The Bride of Christ

[ARisingSon]

Hello Everyone,

   I've tried researching this but get no where.  Does Ray have specific teachings as to the identity of the Bride of Christ?

    I'm reading a writing by a Concordant Publishing author which apparently teaches that the Bride is to be the regenerated Israelites during the Millennium period. This being based on the marriage of Israel to Yahweh in the Old Covenant.

    All help will be appreciated.    Grace be with you.    ARisingSon

   

[Dave in Tenn]

I'd suggest a reading of: 

http://bible-truths.com/rapture.htm

added with the knowledge that much of what Ray refutes in the paper is eschatological theory by "Concordant Publishing" Author(s). 

Maybe that's a start.

[arion]

I think the word addresses it.

Rev 21:2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Rev 21:9  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.

Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,


Obviously this is symbolic language (Rev 1:1) and not literal the way orthodoxy interprets it but the answer is here.

[mharrell08]

I think the word addresses it.

Rev 21:2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Rev 21:9  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.

Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,


Obviously this is symbolic language (Rev 1:1) and not literal the way orthodoxy interprets it but the answer is here.

And to add on to Arion's & Mark's post:

1 Cor 11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ


Marques

[ARisingSon]

THANKS EVERYONE!!   Good start.

Grace be with you.  ARisingSon

[Deborah-Leigh]

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,3720.0.html

THE FATHER'S WILL? . . . . . . . . . . . Mobile Conference 2006

Emphatically the emotion is expressed in that word ''now'.'  
Seven other translations got it right.  
Doesn't that convey something of joy in the heart of God.

Isa 54:5  For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of Hosts is His Name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called.

Heb 11:38  (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Heb 11:39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

'now'.......

Arc

[Billy Bob White]

HEY THAT WAS A VERY GOOD ONE ARC .

BBW SAID IT
  IT IS ALL FOR JESUS.

[Kat]

Hi ARisingSon,

I've tried researching this but get no where.  Does Ray have specific teachings as to the identity of the Bride of Christ?

I found quite a few places where Ray touches on the "bride," so I will just put all those up, I think they will help.

http://bible-truths.com/email5.htm ------------------

I will be the first to admit that we "understand in part" as Paul has told us. We certainly do not understand all of the mechanics of God and how He is manifested toward man. But we can know as much as the Scriptures tell us.

First, God has predestined and called a group [Greek: ecclesia] commonly called church, out of the humanity of this world. This called out group is likened to virgins, a bride, brothers, Christ's body, and sons of God. Christ will marry this virgin bride body of believers who are the manifest sons of God for whom the whole creation is groaning. It is this body of believers that will reign with Christ and bring salvation to the entirety of the universe.


http://bible-truths.com/lake13.html --------------

"And after these things I hear a GREAT voice of much people in heaven, saying ALLELUIA; SALVATION, and GLORY, and HONOR, and POWER, unto the Lord our God... for He has judged the great whore... ALLELUIA for the Lord God omnipotent REIGNS. Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to Him: for the MARRIAGE of the Lamb is come... Write, BLESSED ARE THEY which are called unto the MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB" (Rev. 19:1, 2, 6, 7, 9)

Now it is pretty honorable to just be "called unto the marriage of Christ," but to ACTUALLY BE THE BRIDE—Well, that's something else!


http://bible-truths.com/lake11.html --------------------

If you believe in Jesus Christ, you are in the Church. But if you are in Christ Jesus, then you are no longer in the physical carnal church, but in God's spiritual Church—the very Body of Christ. Let me assure you on the authority of all the Sacred Scriptures that carnal [enmity filled hatred] minded Christians are not members of the spiritual body of Christ. Jesus Christ is preparing a "bride"—a VIRGIN bride. Our Lord will not marry a whore or prostitute.


http://bible-truths.com/lake4.html  -----------------

In Chapter 14:1 & 4 we are told specifically who these 144,000 are: "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand [notice that the innumerable multitudes from all nations is not mentioned here] ... These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins [as in the Bride of Christ]. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, BEING THE FIRSTFRUITS unto God and to the Lamb" (Rev. 14:1 & 4). So every believer from the Apostles to the 144,000 just prior to the return of Jesus Christ to establish His reign on the earth, is called and likened to FIRSTFRUITS!
v
"And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the FOUNTAIN OF THE WATER OF LIFE FREELY" (Rev. 21:6).

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And WHOSOEVER WILL, let him take the WATER OF LIFE FREELY" (Rev. 22:17).
-----------------------------------------------------

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[Deborah-Leigh]

HEY THAT WAS A VERY GOOD ONE ARC .

BBW SAID IT
  IT IS ALL FOR JESUS.

It is pretty surprising what that little word NOW means BBW. It is just a little three letter word that carries unexpected spiritual meaning.

Arc

[GinaMilan]

Hello, ARisingSon

The quickest way that I know how to find a topic Ray has taught on (if he has in fact taught on it) is to perform two separate google searches, like this example:

(1) "www.bible-truths.com" (plus sign) "bride" 

(2) "www.bibletruths.com" (plus sign) "bride" (the name "bibletruths" should have no dashes in this search)

And, you may know this but some may not so I'll spell it out:  Put quotation marks around the website, then add a plus sign, then put quotation marks around the word in the topic your searching for, and you'll get great results.  Although, as you can see you can come here and get some pretty cool results!  

I hope that helps!

[Roy Coates]

Hello, ARisingSon

The quickest way that I know how to find a topic Ray has taught on (if he has in fact taught on it) is to perform two separate google searches, like this example:

(1) "www.bible-truths.com" (plus sign) "bride" 

(2) "www.bibletruths.com" (plus sign) "bride" (the name "bibletruths" should have no dashes in this search)

And, you may know this but some may not so I'll spell it out:  Put quotation marks around the website, then add a plus sign, then put quotation marks around the word in the topic your searching for, and you'll get great results.  Although, as you can see you can come here and get some pretty cool results!  

I hope that helps!

[ARisingSon]

Again, thanks to all who've contributed.  Very helpful.