The Bride of Christ

[RickyZ]

That's an interesting idea, that instead of it being based upon the works of individual believers, it's based upon the works of individual churches. I can see that. But even within individual churches you have faithful and unfaithful believers. Would a faithful servant in an unfaithful church be excluded? Or likewise, the bad apple of a faithful church is part of the Bride?

Paul says that we are all judged and tested as individuals, that individually we suffer loss and gain reward. So while I get what you are saying about faithful and unfaithful churches, God still narrows it down in the end to individuals within each group.

 

[wattie]

That's an interesting idea, that instead of it being based upon the works of individual believers, it's based upon the works of individual churches. I can see that. But even within individual churches you have faithful and unfaithful believers. Would a faithful servant in an unfaithful church be excluded? Or likewise, the bad apple of a faithful church is part of the Bride?

Paul says that we are all judged and tested as individuals, that individually we suffer loss and gain reward. So while I get what you are saying about faithful and unfaithful churches, God still narrows it down in the end to individuals within each group.

Yeah well this is what I am trying to get my head round. If the bride of Christ is God's churches.. would that include the unfaithful members of those churches?

I don't know the answer to that yet. I wonder if actually unfaithful members of churches would have the same status as unfaithful saved outside of Gods' churches.. that would make more sense.

It is individuals works that are judged.

I do know though.. that like Israel.. God's churches have a special place and purpose.

 

[wattie]

Another way of looking at it: It may be that each individual is judged according to their works.. with those faithful in one of God's churches in the Bride.. but those who were saved and unfaithful and not in God's churches are not in the bride.. and those who are saved and unfaithful IN God's churches are not in the bride.

I am not certain-- need to dig around scripture some more.

I would say that someone in God's churches who is unfaithful would most likely lose their status as a member. A New Testament church doing their job would admonish an unfaithful believer to cling to Jesus and flee from sin.. if they didn't do this.. they would be disciplined and no longer be a member of that church. Think about Matthew 18.

So maybe 'unfaithful in God's churches' is a misnomer.. because they would cease to be part of one.

 

[RickyZ]

All true, I can't argue with you (altho I probably will). For me its that the Bride is specifically identified, not once but twice, as the City. And by association those who live in it. Paul is not so sure, saying that we are made as a bride, and he hopes to present us as such, but that we may spoil that purity. The angel in Revelation was stating a fact, Paul was making an allegory. But who knows?