Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Question 40 -Who is the Real Bride of Christ? 

The Wife at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb
When the real Bride of Christ understands what Jesus needs her to do to prepare for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the whole World will witness the real Gospel of the Kingdom reflected in the Bride. She will reflect Jesus in all that she does. It is Satan's goal to cause confusion as to who the Bride really is. Let's take a moment to look at Pre-Trib's version of the Bride.


Who is the Bride of Christ?  
Is she a group of Church People in a Dispensation (Time Period) called the "Grace Dispensation?" Dispensationalists say the Grace Dispensation is the segment of time from the death of Jesus till Jesus comes to earth to take His people to Heaven. Dispensationalists call this time period the "Church Dispensation" as well as the "Grace Dispensation." Dispensationalists say that, since the Church is the Bride of Christ, only people from the "Church Dispensation" can become members of the Bride of Christ. Will no one from any other time segment qualify to be among those in the Bride of Christ? 

What Did Jesus Say about His New Covenant?  
"And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to the Disciples (The Founders of His Church), and said, Drink ye all of it; For this is My Blood of the New Covenant (New Testament - KJV), which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day (the Day of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, in HEAVEN) when I drink it new with you in My Father's Kingdom" (Matt.26:27-29). 

The Church, the Bride of Christ, and the New Covenant cannot be separated. Following is summary based on the above words of Jesus at His Last Supper:
- Cannot Separate New Covenant from Israel? "Behold I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah" (Jer.31:31 and Heb.8:8)!
- Cannot Separate New Covenant from the Church? Jesus said to the Founders of His Church, His Disciples, "Drink ye all of it, For this is the blood of the New Covenant" (Matt.26:28)!
- Cannot Separating the Church from Israel?  It is clear that everything Jesus said at His Last Supper was totally directed to His New Covenant People, and He was speaking to the Founders of His Church. Thus the Church and Israel, from God's point of view, are one and the same. 
- Cannot Separate New Covenant people from the Bride of Christ? Jesus made it clear that His New Covenant people will be attending the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. "I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's Kingdom" (Vs.29)! It is clear that Jesus is addressing His New Covenant people. If we contend that there will be a "Marriage Supper of the Lamb" in Heaven, involving the Church that has been Raptured into Heaven, and we contend that, at that same time, the New Covenant people will be Jews still on earth, and still not believers in Jesus, when this Marriage Supper occurs, are we not totally denying the words of Jesus?   

Bride of Christ and Great Whore
Pre-Trib (Dispensationalism) says the Great Whore does not appear in the world until after the Church, Bride of Christ, has been Raptured into Heaven.  Can this be so? John was shown that the Marriage Supper takes place AFTER the "Great Whore" is "Judged" and her "Smoke is rising up forever and ever" (See Rev.19:2-3). Pre-Trib says the Great Whore will be judged, and destroyed with fire during the Tribulation, and they absolutely correct, because the Bible makes this all too clear. Therefore, according to the vision Jesus gave to John, the Marriage Supper happens AFTER the Tribulation.  However, Pre-Trib says the Marriage Supper happens before the Tribulation. Jesus said something at His Last Supper that seems to deny this and causes many Pondered Questions for Pre-Trib. Jesus told His Disciples, the Founders of His Church, "I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's Kingdom" (Vs.29)! Can we conclude from this that there will be no Marriage Supper of the Lamb until after the Kingdom of God is established?


When Kingdom of God Begins
Pre-Trib gives another name to the "Kingdom of God." They call it, "The Millennial Kingdom" and say it will be here on this earth, and that it will begin 7 years AFTER the Church is Raptured to Heaven.  Their view on this gives them a double Pondered Question. If the Kingdom of God begins in Heaven when Jesus comes to earth and takes every saved person to Heaven, from Adam until the Second Coming, then the words of Jesus fit together with no contradiction. However, if Jesus takes a group of "Church Age" people to Heaven, makes them His Bride, celebrates the Marriage Supper of the Lamb with them, and it is 7 more years after this before His Father's Kingdom is established, this does not match Jesus' words. Jesus clearly says it will be New Covenant participants who will be the Bride of Christ, however, Pre-Trib says all New Covenant participants are eliminated from the Rapture and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb because they'll be, "Left Behind" and stay here on earth for 1007 years after the Marriage Supper has occurred. In other words, Pre-Trib claims that all New Covenant participants cannot be part of the Bride of Christ. 

"Who is the Real Bride?"  A careful study into all the Bible says about Christ's Bride reveals that they will include ALL of the Redeemed from the Earth, from Creation till Jesus comes! It is true that the Bible identifies a special group of 144 Thousand people during the Great Tribulation that will have a special and closer relationship with Jesus.We will look at these 144 Thousand in the next Chapter.

Conclusion
We want to be kind and never offend as we look at what John said in Revelation concerning the Bride of Christ. We must keep in mind that "God's Israel" and the present Nation of Israel are not the same. God's Israel is His Church, or "Spiritual Israel." Let's quickly look at certain facts we've established in this and the previous chapter.
  • God's Israel and the Church are not separate, but are one and the same.
  • The Bride of Christ includes every saved person from Adam till the Second Coming.
  • The 144 Thousand are special Last-Day, Tribulation Believers and will be the Highest Honored within the Bride of Christ. (We show this in the next chapter)
  • The Position of Bride of Christ will be the Highest and Most Honored in God's Universe.
Pastor, as you know, Pre-Trib disagrees with the first 3 above, and agrees with the 4th. As to the Bride being every saved person since Adam, Pre-Trib says the Bride comes only from the "Grace Dispensation." Pre-Trib also calls this time period the "Church Dispensation." They also call it the "Grace Age" and the "Church Age." Pre-Trib says this Dispensation started at the death of Jesus and will end when Jesus comes to take His Bride to Heaven. Pre-Trib calls this the, "Rapture."

Grace Dispensation Not Under the Law 
Pre-Trib says that during this "Grace Dispensation," because of Grace, those believing in Jesus are to somewhat "set aside" God's Law in favor of Grace because they are "No Longer Under the Law, but Under Grace."  In other words, "Grace Frees them from the Law."  Pre-Trib even goes on to say that any Christians obeying the Sabbath Commandment and disregarding Sunday, a day they call "The Lord's Day,"  that person is denying Grace and is a Legalist. According to Pre-Trib, God's will for His people is for all of them to disregard the Sabbath Commandment and honor Sunday instead. This is a serious Point to Ponder. Do we really believe God is demanding we disobey any part of His Law? 

 It is here we must be, as the Bible says, "Wise as Serpents and Harmless as Doves." First we must establish that, according to Pre-Trib, the "Grace Dispensation" is the only segment of time in all 7 of their Dispensations that God actually requires His People to disobey Him. Pre-Trib says that in all of the other 6, God requires obedience and those that disobey have been, and will be, punished by God! Pastor, does this not bring up a huge Question to Ponder? Now let's Ponder this as it concerns the Bride of Christ. Is it really possible that the most honored creatures ever in God's Universe can only come from a segment of time during which God requires they disobey His Law?

"Ye Shall Become as Gods"
Pastor, as you know, Satan, through the Serpent, told Eve that, instead of being punished for disobeying God, she and Adam would be rewarded with the highest honor in the Universe by becoming "As Gods." Pastor, is not the similarity too obvious? 

"Shall be called Great in the Kingdom of Heaven"
Let's conclude with something Jesus said that should clear up any and all Pondered Questions as to who'll be the "Greatest in the Kingdom."
"Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments [could this be that Sabbath Commandment?], and TEACH men so, he shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven! But whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called GREAT in the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matt.5:19)! Pastor, is there any way we can read these words from Jesus and still declare that there is a Dispensation during which we can reverse what He said?

Thank You SO much, Dear Reader, for your time. Please pray about these questions. The most important thing we can do is to be sure we are at that Marriage Supper of the Lamb when it takes place. Let's Pray together that God's Spirit will guide us so that we will know and teach the Truth.

Your Brother in Christ
Walter C. Martin Jr. 


More Pre-Trib Rapture Websites:

Does it Matter What I Believe About the Rapture?
Who Will Be Left Behind? The Good or the Bad?
"Overcharged With Surfeiting" = Pre-Trib Rapture Theory?
Margaret MacDonald's Dream/Vision

THANK YOU Again for your time and interest!!
Your Brother in Christ
Walter C. Martin Jr
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Check Our Other Websites:

Pre-Tribulation Rapture
Post-Tribulation Second Coming of Jesus
Will We Eat Pigs During the Millennium?

Planet Earth WILL be Destroyed After the 1000 Years!
New Jerusalem - How BIG is It?
Great White Throne Judgment Seat - When and Where
Christ's Kingdom - Millennial or EVERLASTING?

 Hell Fire
Is God Torturing People Now
Did Jesus Suffer ALL of Your Hell?
The Rich Man and Lazarus?
Death
The Dead - Dead or Alive - What is Death?
Did Jesus Die YOUR Death for You?
Will Satan Ever Die - Bible Says "YES!"
Testing Our Doctrine About Death
The Dead Stand Before Great White Throne Judgment Seat

 The Gnostics Attack the Sabbath
Were Gnostics Really Christian?
Were Gnostics Satan's Implants into the Church?
Is Gnosticism Alive and Well in Today's Churches
Church is Israel - Israel is Church
Is the Church Israel and Israel the Church?
Is the Bride of Jesus the 144 Thousand?
Did Jesus Offer the Jews a Millennial Kingdom in His Ministry?
Will New Jerusalem Sit in Israel? How Big is It?
Christ's REAL EVERLASTING Kingdom is for ALL Believers!

The Sabbath
Is it a Sin to Observe the Sabbath?
Is There a Connection Between the Rapture and the Sabbath?
Will the Sabbath Be Observed By God's People During the Tribulation?
Who REALLY Changed the Sabbath in Early Christianity?
Un-Answered and Un-Answerable Sabbath Questions For Popular Preachers
How to Test Your Doctrine Concerning the Sabbath

Heaven
Marriage in Heaven - Millennial Kingdom?
Strange Animal/Demons the Millennium?
Why Jesus Hasn't Come to Take Us To Heaven?
Teachers of Anomia (Law Annulling)
Good Ministers Teaching Against God's 10 Commandments?
Teaching of Anomia - The Reason Jesus Hasn't Come Yet?
Pre-Trib Rapture and Sabbath
Pre-Trib Rapture and the Sabbath?

Walter C. Martin Jr.
Everlasting Gospel Ministries

These are just a few of the questions we examine in our Websites.
Thank you, Dear Reader,  for checking them. Please feel free to give us your comments and feedback if you look at our Sites.  If you send us your questions or comments, we will try to answer and add your question to these Websites. We will Not give your name or E-Mail address to ANY ONE or ANY Church Group or Denomination! Nor will we send you ANY annoying E-Mails!! It is NOT our purpose to get you to withdraw from your present Church, but to invite you to present things you learn here to your Pastor and Friends.
Let's pray that God will continue sending His Holy Spirit to guide as we prepare for Jesus to come. Thank You!
Your Brother in Christ!
Walter C. Martin Jr
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