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Old 03-09-2009, 08:40 AM
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Default simile and metaphor

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiwi Christian View Post
Brother, from where I sit it looks to me like you believe that the Church is married to Jesus Christ now, and Israel will be married to Jesus Christ in the future? Don't you see something seriously wrong with that idea?
1. I see nothing wrong, for it is what the Bible SAYS.
2. These are figures of speech AS the Bible says it is.

For example, is Christ a way or a door, a shepherd or a lamb? It is literal?
Is the church a temple or a body, espoused or married, a wife or virgin, a building or a people, a husbandry or a flock?

METAPHOR: We are "married" to Christ now.
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.
"If should be married to another" refers to the marriage in heaven (?), does that mean then that "we should bring bring forth fruit unto God" in heaven?
Or does it mean we are come dead to the law that we should be married to Christ and bring forth fruit to God NOW?

SIMILE: We are AS a "wife" now and Christ is AS a "husband" to us NOW.
Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, EVEN AS Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore AS the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, EVEN AS Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, EVEN AS the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

1) Are we "one flesh" with Christ now, or not? Are we waiting to be "one flesh" with Him in the future?
2) Are we "His wife" now or not?
3) "EVEN AS" tells us it's figurative right?
The CHURCH is literal and has a literal relationship of oneness with the literal CHRIST. This literal doctrine is illustrated and pictured by the relationship of a wife and husband.
We are not the literal flesh and bones of Christ (unless you believe I am a literal toenail the literal body of Christ), but we have a literal relationship of oneness with Him as His body pictured in the marriage relationship.

SIMILE: Paul (LITERAL) will present (LITERALLY) the church (LITERAL) to Christ (LITERAL) like a jealous someone ("as" a father? FIGURATIVE) presenting a "chaste virgin" (FIGURATIVE) to one "husband" (FIGURATIVE).
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.
According to 2 Corinthians 11:2 (We're not talking about Ephesians 5 now.), are we being presented to Christ as a chaste virgin NOW, or are we to be presented to Christ as a chaste virgin in the future?

Again, the problem is trying to fit these passages with the picture rather than the picture to the passages, or trying to make doctrine out of typology rather than getting doctrine first and look for typology that fits.

I know that a woman is a 1) chaste virgin first, then 2) espoused to a husband, then 3) married to the man.

But Paul says, the church is 1) married to Christ in order to bring forth fruit, and 2) is one flesh with Christ as a husband and wife is one body; but he will present it (3) as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Remember, that is what the Bible SAID: the church has a relationship with Christ AS the husband and wife, and the church will meet Christ in such a scenario like a chaste virgin being presented to a husband.

Note: no mention of "bride" whatsoever.