Men as "brides of Christ"

[Slug1]

I sort of don't like being compared to a dumb animal, either, but the bride thing is a little bit creepier for me. Whatever. It's God's book, and I guess He can have it written however He wants.

And the scriptures that Jesus spoke about eating His flesh and drinking His blood don't give you pause? Many walked away from Jesus that day...

[GitRDunn]

Warrior, they are metaphors, so don't take them for more than they are. Obviously the text is not meant to be interpreted literally here, so while thinking of us as the brides of Christ does demonstrate a point, it doesn't mean we are literally the brides of Christ. It just illustrates a certain aspect of our relationship with Christ and the love and completeness that exists there. If I were to say that you were as strong as an ox, you shouldn't be offended that I compared you to a dumb animal, you should be happy I gave you a compliment about how strong you are. If I were to say your baby looked as cute as a button, you shouldn't be offended that I am comparing your daughter's looks to a silly little inanimate object, you should be pleased that I am complimenting her cuteness.

[Warrior4God]

And the scriptures that Jesus spoke about eating His flesh and drinking His blood don't give you pause? Many walked away from Jesus that day...

In all honesty, if I had been told that by Jesus without understanding that it was a symbolic thing He was asking me to do, I would've walked away, too.

[Slug1]

In all honesty, if I had been told that by Jesus without understanding that it was a symbolic thing He was asking me to do, I would've walked away, too.

So, what understanding of scripture caused you not to walk away and apply the same approach to understanding of scripture to the "Bride" scriptures to remove the misunderstandings you have that are leading to any "homosexual" feelings concerning those scriptures

[Warrior4God]

I think this is a terrible way to view the metaphors.

Do you love your wife? Is not the husbands love for his wife a wonderful picture of Christ's love for his church?

Instead of looking at the metaphor of the shepherd and sheep as you being compared to a dumb animal, maybe you should see it as a picture of how sometimes sheep go astray and need the shepherd to gather them back to him. Is this not a wonderful picture of Christ's caring for his people and keeping them from harm?

To a point, I can see the comparison of Christ loving His Church like a husband loving his wife. However, a crucial difference is that, as human husbands and wives, we express love to each other in a sexual manner. We don't have that experience with God.

[Warrior4God]

Warrior, they are metaphors, so don't take them for more than they are. Obviously the text is not meant to be interpreted literally here, so while thinking of us as the brides of Christ does demonstrate a point, it doesn't mean we are literally the brides of Christ. It just illustrates a certain aspect of our relationship with Christ and the love and completeness that exists there. If I were to say that you were as strong as an ox, you shouldn't be offended that I compared you to a dumb animal, you should be happy I gave you a compliment about how strong you are. If I were to say your baby looked as cute as a button, you shouldn't be offended that I am comparing your daughter's looks to a silly little inanimate object, you should be pleased that I am complimenting her cuteness.

I suppose I am reading into things more than God intended me to when He had the various scriptures written that make certain comparisons of His people to other things or people.

[Warrior4God]

So, what understanding of scripture caused you not to walk away and apply the same approach to understanding of scripture to the "Bride" scriptures to remove the misunderstandings you have that are leading to any "homosexual" feelings concerning those scriptures

It wasn't a scripture. It was just that I've been taught in church that Jesus was talking figuratively about His followers being required to eat His flesh and drink His blood. I'm going on faith that He was being figurative and not actually advocating cannibalism.

[BrckBrln]

To a point, I can see the comparison of Christ loving His Church like a husband loving his wife. However, a crucial difference is that, as human husbands and wives, we express love to each other in a sexual manner. We don't have that experience with God.

Of course we don't. It's a metaphor. Why do you insist on taking it literalistically?

[Slug1]

It wasn't a scripture. It was just that I've been taught in church that Jesus was talking figuratively about His followers being required to eat His flesh and drink His blood. I'm going on faith that He was being figurative and not actually advocating cannibalism.

When you post all the "Bride" related scriptures we can begin to break them down. Right now... useless sparring is going on

[Warrior4God]

Of course we don't. It's a metaphor. Why do you insist on taking it literalistically?

I know it's not literal. I don't know. It's just always made me feel awkward to hear myself described as being "Christ's bride." Something tells me that more guys feel the same as I do in this matter than have admitted to it. It's just that I've actually had the cajones to express it here. It's ok, though. In the big scheme of things, this is all small potatoes.

[Warrior4God]

When you post all the "Bride" related scriptures we can begin to break them down. Right now... useless sparring is going on

Ok. Fair enough.

[Free Indeed]

It is the Church that is described as the Bride, not communicants individually. It carries on the metaphors from the creation story, where Adam and Eve are of one flesh, the Church being the Body of Christ.

[temple_of_God]

Good conversation men. I will toss in my 2 Cents worth.

Concerning us being identified as the bride of Christ, to me personally I could think of no better way our relationship to Christ could be "likened to" that would be timeless. There is nothing as a natural man, that I would not do to protect me wife (and family for that matter) even unto death, and would gladly lay down my life for my wife. Just as Jesus did for his bride but so much more, since he loved his bride even before we made that decision to become part of his bride. Although we are told greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friends, how many of us would really do that for someone we don't know, or even more especially for someone who you might even hate you. Some would, some would not it am sure, but Christ did for me when I did not even know him.
I love the thought that Jesus would describe me as his bride. I can think of no other illustration he could use that we would allow me personally to understand the relationship he wants with me. I don't see it as a necessarily male/female thing, but I understand the analogy


I understand that the bible uses literal things such as eating his flesh and drinking his blood. To take that literally would be in direct conflict with the bible itself since we are told not to drink blood because the blood if for the life (speaking of blood being the life of the flesh) Well we know the bible does not contradict itself, so when it appears to do so, we just know we need to seek the real meaning.

Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The gosples tell us man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

So if (Jesus) who is the Word, and he was made flesh....If Jesus tells us to eat of his flesh and drink of his blood....The more
of his Word, which is Jesus, that we take in or consume, we will continually draw closer and closer to him.

Although this is not a biblical quote, how true it is: You are what you eat...

[Lone Arranger]

There are many metaphors symbolically indicating the hierarchy of our relationship with God, but only the relationship of a husband to a wife symbolically shows the great love and closeness we will have with Christ. He could have called Himself the boss and us the employees, but that would never convey how much he loves us and wants us to reign with Him, second only to Him, on His throne. Bear in mind that He is the King, and we will be the Queen. This is a typology that people in that time were very familiar with. When we think "marriage" in this culture we think legalized sexual relationship with (hopefully) affection. In that culture, and many around the world to this day, marriage was/is an arrangement based on status. I'm delighted to be His bride, and can't wait for the wedding.

[Eyelog]

There are many metaphors symbolically indicating the hierarchy of our relationship with God, but only the relationship of a husband to a wife symbolically shows the great love and closeness we will have with Christ. He could have called Himself the boss and us the employees, but that would never convey how much he loves us and wants us to reign with Him, second only to Him, on His throne. Bear in mind that He is the King, and we will be the Queen. This is a typology that people in that time were very familiar with. When we think "marriage" in this culture we think legalized sexual relationship with (hopefully) affection. In that culture, and many around the world to this day, marriage was/is an arrangement based on status. I'm delighted to be His bride, and can't wait for the wedding.

One flesh with Christ? Of course. We are His body. And the description of us kicking butt with Him in Rev 19 with our beautiful adornments of the white robes which are the righteous acts of the Saints is not creepy at all!

We really do need to look at what that 'mystery' is before we get creeped out based on our contemporary mindsets. Seek and you shall find.

Anyway, what's wrong with creepy, when you consider creepiness engenders fear, which is the beginning of both knowledge and wisdom.