THE BRIDE: GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE

The final result of all unfolding history IS the New Jerusalem in Rev. 21 & 22. We saw that even in Gen. 1 God could have included Rev. 21 because He knew the end from the beginning. The real purpose of creation in Gen 1 was to prepare this city, which is the bride of Christ and His eternal companion and co-sovereign ruler with Him. All discipline, all suffering, all testing, all development, all training and all the power of redemption and of the Holy Spirit is focused upon this one final event of earth’s history. The marriage supper of the Lamb and 1000 years later the New Jerusalem, the wife of the Lamb.

The political history of the earth must be viewed from a perspective of unfolding years and the events within certain cultures and countries. However, God’s History is viewed from the perspective of the development of this eternal companion for God’s Son, Jesus Christ. The genealogies reveal that God very carefully orchestrated each generation to provide for the time when the Messiah would be born and the families that would precede Him. There had to be a “Messianic People” before there could be the Messiah, come in the flesh. Gal 4:4] But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, [5] in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Even though we were chosen “in Christ” before the foundation of the world we each had to respond to the call of God in our own time period and be redeemed by faith in His sacrifice at Calvary. This is the beginning of our experience in God’s history and the unfolding of His eternal plan for our lives. That means; That we might be perfected to fit into that eternal city which is the bride of Christ. If we put anything ahead of that absolute priority in our lives it must be because we really don’t understand what this redeemed Christian life is about. If we put anything ahead of that absolute priority in our ministry it can only be because we are ignorant of God’s eternal purpose for the bride of Christ which is the New Jerusalem. If our ministry goal is less than God’s goal we could find ourselves “laboring in vain” or even using flammable material to build a fantasy “church” that will not survive the fire of God’s testing.

Every time I try to open this mystery up and explain it I find that my words fail. That probably means that I don’t really understand it myself or it could mean that this understanding only comes by revelation and not by the logical mind. Hopefully a grouping together of many relevant scriptures will open up this truth to us. While I am convinced that the purpose of all of creation was to prepare a bride for Christ, it is not so easy to define why and how! There are a few clear scriptures that say that the reason Christ died was for the perfecting of the church.

EPH 5:25 Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; [26] that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, [27] that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. We should see that the purpose of Calvary was for the perfecting of the bride for Christ. Forgiveness of sins through faith in the blood of His cross also requires this washing of water with the word before He can present the church to Himself, perfected.

EPH 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; [2] and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

ROM 14:7] For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; [8] for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. [9] For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

2 COR 5:14] For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; [15] and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

This gospel of cheap grace that teaches that we can accept Jesus as personal Savior and then live for ourselves doesn’t acknowledge 1 COR 6: [19] Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? [20] For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. Redemption simply means that we have been “bought back”. 1 PET 1:17] And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth; [18] knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, [19] but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

COL 1:28] And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete (perfect) (mature)in Christ. [29] And for this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

Just from these few scriptures it is clear that “redeemed, purchased, born again and reconciled” individuals have been predestined to a unique position in the eternal realms of heaven. If Christ is going to present the church to Himself, a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, holy and blameless and if she is going to rule and reign with Him through out eternity she will be in a very unique position. No other created being has been offered such a glorious position to be joined to Him as bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh and to sit with Him on His throne.

If the believers are too busy or too involved with their own projects to submit to every aspect of change that is required or to totally surrender to Christ as ones who have been purchased off the auction block and redeemed from hell, they must be ignorant of God’s eternal plan. A basic fact of redemption is that “we are no longer our own”. We have been purchased as slaves off the slave ship but not just to serve our new Master for 6 years but to become the bride of the One Who purchased us. Some “gospel” that declares us to be “free” is too shallow. We can never be “free” to serve ourselves. ROM 6:18] and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. ROM 6:22] But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

Then what is the divine plan to accomplish this great transformation from fallen man to co-ruler of the universe? It involves the Creator God coming to live in man and changing man from what he is to what he must become to qualify for such a tremendous or even “extreme” position.

JOHN 17:19] "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. [20] "I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; [21] that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. [22] "And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; [23] I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity,

JOHN 17:24] "Father, I desire that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou didst love Me before the foundation of the world.

COL 1:26] that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints, [27] to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

ROM 8:9] However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. [10] And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. [11] But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.

JOHN 14:23] Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.

COL 3:16] that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;

There are many scriptures that reveal the fact that the creator God, Himself, will come to live in us and do His eternal work in us. Even the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. However, this eternal work is not automatic but is only accomplished as we obey, submit and change. 2 TIM 2:12] If we endure, we shall also reign with Him; ROM 8:16] The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, [17] and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.

No other created being has this privilege of the Creator God of heaven coming to dwell IN THEM. God Who has all power and all wisdom has agreed to humble Himself to come and dwell in perverse and fallen man and from that position begin an eternal work in man to perfect him for the day of Christ. PHIL 2:12 work out your salvation with fear and trembling; [13] for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Not only does He live in us He is also at work in us to cause us to do His will.

If all this tells us anything, it reveals that God has provided for a whole new race and species of man to exist that never existed before Calvary. The Old Covenant saint could never under the law achieve anything like what is promised to and said about the New Covenant person that is taking advantage of the opportunities to be changed. This “new order” of beings is what God had in mind when He created the universe and all that is in it. This “new order” of beings is what God is using as the raw material to perfect the “few” for the New Jerusalem. Many are called but few are chosen. MAT 7:14] "For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.

LK 13:22 And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem. [23] And someone said to Him, "Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?" And He said to them, [24] "Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. [25] "Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, `Lord, open up to us!' then He will answer and say to you, `I do not know where you are from.' The wide door is a very poor choice and eliminates us from the presence of God.

1 PET 3:19] in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, [20] who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.

Those who entered into the ark and were saved were few when compared to the multitudes that were drowned. They represented an exclusive order of people that were used to populate the earth following the flood. Joshua and Caleb were the only two over the age of 20 years who could enter Canaan. A very “few”. Then are there just a few who are being “saved”? Jesus didn’t give a direct answer but said to “ Strive to enter by the narrow door”. In other words entrance is not just by “salvation” but by entering by the narrow door! From Rev. 7 we know there will be multitudes “saved”. So many that it is impossible to count all who are “saved” and stand before the throne of God. These all have palm branches in their hands and cry out “salvation to our God”. However, few there be that enter into His Life and “become partakes of the Divine nature” and are prepared to sit with Him on His throne in the New Jerusalem.

These “few” will be that exclusive royalty that will rule over all the works of His hands throughout eternity and will be declared to be the “bride of Christ”. The glory of the eternal Son of God is well known and well preached but the glory that will be given to the perfected sons of God is seldom clearly preached. JOHN 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. JOHN 17:22] "And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; [23] I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, The “glorious Christ” is willing to share His glory with the church that is His body.

EPH 5:25, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; [26] that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, [27] that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.

This “finishing work” of sanctifying, washing, cleansing, of making holy and blameless and removing every spot and wrinkle must precede Christ receiving the church in all her glory. This is accomplished through the “washing of the water with the Word of God”. This is not just a matter of hearing the word but it is when we “do the word” that we are cleansed by it.

The church which is His body will also be “the many sons that He will bring to His same glory”. They will be carbon copies of the original Son and exact replicas of Christ, Himself. In Psalm 8 it says that man was originally made to be “a little less than God”or a “little” lower than God. Since God is infinite and has all knowledge and wisdom it is certain that man (who is finite) can never be as “high” as God but according to scriptures man can be joined to Jesus Christ as His bride. The church in her full maturity and perfection and in her being changed to bear His image and likeness and in her growing up in all things into Christ, will be enough like Him to be forever joined to Him.

This “perfection” certainly must be “the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” that Paul was striving for. This perfection “in the saints” was the goal of his ministry also. COL 1:28] And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete (perfect, full grown, mature) in Christ. [29] And for this purpose also I labor, striving (wrestling) according to His power, which mightily works within me.

This POWER that was working in Paul to perfect the saints for the day of Christ was certainly not his own natural strength but must have been the power of God (HIS POWER). Probably the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit came to lead us into the reality or the experience of the Truth, which is Christ, Himself.

PHIL 1:6] For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

PHIL 1:9] And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, [10] so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; [11] having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

PHIL 2:15] that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, [16] holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

If the souls that have been assigned to us are not sincere, blameless and innocent and if their love is not abounding more and more and if they are not filled with the fruit of righteousness, they are not ready “for the day of Christ” and we will have labored in vain and run in vain.

COL 1:21] And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, [22] yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach__ [23] if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

The ministry of the “gospel” is much more than “getting people saved” as is commonly thought but the real ministry is presenting every man perfect in Christ. The gospel minister must do much more than tell some funny stories and entertain the saints. He is charged with the equipping, the maturity and the perfection of the saints. If he fails in that he has labored in vain. It is not those who begin the race that will be “perfected” but those who finish the race, holy, blameless, innocent, sincere, firmly established and steadfast and above reproach.

For a man of God to run in vain and waste his whole life in laboring for nothing is very easy and very possible and very disappointing “in the day of Christ”.

God has called us to labor for the perfected bride for Christ and also to be included in that bride company. 2 COR 11:2] For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. Our labor must result in the mature saints meeting Christ in the air as the first fruits unto God. Our goal cannot be to prepare a people to accept death during the first half of the tribulation and then be resurrected in the middle of the tribulation. Although those will be saved that is not our calling. Our calling is to prepare a bride for Christ. That means “the few” that will go the narrow way and grow up in all things into Him, which is the Head. That is “the gospel of the Kingdom of God”!

The church must “become” the fulness of Him that fills all in all. Because we were all sinners, we all needed redemption. Because we were all enemies of God and without covenant, we all needed reconciliation. Because we were all imperfect we all need to be perfected. Since we came into Christ immature, we all need to grow up in all things. Since we were all hostile in mind, we all must be renewed in our mind.

The reason the “ministries” take such a casual view of salvation is because they have little understanding of how far man has fallen and how much a complete recovery requires. To be like Christ requires more than believing something about Jesus. It requires a complete transformation and this requires “God working in us”. Those who resist God’s discipline and correction are most foolish and may forfeit their eternal destiny as the bride of Christ.

When we realize that God’s eternal plan is to elevate and glorify redeemed and perfected man to the highest realms of heaven and be given dominion over all the works of His hands, we should be certain that requires that we also be like Jesus. God has offered to bring “the bride” into the circle of His sovereignty and permit her to sit with Christ, as His body (wife). Is all this just fantasy or is that what the word of God teaches??? When “the experts” make this ruling and reigning and sovereignty and throne just symbolic and a figure of speech , they rob the church of her eternal destiny by keeping her ignorant.

Since the word of God puts so much emphasis upon the character, the maturity, the transformation and “the conversion” that we acquire here, this all must be essential to participate in the eternal government of God. These things must also be “in our experience” if we are to be joined to Jesus Christ as His bride and co-sovereign. The “true church” must be Christ’s representative here on earth now that He has ascended to the realms of heaven. 1 COR 15:27] For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. While the spiritual Head is in heaven His spiritual body is on earth and the feet of that body are on earth, it should be clear that Jesus is now ruling through the church. This gives the church “on the job training” right now and the preparation for reigning in the future.

Many have interpreted this to mean that we can have whatever we say. It is entirely up to us whether we live in poverty or whether we live in abundance. God has put us in charge and we need to begin to command things to happen. This error makes the church lord and Jesus servant to do our bidding.

The fact is that Jesus is still Head over the feet and the feet can’t move unless the Head decides. Then what is the proper relationship between the Head and the feet. God has invited the church into a full partnership with Him in the affairs of the earth. All decisions are made by the Head in heaven but the administration and enforcing of those decisions on the earth are the responsibility of the church. This was God’s original “dominion” given to man and the very “dominion” that Jesus exercised during His ministry.

MATH 18:18] "Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

MATH 16:18] "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. [19] "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

This seems to put the responsibility to decide what needs bound and loosed upon the church. Another translation says “ What you shall bind on earth shall be what has been bound in heaven and what you loose on earth shall be what has been loosed in heaven”. This places the responsibility on the church to first find out what decision has been made in heaven and then enforce that decision on the earth. This agrees with what Jesus said “ I do nothing on My own initiative but as I hear I speak”. The same way the Father sent Him, He has sent us!

In this way the church is enforcing the decisions of Kingdom Government of Heaven on the earth and by that action is ruling now with Him or at least is being trained to rule. When imperfect man tries to rule after his own will, we hear all kinds of grandiose commandments given that lack power or results. The megalomania ( the infantile feelings of personal omnipotence) that we have heard expressed over the years only prove that man cannot originate God’s history. He can only cooperate with God to get the will of God done on the earth the way it is being done in heaven. For man to try to enforce his own will on the earth is delusional.

This brings us once again to the question of why God has put such high and it seems unreasonable demands upon us! If these scriptures we read represent absolute reality and eternal truth, it can only mean that God has designed something for the saints that “ come to full maturity, are developed, completed, equipped and perfected that make completes sense of

1Cor 2: [9] but just as it is written, "THINGS which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,

AND which HAVE not entered the heart of man, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." Still to write it down sounds like a mental disorder of megalomania.

God has predestined the perfected bride of Christ to be “THE ARISTOCRACY OF ETERNITY”. Webster says that means; “A government by the best and most qualified individuals who are of a privileged class. A minority group who has the responsibility of exercising government over the majority. A kind of exclusive royalty. A ruling hierarchy.” In other words, we are predestined to sit with Him on His throne and be co-ruler and co-administrator of the universe. ( The advanced stage of megalomania)

ROM 8:29] For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first_born among many brethren; [30] and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. The bride is to be a full scale model of Jesus Christ. She will be the many sons who are just like the only begotten Son. Jesus is the mold that God is pressing us into so that the finished product will look just like Him.

Then the purpose of God’s history is to progressively correct, transform, discipline, and change us until we all come to the measure of the stature that belongs to the fulness of Christ. To wash us until we stand before Him without spot or blemish, holy and blameless and a glorious church. That we are fully equipped, living in the unity of the faith, the full knowledge of the Son of God, unto the Perfect Man. That we grow up in all things into Him.

This most likely will represent the “few that find it” and “the few that are chosen” and the “first fruits”. These will be those who are qualified to sit with Him on His throne. 2 PET 1:10] Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; [11] for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

IS THE ARISTOCRACY OF THE KINGDOM WHAT IS IN VIEW HERE?.

If this is the goal of our life and ministry, how then should our ministry adjust to this eternal challenge of continual forward motion? From the Tabernacle of Moses we can understand there is a difference between the light in the Outer Court and the illumination of the Holy Place. The Outer Court is lit by the sun moon and stars which is natural light but the Holy Place is illuminated by the seven flames of fire on the Lampstand. The seven flames of fire are the seven eyes of the Lord which are the seven Spirits of God. This illumination is designed to light everything in the Holy Place so that there might be function in the light.

This simple fact reveals that the Outer Court experiences and doctrines can be taught by logic and understood by the natural mind. The last Outer Court experience is the Consecration Offering and can be shared by simple logic. This is revealed in Romans 12: 1-2. I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. [2] And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

“Spiritual service” is translated from the Greek word “LOGIKOS” from which we get the English word “logical”. This pertains to the reasoning faculty of man, reasonable and rational decisions. It is only logical that each of us would present our body to God to do His will as an intelligent sacrifice of service. In other words we don’t need a special revelation to understand that because that is just logical.

Even the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the anointing can be shared out of logic and understood by man’s natural intelligence. We should see the absolute necessity of the anointing for ministry and experience that anointing to bring spiritual insight into the primary foundational experiences of the Outer Court. However, to lead the assemblies into the next restoration of God it will require a change of ministry. The old methods will be too shallow because they deal with just the intelligence of man and his logic. The new methods of Holy Place ministry that involve the Lampstand Church will require spiritual insight, revelation and ministry to the spirit of man. This has to exceed just logic and ministry to the mind and soul of man.

The Holy Place life and ministry will involve the Lampstand Church , the Showbread and the Altar of Incense functioning under the revelation and illumination of the ministry of the seven fold manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

Even though the Pentecostal and the Charismatic movements have proclaimed and taught “spiritual things” and spoke much about the anointing, the actual “ministry” fell far short being “spiritual” in the context of the Holy Place life and ministry. This is not something to be criticized because that was acceptable for that time period. However, my thesis is that will not be effective in the next restoration of God.

For example; Justification by faith and not by works was a great restoration message in the early 1500's. Believer baptism was a great message in the early 1600's along with each restoration of truth. We appreciate those understandings and proclaim their necessity today. We should hold to and experience each of the truths that have been restored and then seek God for the next restoration of truth. While justification by faith (plus nothing) is a valid doctrine and experience today, if that is our only revelation and the focus of our ministry we are about 470 years behind the times. The Anabaptist understanding of believer baptism is still valid today but if Anabaptist doctrine is still the focus of our ministry today we are running about 400 years behind God’s restoration. Thank God for what Menno Simons preached but to rehash those things today as the current message is a travesty and a distortion of restored truth.

In that same way our current ministries must move on from what God has said and done

in the past. We must hold to and experience everything that God has restored in the last 500 years but not rest there and just repeat these things in our assemblies. Once these foundations are firmly laid we still must go on to perfection. This will only be life in our fellowships if our message is in harmony with what God is currently saying.

The old cliche of “We never did it that way before” or “That is not the way we work” will bring death to the forward motion of the church. “We restored the last truth and we have put the lid on any new understanding”. This was the revelation of “the dead churches” 100 years ago and even the Charismatic restoration was not able to breathe resurrection life into them. Many now are “double dead”.

God’s History is still unfolding and we can make a logical decision to “unfold” with it or we can make the same mistakes that the churches have made in the past and refuse to change. My counsel is that if what we have established as “ministry” today is too ridged to flex, walk away from it and leave it to posterity and begin anew. It is better to walk away from it than to fossilize with it. God has called us to be the Aristocracy of Eternity and whatever conflicts with that should be treated as dung so that we might press on to the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.