When will the Lies and Deceit End?

The doctrine that the church is the bride of Christ, is prevalent throughout Christianity. It is not a critical doctrine to believe either way and in my opinion neither will it impact on ones eternal life, but Jesus Christ will have a good laugh are the stupidity of some people.

It is also a good demonstration of the extent of the brainwashing i the church to the point where followers cannot read and understand even when the bible says the opposite of what the church preaches.

There is no clear statement that the Christian church is the bride of Christ but there is a crystal clear statement that it is not. Yet Christians routinely refer to their church as the bride of Christ. Here are two statements from Paul referring to the church / members as the BODY of Christ

1Co_12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Eph_4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

The church is the body of Christ. Jesus also referred to his followers as, His friends, His brothers, sisters, mothers. Never once did Jesus call them his bride. Jesus also in His parables tells of people being invited to the wedding feast. They are invited to witness the marriage of a bride and groom. They are not invited to marry the bridegroom.

The Bride of Christ is the New Jerusalem as Revelation clearly states. Even in a passage quoted recently by one Christian in support of his belief that the church is the bride of Christ, if it is read properly the passage says nothing of the sort. Here it is

He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. (John 3:29 KJV)

Here John identifies 3 characters
- the bride
- the bridegroom
- friends of the bridegroom.

John here calls himself a friend of the groom [not the bride], and this matches what Jesus said. Ye are my friends if ye do whatever I command you. The bridegroom has the bride. The bride is the Kingdom of God in the form of New Jerusalem, as stated in Revelation.

Again a relatively minor point, and of no consequence in the end. It just demonstrates the extent of the deceit, blatant lies, misinformation, poor comprehension prevalent in the church. Its the same story with critical doctrines.

Without the church, how do we transmit Christian tradition, determine Canon, and receive communion?

How do we come together as a body?

@philokalia said
Without the church, how do we transmit Christian tradition, determine Canon, and receive communion?

How do we come together as a body?

You could always try making an online group.

@rajk999 said
The doctrine that the church is the bride of Christ, is prevalent throughout Christianity. It is not a critical doctrine to believe either way and in my opinion neither will it impact on ones eternal life, but Jesus Christ will have a good laugh are the stupidity of some people.

It is also a good demonstration of the extent of the brainwashing i the church to the point whe ...[text shortened]... nformation, poor comprehension prevalent in the church. Its the same story with critical doctrines.

See, ugh. Your quibble is over interpretation, and that falls far short of the jaunty, "clickbait" Lies and Deceit from the thread title.

Are you here for any other reason but to pick fights with other Christians?

@bigdoggproblem said
See, ugh. Your quibble is over interpretation, and that falls far short of the jaunty, "clickbait" Lies and Deceit from the thread title.

Are you here for any other reason but to pick fights with other Christians?

No. It's not about interpretation.

@rajk999 said
No. It's not about interpretation.

Yes, it is.

The interpretation is over how important the "bride of Christ" doctrine is.

@rajk999 said
The doctrine that the church is the bride of Christ, is prevalent throughout Christianity. It is not a critical doctrine to believe either way and in my opinion neither will it impact on ones eternal life, but Jesus Christ will have a good laugh are the stupidity of some people.

It is also a good demonstration of the extent of the brainwashing i the church to the point whe ...[text shortened]... nformation, poor comprehension prevalent in the church. Its the same story with critical doctrines.

https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/new-jerusalem/#?insight[search_id]=01dc57ad-5540-4ece-97cf-0ffdeb9020f0&insight[search_result_index]=0

It is of great consequence because this will be the government over the earth in the future. Ones who do not want to be subjects of this government will not be allowed to live thru Armageddon and reap it's benefits forever. So yes his bride is the New Jerusalem but who makes up that bride? The 12 apostles were the corner stones and the rest are the 144,000 that will rule over it's subjects here on earth beside their husband Jesus Christ.
See the link above.....

@bigdoggproblem said
Yes, it is.

The interpretation is over how important the "bride of Christ" doctrine is.

No. I did say it is a non issue.

@rajk999 said
No. I did say it is a non issue.

When you say something is a "non-issue" - to my mind, that means "0% of an issue".

If you would care to de-fang your own prose by admitting that "non-" is more than 0%, go ahead.

@galveston75 said
https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/new-jerusalem/#?insight[search_id]=01dc57ad-5540-4ece-97cf-0ffdeb9020f0&insight[search_result_index]=0

It is of great consequence because this will be the government over the earth in the future. Ones who do not want to be subjects of this government will not be allowed to live thru Armageddon and reap it's benefits fore ...[text shortened]... l rule over it's subjects here on earth beside their husband Jesus Christ.
See the link above.....

That's speculation and you are entitled to speculate to your heart's content.

The question in this thread is .. Where in the bible does it state that the church is the bride of Christ.

I have presented clear statements the says the church is the BODY OF CHRIST
..

@rajk999 said
That's speculation and you are entitled to speculate to your heart's content.

The question in this thread is .. Where in the bible does it state that the church is the bride of Christ.

I have presented clear statements the says the church is the BODY OF CHRIST
..

Oh, so it's just going to be that narrow.

Ok.

@philokalia said
Oh, so it's just going to be that narrow.

Ok.

It is normal forum etiquette to deal with the matter at hand presented in the opening post first. When that is done you can feel free to send the thread off on any tangent you wish.

@bigdoggproblem said
When you say something is a "non-issue" - to my mind, that means "0% of an issue".

If you would care to de-fang your own prose by admitting that "non-" is more than 0%, go ahead.

This topic is a non-issue [0%] as far as ones eternal life in the Kingdom of God is concerned. God is not interested in all people being bible scholars. There are many who will be found worthy without an ounce of education or knowledge, and who have never read any bible. Their heart however is with God and they live a life of good works and charity. These are the kinds of people who Jesus will justify and who He will welcome into His Kingdom.

It is a major issue [100%] when it comes to what I said in the opening post about church doctrine being unreliable, untrustworthy and full of lies and deceit. If churches and deceive their followers on such a petty matter then they are not trustworthy on more important matters like understanding what eternal life in the Kingdom of God is all about.

@rajk999 said
The doctrine that the church is the bride of Christ, is prevalent throughout Christianity. It is not a critical doctrine to believe either way and in my opinion neither will it impact on ones eternal life, but Jesus Christ will have a good laugh are the stupidity of some people.

It is also a good demonstration of the extent of the brainwashing i the church to the point whe ...[text shortened]... nformation, poor comprehension prevalent in the church. Its the same story with critical doctrines.

The answer to this thread's title can be gleaned from the following:

John 8
34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.
31...“If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
41“You are doing the deeds of your father.” 42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. 43“Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45“But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. 46“Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47“He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
51“Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.”

@Rajk999

The doctrine that the church is the bride of Christ, is prevalent throughout Christianity. It is not a critical doctrine to believe either way and in my opinion neither will it impact on ones eternal life, but Jesus Christ will have a good laugh are the stupidity of some people.

This is Rajk999's phony sounding expertise. The New Testament teaches:

Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her. (Eph. 5:25)

We should not think Christ only gave up His life for individuals. He gave up His life for a collective - the church. Me individually was not the end all of Christ's sacrificial death - but the church as a corporate body.

The might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word. That he might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle of any such thing but that she should be holy and without blemish. vs.26,27

After Christ washes sinners in His blood for redemption, His living speaking is another kind of washing in the water of the RHEMA word to present His bride to Himself spotless and cleansed of every stain of the oldness of the fallen man.

In rajk999 phony sounding expertise he obfuscates this matter by emphasizing another aspect of the saved, them being members of His body. This phony sounding expertise has no room in its head to see that BOTH aspects. Christ's redeemed people are individually members of His body and corporately the WIFE that Christ died for to present to Himself.

The phony expertise of Rajk999 figures surely he must use one aspect to fight against the other.