The Bride of Christ 01

Christians are a community of special people. Salt of the earth, light, aliens, sojourners. As such you must understand that you are God’s Church and you are different from anything else in the world. As God’s special people you do not exist alone. You are not here alone and defenseless. 1 Pet. 2:5, 9.
(2) That’s what you are Individually. But you have a collective relationship and responsibility to God and to each other. Yes, you are individuals, but you do not exist and function alone, separate and apart from each other. 1 Cor. 12:12-27. There is no one member of this congregation who is more important or less important than another. If you think you’re better than any other member or think you’re more important than any other member or that you should get more consideration or honor than any other member of this congregation you are sadly delusioned. In your own self-importance you have become a legend in your own mind and a hinderance to the peace and stability of the church.
a. As a Christian, a member of the body of Christ you do not function in your
capacity separate and apart from the other members of the body. God
says, “Your physical body does not function that way and God’s spiritual body does not function that way.” Just like the physical body, when Christ’s body has members who think they are more important than another member the body becomes dysfunctional. It becomes crippled and it dies.
(1) Rev. 21:9. The relationship between Christ and the church is described as being like the relationship between a husband and wife. Question? Who is the bride? Who is the church? They are Christians who belong to Jesus. The Church is not a building, a creed. It’s not Christ’s church just because a sign on the outside says, “Church of Christ.” The Church is God’s saved people. The last topic of the Bible is about the Bride of Christ, which is the church.
(1) Do you remember the 1st topic in the Bible? It’s how Adam got a bride. Open the
Bible and the 1st Adam is searching for a help mate, a bride. Close the Bible and the
last Adam has found His bride and they live happily ever after.
(a) 1 Cor. 15:21-22, 45, 47. There is the analogy, type and an antitype. Adam is
symbolic of something higher. The same is true of Eve. Gen. 2:18-24. That
was not an oversight on God’s part. That was part of Adam’s education.
Teaching Adam to look to God for his needs. Isn’t that what God tells us to do?
His Promise in Phip. 4:19, “God shall supply all your need according to His
Glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
There was no one like himself with whom he could have fellowship. He was alone as a human. Adam could see himself in a pool. See ISH (SELF) and knew he was different from every thing else on earth. He was unique and
he could see that uniqueness, that difference between himself and all the other
created beings. There was no other Ish.
God put Adam into a deep sleep, took a rib and made Eve. She was from Adam, She was Adam in another form. Different, yet like him to have complete fellowship together. Adam looked into her eyes and a New Word. It was ISHAH. Now he had another self. You’re me, but you’re not me. Me in another form and for the 1st time Adam had fellowship with another human being.
One with whom I can communicate, share, be. A help Meet an alter ego. My other self who makes me complete and fulfilled. That which was OF him and FROM him. The only one of her kind on the planet. His dream come true.
The only one who can fulfill my deepest need. Share with me the joy of being God’s creation, she fulfulls the bliss of God’s fellowship and blessings in life. You are not complete unless you can receive and share your life blessings with another. That is one of the things that makes us like God.

Adam has one who is created both in God’s image and in his own image. One who will together, with him, will help him to seek the things of God. Only another like yourself. Created in the Image of God who seeks the things of God like you do. One who Loves you and helps you Serve God Successfully.
It’s called a Help Meet. One who meets your needs for a Helper. A life mate like himself who understands him, encourages him and stands by him. And together with him will serve and honor their creator.
(3) The lesson of Gen. chapter 1, is God created the world for a reason. A place where His greatest creative achievement could grow in the spiritual, emotional likeness of their Creator Live in love and perfect fellowship with God and each other.
(1) That’s why God gave man a bride. That likeness, analogy is carried to it’s fullest meaning in the relationship between Christ and His church. Men, you need to fully understand that relationship and recognize the awesome responsibility God has placed on your shoulders.
(1) You have the responsibility to get yourself right with God and serve him as you creator. But, it goes beyond just making sure that you serve God acceptably. You are charged with the responsibility to bring your wife, your Eve, into the presence of God and serve Him together.
(2) God speaks to you in Eph. 5:22-23, 25-32.
(2) How can a man claim to love his wife and children and not give them the most important thing in the world. A husband and a father who loves them enough to be what they need most in this world.
(1) One who loves himself and them enough to make every sacrifice he needs to make in order to give his family the most important thing in this world. A place to be together in heaven with God. And escape from the horrible torment of eternal damnation. If you are not going to do that you need to go off somewhere, dig a hole, crawl in it and pull it in on top of yourself. And give them a chance to find some one else who will love them the way they deserve to be loved and cared for. Whether you like it or not, that’s the way it is and I cannot, I dare not, tell you any different.
(2) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 05/18/03 am
Bob Martin