My friend and I always end up in an Argument about Paul's teaching(s) about who Paul says plainly whom The Bride Of Christ Is ...and book of Revealation seemingly saying The Bride is The Holy City ...I keep mentioning that it states "as a Bride " ( a metaphor ) ... Do you mind helping me out to settle this discussion and put this subject to Bed
I believe that you're referring to Revelation chapter 21 specifically. The Bride of Christ will always be His Church - His people.
In verse 2, the New Jerusalem is seen AS a bride adorned for her husband. The city is not the bride but appears in all its beauty & glory as a bride does on her wedding day. So you're quite correct to see the 'bride' as a metaphor of the 'City'.
Then in verse 9, "Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife." Now we don't see a metaphor here but is it a reference to the New Jerusalem? No. When the City was descending out of Heaven we do read of its structure & beauty (as a parenthesis) but specifically, to its residents & its purpose. And that was to provide a new & eternal habitation to those in verse 27: "but they which are written in the Lamb's Book of Life". And who are these? But the Bride of Christ. So the whole vision given to John of the Bride was fully seen in the Church, his Bride, residing in a city prepared for them.
Though the question may also come up with your friend, 'if perfection is now seen on the new Earth, then who are they that defileth, or worketh abomination, or maketh a lie?' Since all wickedness will have been locked away for good in the Lake of Fire, we can't presume that some have found escape from it & living outside the New Jerusalem's walls. I see this verse as a statement of force, of the city's purity where simply nothing impure or even of the smell of sin, can be found within its walls.
Thank You
In verse 2, the New Jerusalem is seen AS a bride adorned for her husband. The city is not the bride but appears in all its beauty & glory as a bride does on her wedding day. So you're quite correct to see the 'bride' as a metaphor of the 'City'.
Then in verse 9, "Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife." Now we don't see a metaphor here but is it a reference to the New Jerusalem? No. When the City was descending out of Heaven we do read of its structure & beauty (as a parenthesis) but specifically, to its residents & its purpose. And that was to provide a new & eternal habitation to those in verse 27: "but they which are written in the Lamb's Book of Life". And who are these? But the Bride of Christ. So the whole vision given to John of the Bride was fully seen in the Church, his Bride, residing in a city prepared for them.
Though the question may also come up with your friend, 'if perfection is now seen on the new Earth, then who are they that defileth, or worketh abomination, or maketh a lie?' Since all wickedness will have been locked away for good in the Lake of Fire, we can't presume that some have found escape from it & living outside the New Jerusalem's walls. I see this verse as a statement of force, of the city's purity where simply nothing impure or even of the smell of sin, can be found within its walls.
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