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Old 03-08-2009, 03:18 AM
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Kiwi Christian Kiwi Christian is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Aotearoa
Posts: 242
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Your team missed an important proof text which is used to teach that the Church is the Bride-to-be of Jesus Christ, that being Romans 7:4. You would have found it had you done a search on the word "married" in the New Testament.

Romans 7:4 "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."

I suspect you will interpret it as a "figure of speech" just like you do with 2 Corinthians 11:2 "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ"

I, and many other Bible believers, DO NOT interpret these verses figuratively as you do. Paul is making a doctrinal statement in both cases, not simply to the audience back in 50 odd AD, but to the whole body of Christ, and it involves being engaged to marry the Lord Jesus Christ.

The fact that Paul never wrote the words "Lamb" or "Bride" in connection with the Church makes no difference whatsoever, because comparing scripture with scripture (the key to Bible study) shows us the truth. What Paul wrote about the church being espoused to marry Jesus Christ is complimented, not contradicted, by what John wrote in his gospel and in the Revelation.