Bride of Christ

      "For as many of you as were baptized INTO Christ have PUT ON Christ." Gal 3:27. Scriptural baptism puts one INTO the church: to have scriptural baptism the person must be a believer (a saved person), the mode must be by immersion (dipping), and it must be by the right authority (a true church). Metaphorically, symbolic baptism puts one INTO Christ (into the body of Christ, which is a metaphor).

      28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are ALL ONE IN Christ Jesus," Gal 3:28. In the glorified Christ all are Jews, all are free, and all are neuter gender though called sons. ALL ARE ONE IN CHRIST.
      29 "And IF YOU ARE CHRIST'S, then you are ABRAHAM'S SEED, and HEIRS according to the PROMISE," Gal 3:29. Observe:
      1. Those who are "Christ's" and those who are "Abraham's seed" are one and the same. Gal 3:14-19,29. This means all who are "Christ's" are Abraham's seed, and therefore are covenant people, Gal 3:14-29.
      2. There will be many nations of saved people in the Millennium and on the new earth, Dan 7:13-14,26-27; Rev 21:23-26; 22:2.
      3. These many nations of saved people are NOT and will NOT be "IN Christ," because there are NO NATIONS, NO NATIONAL DISTINCTIONS "IN Christ," Gal 3:28; Col 3:11.
      4. All of Abraham's "of faith" seed (Gal 3:6-9) are HEIRS according to COVENANT promise, Gal 3:6-29; Heb 6:11-20.
      24 And THOSE WHO ARE CHRIST'S have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires," Gal 5:24. Observe:
      1. The church is the body of Christ. No, that is a metaphor. The church is not really the physical body of Christ.
      2. The body of Christ was crucified, it died, was buried, raised, and glorified.
      3. Baptism pictures (symbolizes, represents) the crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection, and glorification of that same body of Christ. Baptism is therefore a symbolic representation of the crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection, and glorification of that same body of Christ.
      4. The Word of God says the bodies of church members are the members of Christ: that is, members of the body of Christ, I Cor 6:15-17; 12:12-27; Eph 4:14-16,25; Col 2:11-19. This means that there was a point in time when church members became members of the body of Christ.
      5. The Word of God again says the believer is JOINED (united) to the body of Christ when he is baptized, Rom 6:5 (3-5). "Sumphutos" means to be united or joined together and to grow together. We are metaphorically joined to the body of Christ by baptism, then we "grow up into Him" who is the Head of the body, Eph 4:15-16; Col 2:19.
      6. The Word of God further says the believer is baptized INTO the crucified, dead, buried, raised, and glorified body of Christ, at which time the believer is counted as a crucified, dead, buried, raised, and glorified member of the crucified, dead, buried, raised, and glorified body of Christ, Rom 6:2-13; Gal 3:27; Col 2:11-17-21. No one outside the body of Christ can be said to be crucified, dead, buried, raised, and glorified together with Christ. No one outside the body of Christ (a true church) can scripturally say he or she has "crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."
      7. The Word of God once more says in baptism the believer is circumcised with the circumcision of Christ in PUTTING OFF the old man with the sin nature and PUTTING ON the new man with the new divine nature, Rom 6:2-13; Gal 3:27; Col 2:11-21--3:11; Eph 4:22-24. This has been done and can thereafter be done only by those IN the body of Christ.

First Printing 1995
This is a brief and unfinished study of the Bride of Christ. When possible the study will be expanded to cover Old Testament saints, more on the fullness of God, and perhaps other matters.