Are Baptists ONLY the Bride of Christ?

[Tom Butler]

I was thinking more of modern Anabaptist. The European Anabaptist do not want to be associated in anyone's mind as part of the American Baptist community ... especially the SBC. They see the SBC as pernicious and dictatorial, a lack of caring for those in need, an over concern about money [they pick this up from our culture IMHO], and also much too militaristic. I am sure you realize that the Anabaptist are primarily pacifistic.

I did read that there were two or three branches of Anabaptist, including the pacificists. I can see where Baptists and modern Anabaptists might not see eye to eye on some things.

There are beliefs that Baptists and Anabaptists have in common. Believers Baptism and the symbolism of Communion are examples. The greatest divide is pacifism.

This would certainly hinder fellowship on a cultural level. Even modern Baptists often have cultural differences. But we do find common ground with believers baptism and communion, and sometimes will put aside the cultural differences to cooperate. Would that have been possible, say, in the 16th century?

I'm thinking, though, of our theological heritage as much as anything. On theology, we might claim kinship with the early Anabaptists.

 

[Felipe Rios]

If you all study the scriptures very carefully, you will find out that nowhere in the bible is the Church called the Bride. The bride of Christ is only identified in Revelation 21 and she is identified as the New Jerusalem. The city new Jerusalem is the Bride of Christ. O.T and N.T saints are the friends and the guests of the wedding. We are NOT the bride of Christ. The catholic church is the one who started teaching that the church was the bride of Christ because they spiritualized the verses in Revelation and thought the New Jerusalem was the church, and they started teaching that the church was the Bride. Ever since, most Christians teach that the church is the bride but the bible does not teach this.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

If you all study the scriptures very carefully, you will find out that nowhere in the bible is the Church called the Bride.

You might consider Ephesians 5:25-33. Admittedly the word is 'wife' rather than 'bride' but so it is in Revelation 19:7-9.

 

[Felipe Rios]

You might consider Ephesians 5:25-33. Admittedly the word is 'wife' rather than 'bride' but so it is in Revelation 19:7-9.

Notice how nowhere in those verses is the church called the bride. As a matter of fact, if you look closely, those verses are actually teaching that the church is the BODY of Christ, not a bride.
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ 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 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

The emphasis is on the mystery of the church being the body of Christ, not the church being a bride to Christ. If you go into this passage with preconceived ideas then it will be very easy to make the same assumption most do when they approach this passage.

 

[JonC]

Do you hold that we will be seperate from rest of the Body of Christ, ONLY we are His bride, a seperate group, as we ALONE are really NT church?

Not Baptists only. There will be a coach section as well.