Devotion: Why?

We know that this commentary is going to stir up the proverbial pot, but it cannot be avoided.  And while it is not our intent to create controversy, we do however seek to find truth, which will, in itself, take us to places that are not comfortable and sometimes controversial.  However, in order “not to be tossed about by or with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14), we must question some of the traditional beliefs that have been passed down through the generations.  And while many traditions have just been accepted, without question, when one creates a controversy such as this one, then it needs to be thoroughly examined, not by the so-called religious leaders, but by you as an individual because you will ultimately decide what is truth by what you accept or reject.  In order to do this effectively, you must look at all of the available evidence to draw your conclusion.  This is not about leaning to your own understanding, but about “studying the word of truth” for yourself and then being able “to rightly divide this word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).  That way, you can get the revelation knowledge directly from the source itself and not from another’s interpretation.  If not, then all you do is accept the conclusions that are drawn by others, which could very well be wrong and/or misguided.

Seeking God’s wisdom is the first thing that one has to do, which is a problem for many who profess to be Christians.  They seek God’s wisdom, but usually they find the wisdom of the world and do not realize that this is what they have done or what they are doing.  God has pretty much given us everything that we need to know, somewhere in his word but we, with our finite worldly wisdom, have rejected his wisdom for the sake of trying to comprehend that which we really do not understand.  This is not a play on words or a manipulation of words.  This is all about us being manipulated by a worldly wisdom that has limited our ability to understand the thoughts and ways of God.  It is about us not recognizing the revelations that God has given us because they, the revelations, do not agree with what we have been taught or have accepted as truths our entire lives.  This is about us not accepting those things that God has given us to help our understanding because we have been taught that no one can explain or understand the things of God.  If this be true, that no one can understand the things of God, then why do those same people try to explain those things that they, themselves have just said no one can understand?  Do they have some special connection with God that allows them to exclusively explain what cannot be explained?  We think not.

God has told “us” to seek wisdom, to seek the know-how, and to get the ability to use good sense in our thinking, in our judgment, and in our actions.  God has also told “us” to get understanding, to get the ability to perceive and to get the ability to explain the meaning or nature of things.  Once we have gotten all that we have been told to get, it is then that the revelation knowledge comes.  And when it comes, this revelation knowledge, we will have to be ready to receive it.  In order to receive this knowledge, we have to be ready to accept it.  But before it comes, we have to first do our part.  We have to get all that we are told to get (Proverbs 4:5-7) and we have to seek all that we are told to seek (Proverbs 4:20-22).  A closed mind can only grow within the limits of its enclosure; an open mind grows with endless possibilities.

Today, this controversy is neatly interwoven into a very traditional message pertaining to an entity that we believe has been misidentified.  This simple misunderstanding of who this entity actually is, has led to some very creative responses from those trying to answer the question, “Why?”  Since the devil has already been defeated and we have gained all the blessings the Bible tells us about, through the actions of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, then, “Why?”  Why is the devil allowed to continue to attack and persecute “the so-called bride of Christ?”  Or is the devil persecuting “the church, also known as the body of Christ” instead and not “the bride of Christ?”  It would appear that in order to answer this question, we must first discover if it is “the church” or if it be “the bride” that is being persecuted.

If what is known as the church (the body of Christ) “be the same” as the so-called bride of Christ, then our quest for truth begins on this path.  On the other hand, if what is known as the church (the body of Christ) “be not the same” as the so-called bride of Christ, then our quest for truth begins here on this path.  Both quest will take us on a journey, but only one will take us to the truth.  But we have to ask ourself, when we get to end of our journey, will we recognize the truth from the fiction?

In an effort to find the truth, we looked into the controversy itself and we invite you to read the results as they may help in understanding this controversy. You can find this information in our blog post titled “The Church, The Bride, and You.”  We also offer these passages, (I John 3:8; I Corinthians 15:22-28; Hebrews 2:14; Matthew 28:18; Luke 10:19; and Hosea 4:6), which when compiled, just might help answer the question “Why?”

As with all that we publish, we ask that you check out the information for yourself, verifying that what is presented, regardless of the source, is not contrary to the word of God.  Never accept anyone’s interpretation for something that you have not investigated yourself.  Words can be manipulated to say many things, just make sure the ones that you accept are those of God and not those of man.  We have been given the great privilege and the opportunity to know Jesus Christ and to become like him; just make sure that it is truly him that you come to know and that is truly him that you become like and not the copy claiming to be the real deal.  If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.  Amen

Enjoy your blessings - KW

The Church, The Bride, And You – The Conclusion

Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy:  for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (II Corinthians 11:1-3).

We have also heard this passage used to support the church is the bride ideation.  Because of what Paul stated, many believe the bride (the body) is betrothed to one husband and is to be presented a chaste virgin to Christ.  Paul is speaking about himself, speaking about what he has done, and speaking about what he wants to do.  Paul betrothed the church at Corinth to Jesus when he converted them and taught them about the gospel of Jesus.  Paul wants to present them as pure, natural, and clean in thought and deed to Christ, not having their minds corrupted with false doctrines by false teachers.  He is truly concerned that they may lose that which they have received from him and their minds could be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ by one preaching another Jesus (II Corinthians 11:4-33).  Basically, Paul wanted the Corinthians to be true to their first love; Jesus like a chaste virgin should be to her future husband.  Since we, being the bride, do not fit this example, then who or what is the bride?

The Church, The Bride, And You

God has made Christ the supreme head of the church.

And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all (Ephesians 1:22-23).

The church represents the body of Christ.  When you look at human anatomy, you find the head attached to the body and the body attached to the feet.  The head (Jesus) is attached to the body (the church) which is attached to the feet.  But what is the body of Christ?  Just as the human body is comprised of many parts working together as one, so it is with the body of Christ.  In fact, the members are baptized by one Spirit to form one body, nourished by the same Spirit so there is no disunion in the body.  You are the body of Christ and member of the body, individually.