Christians, Are You The Bride of Christ?
Christians sometimes are in intent on claiming Jewish things for themselves, example the bride of Christ. I believe that this error is made because of a misunderstanding of Ephesians 5:22-32.
Let's look and see what Ephesians 5:22 says about marriage between Christian men and women. It speaks of the way a wife should submit to her own husband as she would unto the Lord Himself. She judges the things asked of her with this question in mind, "Is my husbands asking of me a godly thing or a selfish thing?"
Ephesians 5:23 gives the reason, "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church." One of the things that Christ does for the Body is to be it's Savior, keeping it safe and sound. With this example the husband is to do the same for his wife in their marriage. Ephesians 5:24..... "Wives are to be subject unto their own husbands in everything." Wives need to realize they represent the Church in its subjection unto Christ. it's important for us to understand the reason behind these scriptures. It is to show a relationship that exists between a husband and his wife, and between Christ and His Body the Church.
Ephesians 5:25 give us an example of how the husband is to represent Christ in the home. He is to love his wife, who represents the Body of Christ, in the way he loves his wife. The kind of love that Christ has for His Body, the Church, and gave His life for it calls for the husband to do the same if necessary.
Ephesians 5:26 tells us how all things started at the cross of Jesus. Christ laid down his life so that he could set His Body aside for Himself to be immersed into Himself (The Word) to cleanse His Body completely so it would be fit for His use. So the husband, representing Christ, should also apply the word (Christ) to his wife who represents the Body of Christ to accomplish the same in their marriage.
Ephesians 5:27 tells us He did this so He could present to Himself a glorious Church completely cleansed so nothing would hinder it from being Holy and without blemish. So the husband should follow Christ's example and do what Christ did for the Church (His Body) for his wife, to cause something glorious to happen in his union with his wife.
Ephesians 5:28 says that a man should love his wife as he loves himself. To do this is to love your wife the right way as this truly is showing forth your oneness.
Ephesians 5:29..... a man shows that he loves himself by the way he provides for his needs and watches over his own body even as Christ does His Church.
Ephesians 5:30..... for we are members of Christ's Body not His bride, but a member working with other members as Christ our Head directs.
Paul shows us when using the scriptures (rightly divided) when we look at being of his flesh and bones it is to show us the oneness described in the following scripture.....
Ephesians 5:31..... quoting from Genesis 2:23-24 shows us that through the union of a man and a woman they two shall be one flesh. God shows the importance of this oneness in Genesis 5:1-2 where he says that male and female, He created them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
Ephesians 5:32..... leaves us with no doubt that the scriptures that we examined are certainly a comparison of the oneness between Christ and His Church (His Body) and how a Christian marriage should have that same oneness. That oneness is accomplished by the husband (the head) and the wife (the body) by following Christ's example as Head of the Body, the Church, and the wife the obedience that should exist between the Body to the Head. We married Christians should always be aware that we are to be an example to the world of the relationship that exist between Christ and the Church.
I welcome any studious comments or questions regarding this subject.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Bill Blair
(Back to Biblical Teachings)
Let's look and see what Ephesians 5:22 says about marriage between Christian men and women. It speaks of the way a wife should submit to her own husband as she would unto the Lord Himself. She judges the things asked of her with this question in mind, "Is my husbands asking of me a godly thing or a selfish thing?"
Ephesians 5:23 gives the reason, "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church." One of the things that Christ does for the Body is to be it's Savior, keeping it safe and sound. With this example the husband is to do the same for his wife in their marriage. Ephesians 5:24..... "Wives are to be subject unto their own husbands in everything." Wives need to realize they represent the Church in its subjection unto Christ. it's important for us to understand the reason behind these scriptures. It is to show a relationship that exists between a husband and his wife, and between Christ and His Body the Church.
Ephesians 5:25 give us an example of how the husband is to represent Christ in the home. He is to love his wife, who represents the Body of Christ, in the way he loves his wife. The kind of love that Christ has for His Body, the Church, and gave His life for it calls for the husband to do the same if necessary.
Ephesians 5:26 tells us how all things started at the cross of Jesus. Christ laid down his life so that he could set His Body aside for Himself to be immersed into Himself (The Word) to cleanse His Body completely so it would be fit for His use. So the husband, representing Christ, should also apply the word (Christ) to his wife who represents the Body of Christ to accomplish the same in their marriage.
Ephesians 5:27 tells us He did this so He could present to Himself a glorious Church completely cleansed so nothing would hinder it from being Holy and without blemish. So the husband should follow Christ's example and do what Christ did for the Church (His Body) for his wife, to cause something glorious to happen in his union with his wife.
Ephesians 5:28 says that a man should love his wife as he loves himself. To do this is to love your wife the right way as this truly is showing forth your oneness.
Ephesians 5:29..... a man shows that he loves himself by the way he provides for his needs and watches over his own body even as Christ does His Church.
Ephesians 5:30..... for we are members of Christ's Body not His bride, but a member working with other members as Christ our Head directs.
Paul shows us when using the scriptures (rightly divided) when we look at being of his flesh and bones it is to show us the oneness described in the following scripture.....
Ephesians 5:31..... quoting from Genesis 2:23-24 shows us that through the union of a man and a woman they two shall be one flesh. God shows the importance of this oneness in Genesis 5:1-2 where he says that male and female, He created them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
Ephesians 5:32..... leaves us with no doubt that the scriptures that we examined are certainly a comparison of the oneness between Christ and His Church (His Body) and how a Christian marriage should have that same oneness. That oneness is accomplished by the husband (the head) and the wife (the body) by following Christ's example as Head of the Body, the Church, and the wife the obedience that should exist between the Body to the Head. We married Christians should always be aware that we are to be an example to the world of the relationship that exist between Christ and the Church.
I welcome any studious comments or questions regarding this subject.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Bill Blair
(Back to Biblical Teachings)
