GOD HAS ONLY ONE BRIDE

As some of you might imagine, I came under fire for yesterday's post entitled:  "IS THE CHURCH THE BRIDE OF CHRIST?"  To be honest, I expected it to be much worse than it has been.  After all, here I was, a nobody, "challenging the pillars of the faith."  Which reminds me of another, far more spiritual and gifted Paul, who was respectful but uninhibited by the "pillars" he encountered (Gal. 2:9).  So, let's look at my basis for saying the Bride of Christ and the Wife of the LORD are the same "person":

*  God is a Triune God, One God, and He identifies Israel as His wife (Isa. 54:5; Jer. 3:14).
*  God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16; Lk. 16:18).
*  God has removed the divide between saved Jews and saved Gentiles in Christ, making us one:  the Church (Eph. 2:13-16).
*  God will reconcile with Israel as her Husband (Isa. 54:5-7; Jer. 3:12-14; the Book of Hosea, especially 14:1-9; Rom. 11:23-29).

Although there is not a single verse in the New Testament that specifically says the Church IS the Bride of Christ, it is clearly taught by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 5:22-33.  The word "bride" only appears four times (Jn. 3:29; Rev. 18:23; 21:2, 9).  None tell us the Church alone is the bride; that teaching has become truth based upon men's interpretation, which, if we are honest with ourselves, almost smacks of Replacement Theology.  Israel remains the wife of the LORD, with whom He will reconcile following the Abomination of Desolation at which time, Israel's eyes will be opened (two points here:  God does not go back on His word and therefore would not divorce Israel permanently, and when Jesus was referring to Himself as the Bridegroom, He was always speaking to Jews.  The Church is made up of Jews and Gentiles).
 
In Rev. 21:9-10, the text clearly says, "Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.  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."  And if one reads the last verse in the chapter, he will find that the population of that city is listed in the Lamb's Book of Life, which contains the names of all of the saved, Jew and Gentile.

Doctrine must result from studying ALL His Word has to say on a topic!