By: Pastor Dennis Wharton

"And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God." (Revelation 19:6-9) Have you ever seen an ugly bride? In polite society we would never use such an offensive term to describe a bride, even if it were true. Even the most un-attractive women, prepared for the wedding, look wonderful. When cleaned up, made up, and put into a beautiful white wedding dress, with all the delicate lace and frail veils, they just look beautiful. There is just something about a wedding gown that makes ugly turn to beauty. When the bride enters through the doors of the church, as the congregation rises to their feet to get a glimpse of her, as the reverb’s of excitement escape in the soft sighs and ouu’s and awe’s, there is an overwhelming feeling that convinces you that you are in a place of true beauty. Yes, when we think of brides we think of beauty.

Jesus is going to be marrying a bride sometime in the not so far away future. It is a doctrine of scripture that has had God’s children pretty excited down through the ages. Why? Because he has promised that His born again children can be part of that Bride. It is true! Not only can we escape hell, be justified in the sight of God, be guaranteed a place in the resurrection with a new body, but it is possible to be the very wife of Christ. Will all saved children of our Great and Mighty God be a part of this Beautiful Bride? Hmmmm, seems like there may be some differing opinions on whether all of God’s children or just a "Select" few will be part of His Beautiful Bride. It would seem that the spirit of our thinking today about fairness would make us question whether it would be "fair" for God to only take certain ones and exclude others. After all we are "All" His children. As I read the scriptures they would seem to indicate that God would want the very best for each of His children and that His desire would be for all of His children to be a part of the Beautiful bride that will marry His son. Could it be possible that only a elect special group would be chosen?

In the religious world it is clear that most all denominations and sects believe in a universal bride of Christ. And that this bride will be made up of all of God’s children. Each of these groups may have differing opinions as to the qualification for being one of God’s children. The more conservative and fundamental organizations of the religious world will make the distinction that only born again believers would be a part of this bride. It would certainly seem that if multitude of voice made a doctrine true there could be no other conclusion but that all the saved will be in the bride. There is, as you might well understand, always someone or some group who will want to separate the unity of Christianity, and conclude that the Bride will only be occupied by those children of God who faithfully followed His word in every way. Well we have a name for these one way, obstinate, religious troublemakers. Yes, you guessed it, they are called the, "Baptist-Briders".

They say, that a "Universal Bride", made up of the saved of all ages, would be a very "Ugly Bride". These crazy Baptist’s say that God does not accept men and women who walk contrary to His ways and will not let such be a part of His Son’s bride. Using such examples as, Leviticus 10:1-2 "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD." They conclude that a bride made up of false teachers and believers would be ugly. What do you think?

Can you imagine a bride with Pentecostal people running around, rolling on the floor, yipping and saying, Alia, da do de dum, age go ge me, pati to moo me, ahh to ta? Or Church of Christ people saying, "we are the only ones here and our repentance, faith, baptism, church membership and faithfulness salvation is what made it possible. Or the Methodist praising God, reminding all that they took the blood out their services because it was messy and don’t forget the convenience they added with baptism without the dipping. The Mormons jumping up and down for the dead they baptized into the kingdom. The Jehovah Witness’ excitement for contending that Jesus was not God. The Catholics waiting for their praise, for making it clear that Mary was God’s wife and don’t forget all those Ana-Baptist they got rid of during the dark ages. The Calvanist for their recognition that Christ did not die for all the world and for making it clear that when God said He was not willing that "Any" should perish that He only meant the "Elect". The Armenian Church for standing for "salvation by works". And don’t forget the Christian Scientist who brought to understand that it is all a "mind thing". Time will not allow a description of all the ugly doctrines of all the protestant, catholic, and man made religions of the world. Does this picture of the bride paint a very pretty picture? NOT. It is clear that a bride made up of all the saved with all their false doctrines would be a Very, Very, Ugly Bride!

The bride of Christ will be clothed with a bridal garment given by God and made out of the righteous acts of those who will wear it..Let’s consider the excitement promised to those faithful men, women, and young people who would lawfully follow God’s plan for entrance into the bride of Christ. Let’s lay some groundwork from scripture that will conclude that not all the born again children of God will be in His Son’s Bride.

One of the essentials of scientific Bible study is to determine who a passage of scripture is talking to and who is doing the talking. When this distinction is made in the right division of scripture it becomes clear that only those in a church that meets the requirements of New Testament scriptures will be in the bride. Let’s begin our journey in Matthew 9:14-15 "Then came to him the disciples

of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast." Jesus had already established His church and in these scriptures is answering John’s disciples why His church is not fasting. He says the bridegroom is with them and they have no reason to fast while He is there. He did not conclude that it was wrong for John’s disciples to fast, and these men were saved, but only indicated that he was the bridegroom to those in the church. Matthew 16:18 makes it clear that these disciples of Jesus are His church. What we will conclude as we look at the scriptures that deal with the bride is that only those who serve God in the local, visible, church of Christ, will be in the bride. There is no universal church made up of all the saved taught in the Bible. Therefore, those who conclude that the church is universal and the bride as well, do error, having no scripture to assume such.

We listen to the words of John, "the man sent from God", as he declares who the bride and the bridegroom are in John3:28-29 "Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled." The bridegroom and the bride are both present here and God’s man says the church is the bride and the bridegroom is Christ. Paul talking to the Corinthian church makes it clear that a true church is espoused, (engaged) to Christ and has responsibilities to live accordingly. 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 "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." All scriptures that talk of the bride will reveal that Christ is engaged to His church and will marry her when He returns. No matter how good a saved one may live, if he/she is not in the church that He is engaged to they will not be in the marriage. This certainly brings clarity to the need to be in a church acceptable to Jesus.

Who is this church that He is going to marry? It is the church that He promised the gates of hell would not prevail against in Matthew 16:18. The one that He would be with in every age, Matthew 28:20. The one that He would get glory through in every age, Ephesians 3:21. There is only one visible church that has been here historically in every age and that is the Baptist Church. Prior to the reformation period there were only two kinds of local visible churches in the world; the Catholic church and the Baptist church. Though the Lord’s churches were called by many different names, (Paulicians, Bogmil, Novations, Monatist, Albigensians, Petrobrusians, and other names) they were all known by the Catholic church as Anabaptist because of their common doctrine. These Baptist churches are the only ones who can prove a connection to that church that Jesus engaged Himself to and that has perpetuated the authority of the Great Commission down to this present time. Thus the term, "Baptist Briders", a term that the enemies of the bride have termed in a derogatory manner, but certainly one that any true Baptist church of Christ will not be ashamed to wear. It has been the faithfulness of our forefathers, some fifty million, who gave their lives for the same truths we stand on today, to preserve a bride for God’s faithful children to serve Him in.

Does that mean that any saved person who is a member of a Baptist church will be in the bride? That certainly is a question that Baptist people have been disagreeing on for a long time, but I think the scripture have a pretty clear answer. First we would say that not every church that wears the name Baptist can prove a historical connection that would make them a part of the body, (church) that Jesus is engaged to. But assuming we are talking about a true church, 2 Timothy 2:5 says, "And if a man also strive for masteries,yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully." Being a member of the Lord’s church and not being obedient to God in all aspects of our Christian life will disqualify us from being part of that body that will marry Christ and live and reign with Him throughout all eternity. When we begin to look at what God’s word says concerning our commitment to Him it becomes very clear that the opportunity of Brideship will only be given to those who are serious about loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind.

"And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God." (Revelation 19:6-9) Wow! What an exciting event, "the bride hath made herself ready", the wedding day has finally come. The anticipation and longing for this day by God’s faithful saints down through the ages has arrived. In every age from the time the church was first made aware that those who would serve faithfully would be in the bride, God’s children have been waiting. Is it a great day, according to these scriptures it is a "Blessed" day. Those that are called to the supper of the Lamb will receive a blessing that our earthly minds will probably never comprehend until we are actually there.

These scriptures are really revealing concerning the qualifications of being the wife of Christ. We know that salvation from hell is a gift from God. It is a salvation minus works. "Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us.." These verses reveal the necessity of some works and righteousness on our part to be in this bride. I know that even the righteousness that we produce comes only through God’s power, but it is clear that these scriptures reveal the need for works beyond the gift given to us in salvation. How has this bride made "herself" ready? We are told that it is the righteousness of these saints that has produced the wedding garment that allows one to be in the bride. The bridal garment is not made out of cloth but the "righteousness of the saints."

In Romans the eighth chapter there is a legal term used that denotes marriage. Verse 16 say, "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint_heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." The term "joint heir" is a term that is used concerning married couples that own something equally. The verse tells us that the children of God are heirs of God, but if we want to be a joint heirs, (share equally with Christ in the New Jerusalem) then we will have to suffer with Christ, so that we can be glorified with Him.

It becomes evident that all the saved are not going to share equally with Christ in the eternal ages when we look at Revelation 22:1-5 "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever." On the inside of the city the bride lives with Jesus and they eat the fruit off the tree of life. The leaves off of that tree are given to the nations of the saved that live on the outside of the city. Revelation 21:24 "And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it." On the outside of the New Jerusalem live the saved who did not think serving God was important in this life now walk in the light of the city. They send the kings that are over them into the city to take their praise and honor into their Savior but they cannot live in the city. The city is where the bride lives. The city is described as the bride. Revelation 21:2 "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." and again in verses 9 and 10, "And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God," This is the special place that Jesus promised His church He would prepare for them while they awaited His return. John 14:2-4 "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know." There will be many mansions in the eternal ages but Jesus told His bride that He was going to prepare a special place her, the angels of Revelation make it clear that the new city was that place.

Who will live in the city? The overcomers, those who have been faithful in the church that Jesus is engaged to. Revelation 2:7 "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." Revelation 3:12 "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name."

There are so many proofs that time will not allow to be presented. One thing becomes very clear, the Bride of Christ is Not going to be an "Ugly Bride" made up of ungodly children.