The Body of Christ is THE CHURCH/KINGDOM OF GOD/KINGDOM OF HEAVEN/HOUSEHOLD OF GOD.....all are synonymously used in scripture, they are discriptive terms all describing the same enity......the church that Christ Spiritually constructed (Matthew 16) Within this one chapter Jesus describes it as a Kingdom and and in the next breath His church.
How can the church be both a Bride and a Body? The 2 terms are not exclusive.......meaning each does not prohibit the use by the other...i.e., each does not have its own exclusive meaning......they are both discriptive terms when something is known by a variety of different names because one term can't describe the entirety of the thing or person being named.......its a trait or characteristic type of description not a proper Sir Name. Example: Take someone named John whose profession is running a local deli that sells meat to a certain coustomer base.........say the selling of Kosher meat to the local Jewish community. He can be known as Jack the Butcher..........John the Jewish deli owner.......etc., Different words discribe the same person and the words are commonly and easily identified as to whom they are referring.
The "Church" is used to translate the Greek word "ekklesia".......a literal translation means "called out"....its used to descibe Christians as being called out from a world of sin (Heb.12:23) or can be used in scripture to mean that Chrisitians in a certain region who are called out to worship (1 Cor. 1:2).
"Kingdom"? but being called out does not describe why we (Christians) are called out ........a group of people can be "called out" to form a mob or a crowd and that does not make that called out group Christians. Thus Jesus' church (those called out by Jesus) is also known as a KINGDOM with each member being called a "citizen" of that Kingdom (Col. 1:13).......that descriptive title tells everyone that Christians are bound to live by certain laws and regulations that pertain specifically to that group with Jesus the Christ its LAWGIVER (Luke 6:46).
"Household of God"? In the typical "kingdom" as known by men......just because you live under the same laws and rules does not indicate that you are in close relationships with everyone in that kingdom....each has different social positions and status. But......Christians are indentified as having a close relationship with each member, they even call one another Brother or Sister in Christ. This makes each individual Christian a member of God's family (Eph. 2:19, 1 Tim. 3:15) This is why we refer to one another as brother or sister. Its the love that each member has for one another that defines them as disciples of Christ or Christians (John 13:35)
"Body"? The church is identified as the BODY OF CHRIST (not literally but symbolic) to emphasize the unity of it membership. The scriptures define unity as the CHIRST being the head of the body, just as a literal body is composed of different parts and organs with different functions and designs each member has a specific place and function within the Body...i.e., the church that Christ constructed as its foundation and head, all members might perform different functions but all are important to the whole body, all are required for the body to function correctly (1 Cor. 12:12-27)
"Bride"? This term captures the nature of the CHURCH. The church is called the Bride of Christ....again (Symbolic not Literal).....Christ is seen as the groom. With the "actual" marriage taking place when the membership reaches heaven (the abode of the Father) -- Rev. 21:2 In order for this marriage to take place the Bride must be presented as pure.....sin free, like a virign on her wedding day (again its symbolic) -- Eph. 5:22-33. Its about the church being like God designed the natural hierarchy in the Garden........the wife is submissive to the husband, thus each church member must live a life in preparation in the exptation of being pure and sin free when Jesus comes back to claim His bride.
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Catholic's are anti-scripture and pro tradition with the POPE self professing to have the authority to present new revelations for the faith of Christitianity (its nothing but dogmatic heresies not found in the actual Word of God) with the majority of its doctrine coming not on the basis of "God said....." as found in scripture....but coming from doctrine originated by human tradition. The doctrine of the supposed "Universal Chruch"...i.e., the Roman Catholic Church is not found to exist when anyone searches the scriptures to see for themselves that which is being taught is based upon the truth presented by the Christ and the Aposltes who were commissioned by the Christ to originate doctrine for the N.T. church. The Apostles were the foundation of the N.T. church.......there can be but ONE FOUNDATION. (Eph. 2:20)
