The Church and the Bride: Is there a Difference?
Bible Answers on the End-Time Message • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro
Intro
Title - The Church and the Bride: Is There A Difference?
Series - Bible Answers on the End-time Message
Text - Matthew 16.18; John 3.29
18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.
Issue
Is there a difference between the “Church” and the “Bride”?
Background
Background
WMB mentioned in some of his sermons that the bride is different from the church
108 How anyone can get the Church going through the Tribulation, I don’t know. But what’s It got to go through the Tribulation for, when It hasn’t got—hasn’t got a sin? I mean…I don’t mean the church; the church will go through the Tribulation. But I’m talking about the Bride. The Bride, no, It hasn’t got a sin against It, at all. It’s done been bleached out, and there’s not even a—a…There’s not even a smell of it, and nothing left. They’re perfect, before God. So what’s any Tribulation to purify them? But the others do. The church does go through the Tribulation, but not the Bride.
63-0321 - The Fourth Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
http://table.branham.org
305 No good teacher believes that the Church, the Bride…The church goes through the Tribulation, but not the Bride. The church goes through, for purification, sure, under the sixth seal. Right. Israel does the same thing, for the hundred and forty-four thousand, but not the Bride. There’s…
63-0412E - God Hiding Himself In Simplicity
Rev. William Marrion Branham
http://table.branham.org
76 Someone said, the other day when I was talking, said, “Brother Branham, you don’t believe then the church will go through the tribulation?” 77 I said, “I believe the church will, but not the Bride.” The church will go through the tribulation, yes, sir, but the Bride is free from it. She’ll go in the Rapture, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye. She’ll be caught up to meet her Lord in the air, for the Wedding Supper. She has nothing to go through any tribulation about; her Lord has paid her price. We’re so thankful for that. Yes, sir.
64-0126 - What Shall We Do With This Jesus Called Christ?
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http://table.branham.org
What was in WMB’s mind when he said that?
What was in WMB’s mind when he said that?
there are two groups of Christians in the last days
one will go up in the Rapture, before the tribulation
one will be left behind to go through the great tribulation
Why?
the Bible clearly speaks of the rapture
the Bible also claerly speaks of “tribulation saints” who will “come up” out of the great tribulation
14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.
16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;
17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
the beast from the sea will make war with the saints
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
Are there saints that will be left behind?
Are there saints that will be left behind?
The church that will not “watch” will be left behind
Jesus warned many times, “watch and pray for you do not know the time when the son of man comes”
42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Jesus warned the Sardisean Church Age
1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
hold fast and repent
if you will not watch
I will come as a”thief”
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
“thief in the night” applies to the Great Day of the Lord
The churches that are not “ready” will be left behind
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
ten virgins represent all the churches
virgins - clean, sanctiied churches
the foolish did not bring extra oil
Christ comes while they are busy getting filled with the Holy Spirit
What’s with the words “church” and “bride”?
What’s with the words “church” and “bride”?
Church - a general term applied to all who believe in Christ through the gospel
church means “called out assembly”
the church is composed of people who were called out of the world to follow Christ
Bride - one of many terms used to describe the church
temple - the church as God’s habitation in the Spirit
body - the church as a single unit that is joined to Christ as the head
bride/wife - the church in close relationship with Christ
1 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me.
2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.
these “titles” express the “ideal” relationship between Christ and his Church
in reality, this is not always true
Christianity - a term encompassing all denominations and churches; composed of true and false churches
What is the significance of the the term “Bride”?
What is the significance of the the term “Bride”?
Bride - implies the Christians that most reflect the life, character and principles of Christ
hence, the “union”
15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!
16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.”
17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
Bride/wife - the glorious church that Christ will bring with Him
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
hence, the Lamb’s wife, the New Jerusalem
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
comes down with Christ in His second coming
7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
Notice - the 2 groups of saints at this time
one group comes down with Christ - the Bride
another group comes up from the great trbulation - the tribulation Saints, the Church
Conclusion
Conclusion
The Church and the Bride are the same people of God
the term Bride applies to the church
The difference is what happens to the church in the end-time
one part with go to the Rapture
one part will go through the great tribulation time
one part comes down with Christ in the second coming
the other part will raised in the second coming
Some Quotes
222 Now we’re going to end right here, by saying this. The end-time Message is to get the Bride ready and prepared for the Rapture. What can it do? According to Malachi 4, is bring them back to the Faith that was once delivered to the saints. Bring them back to the Faith of the fathers, the pentecostal part, in the restoration time. “I will restore, saith the Lord.” That’s real event, end-time evangelism.
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Rev. William Marrion Branham
http://table.branham.org
380 And the real Church would go through that if it was possible; but, you see, they are done under this Blood, by the grace of Christ, and cannot go through any Tribulation. They have no Tribulation period. The next thing for the Church is Rapture. Amen, and amen! Praise to God. Oh, how I love this!
63-0318 - The First Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
http://table.branham.org
121 Now notice these Jews. Now, the scales of blindness was on these people’s eyes. They, they couldn’t help it; it was there, and God put it there. And they are on there until the age that they are promised, this coming prophets. You can send missionaries, you can do whatever you want to; Israel will never be converted until these prophets come on the scene, and that will be after the Rapture of the Gentile Church.
63-0324E - The Seventh Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
http://table.branham.org
47 Across the nation, will come, those who are dead in Christ will rise first. The Rapture will take place, the Church will be taken Home. And then the Tribulation will set in, and, oh, my, we don’t want to be here during that time. I don’t want to be here in the Tribulation. No. God forbid that any of us would ever be here during that time. Because, “he that’s filthy is filthy still; he that’s holy is holy still; he that’s righteous is righteous still.” There is no…The Lamb had come forth with His Book of Redemption, and the Bride has been taken out. Those who turned It down has to go through a Tribulation period, both Jew and Gentile. What a time of Tribulation! I don’t want that.
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Rev. William Marrion Branham
http://table.branham.org