 9-14 is a picture of the very important agenda of God on the day of the cross when God judged the evil and rebellious world that had fallen into sin as he foreknew. Symbolically, The whole world came against him on the day of the Cross. His great goal was to save them and clean them up.

Out of all the people in Israel who looked to Jesus as the Messiah, two thirds of them fell away and a third of them were brought through the fire. This is what happens to you when you enter the Holy of Holies. You are totally destroyed to self, ambitions, and agendas not to mention all of the sins that we entertain in our daily lives. This fire is very painful but it doesn't last long from what I hear.

Zech. 13:9 (KJV)
And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.

Consider the following verses...

1 John 2:16-17 (KJV)
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. [17] And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Zech. 14:12 (KJV)
And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, [lust of the flesh] and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, [the lust of the eyes] and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth [the pride of life].

All of the world has emnity against God and has fought against him. When we voluntarily enter the Holy of Holies this is what will happen to us - our lusts and pride will be consumed in the fire of Gods cleansing.

The remaining cinder that is left after this process is a person who is truely humble and a servent or slave who follows wherever his Lord leads. This is where the Lord wants us to be, but it will be by our free will.

I have received several invitations to enter the Holy of Holies. Obviously if I get an invitation it means that I am not there yet. One invitation I posted previously - I will post it again because this is a very essential theme in the Christian life.


The Golden Door Dream
[FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive]4/20/03 1:30am[/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive]The scene was in a drab dimly lit commercial rectangular room much like a doctor’s waiting lobby – I was the only one there. There was a closed ordinary looking passage door on the side wall. Somehow I knew that the Lord was in the adjacent room behind the closed door. After sitting there in this lobby for sometime, I worked up some courage and decided to listen at the door. I don’t know what my original purpose was in being there. His being there seemed to be happenstance. My attitude was to maybe open the door a crack to peer in to see if he would notice me and recognize my presence. If not - I would just close the door quietly and withdraw. I did not know what he would say or do. Knocking on the door was out, as it seemed to be too intrusive. [/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive]I finally got up out of the red leather Queen Ann chair that I was sitting in on at the far end of the room and slowly ventured toward the passage door to the adjacent room. Inside the adjacent room I expected to see the Jesus of Nazareth in human form like we always imagine him. As I walked toward the door it began to change from the dark dingy door that it was; and become much larger the closer I got to it – much more than normal perspective. I could see that it was transitioning into a solid gold door and it began glowing. The closer I got to the door the brighter the light became emanating through the door from the inside. This was surprising because gold is a very dense material, so how could light pass through it being probably around maybe three inches thick? The door was becoming transparent. The Lord said something in a loud voice through the door, but I don’t remember what he said. [/FONT]


[FONT=Comic Sans MS, cursive]The closer I got to the door the larger it became, and the more intense the glory of the anointing became. It was very real in the dream just like in real life. The brilliant light was all around by the time I stepped in front of the door; and the drab room I was in previously had disappeared completely from sight. The anointing was brilliant and overpowering and the last thing I remember before I woke up was that I was clutching the thick edge of the cracked open, solid gold door with both hands. This was because my legs were failing under the anointing and I suddenly realized that if the door were opened fully - I would be totally consumed and destroyed by the warm, brilliant, consuming glory. All I could see at that point was the brilliant light and a small visible section of the glowing door at its edge that I was so desperately clinging to. It was at this point that I woke up.[/FONT]

Of course the door here is the door to the Holy of Holies. It is a consuming fire and you can't stand in its anointing. You probably have had the same invitation in some form of communication - if you think back - or maybe you are already in there - standing in the flames. Rick Joyner had a vision that has the same identical message - it's just in a different format.

Joyner had a vision where Jesus was at the head of a long line of people and as each stepped before him he asked them all this question. I died for you - will you die for me? If they answered yes - then he thrust them through with a long sword and they fell down dead. They were carried to a graveyard behind him and buried. They immediately resurrected and joined the others in the structure of a building. They became the living bricks in the Holy of Holies.

The word is getting around that hard times are coming in the future to precipitate the greatest harvest ever and without being dead to self it's going to be very difficult to function without this change.

It's been really hard for me to give up everything and to let go of control of my life, but I know I have to go in that direction. Who wants to be a servant of all? - who wants to wear a cloak of humility? - a lot of things there that are really negative and repulsive to our old nature.

So are these people the true Bride of Christ? That was the question.
Brother Banarenth’s post indicates that the second coming is likened to the groom coming for the bride. If this is the symbolic of the second coming, I’m sure that he is coming for the people who are just living in the partially committed Holy Place as well as those who are in the Holy of Holies.

That seems to have answered my original question.

Larry II
 
What you sow on earth you will reap in heaven. This will separate believers, not all will be rewarded the same
 
vessels of dishonor in heaven...? please explain.... how can anything or rather, anyone dishonorable be in heaven?

blessings,
Ken


Hi Ken,

2 Cor. 4:7 (KJV)
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

2 Tim. 2:20 (KJV)
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

I see 2:20 as a simile between a Rich man's house and heaven. I think it is describing the status that people have in the Kingdom. Who would be honored in the Kingdom and who would not? Would Billy Graham be honored in Heaven? - How about one of these TV preachers who do nothing but extract money from people? How about people who are primarily motivated to draw people unto themselves? If our motives are wrong God will burn up our works as hay wood and stubble. There are many Christians who are actually practicing an AntiGospel.

All people in Heaven are forgiven and are loved by God, but your earthly history will still be with you forever - and will determine your status forever. There are terms of the Covenant. It is an agreement.

Once we walk through the torn veil into the Holy Place we are not automatically given everything. Today we don't really preach the cross clearly, but rather try to coax people into the Kingdom with promises of prosperity, healing, and happiness. There is a road of sanctification and surrender between entering the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. I wish it were easy as it would suit my lazy nature to do nothing.

Larry II
 
Yes he is, and he's coming for a bride without spot or wrinkle. I don't know about you but when I look in the mirror I'm seeing a lot of spots and many wrinkles. This is where the symbolic fire of God cleans people up. I'm back to the Holy of Holies again.

The Tabernacle/Temple is a symbolic composite of a picture of Heaven, the atoning work of the Savior, and the Garden of Eden. Lets look at the symbology of the Garden of Eden. The Bible says that there was a land called Eden - probably close to the Persian Gulf or maybe partly in it today. To the east in Eden God planted a garden. There was a place in the garden where God would meet with Adam and Eve to talk and walk with them in intimacy. They were perfect and totally sinless.

When Eve and Adam ate of the fruit of the forbidden Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil - they were thrust out of the garden into the land of Eden which surrounded the Garden. Later, their son Cain killed his brother Able. Cain was banished from the land of Eden, where his parents lived. There was an alter outside the door to the Garden where Adam and Eve could petition God - and they knew that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. And so the animal sacrifice system began. Likewise there was another alter at the entrance of Eden where Cain could also petition the Lord as well. So what is symbolic about all of this compared to the Tabernacle/Temple?

The place where God (Christ) walked with Adam and Eve in the garden is symbolic of the Holy of Holies - It is still the same today. To walk into the Holy of Holies means that you are in the presence of God and his fire will affect you severely if there is any imperfection. Adam and Eve were perfect in the beginning. The Land of Eden is symbolic of the "camp" or "land of the Israelites." The land of Nod (wandering) where cain was excommunicated to is symbolic of gentileland. Cain was the first gentile. Even in Israel in Jesus' day capital criminals, like Jesus was deemed to be, were customarily excommunicated from the "Camp of the Israelites" and were technically Gentiles afterward. This was traditionally done at the priestly town of Bethpage near the top of the mount of olives. The Sanhedrin conviened there to conduct the excommunication before the traditional stoning.

The Alter within the temple represents the one that was at the gate of the Garden. Behind the alter of sacrifice in the Temple was the door to the Holy place, which was covered by the huge veil that was split on the day of the crucufixion. The alter that was at the door of Eden in Cain's abode in Nod is symbolic of the Miphkad alter, which was outside the camp of the Israelites. In Jesus' day the camp of the israelites had a dimension. It was 2,000 cubits (3,000') radius from the center of the door to the holy place in the Temple. This covered most of the west side of the Mount of Olives. Jesus was crucified just "outside of the camp" on top of the Mount of Olives. The Miphkad alter was nearby where Jesus was crucified - also outside of the camp. The Miphkad alter was where the Red Heifer was sacrificed, which is a type of Christ. The ashes from the red heifer were mixed with spring (living) water and used to sprinkle the people and the temple to make them ceremonially clean.

So, what does all of this mean? Jesus died in the land of Nod (gentileland outside of the camp or 2,000 cubit radius from the temple) - for both Jews and gentiles. The veil is represenative of the body of Christ and also the symbolic door back to the Garden of Eden. Remember what we last saw of the Garden? We saw two Cherubims guarding the way (Back) to the Garden of Eden. What was embroidered on the Veil of the Temple - two Cherubims. The Holy Place, which contained within it the Holy of Holies is symbolic to the door of the Garden. Within the Garden was the place of intimacy where God walked with Adam and Eve. Now everyone can have access to both the Holy place and they are free to walk into the place of intimacy should they choose to. But if you draw close to God you will be thoroughly cleansed by his fire that's why people like me find it difficult to lose our lives. Jesus said that if you try to save your life (keep it for yourself) you will lose your life (lose all of your works).

When we recieve the Lord we have walked through the torn veil into the Garden of Eden restored. Because God will not disclose himself to an evil and wicked world he will remain in hiddenness until the great Harvest is over and the tares have been all burned. Then he will reveal the literal paradise of the Garden of God. Today we are living in the Spiritual Garden of Eden. All of the promises and provisions are in force. This is the more important part of the New Covenant.

However there has been one major change to the Garden from its original state. What is it - can you guess? The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is not there anymore! Whatever happened to it??? Jesus cursed it and it withered away and died. He did this just a couple days before the Crucifixion - remember?

Mark 11:12-14 (NASB)
And on the next day, when they had departed from Bethany, He became hungry. [13] And seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. [14] And He answered and said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" And His disciples were listening.

Mark 11:20-21 (NASB)
And as they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. [21] And being reminded, Peter said to Him, "Rabbi, behold, the fig tree which You cursed has withered."

The disciples assumed that he was hungry and didn't catch on to what he was doing. Their only concern was how fast it withered. The first Adam ate of the fig tree in the garden, but Jesus the second Adam was about to insure that mankind would never eat of that tree again - produce a fallen race. He had restored all that God intended in the beginning. A lot of symbolism here and you would never think this way unless you were studying the symbolism of the Bible.
 
The outside indeed contains many spots and wrinkles but the innerman given at the new birth is holy and pure:

1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
 
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