The Church and the Bride: Built on One Foundation

 Introduction: Don't Believe Everything You See

When I was a kid, my dad often warned me: "Don't trust everything you see on TV." That wisdom stuck with me, and I find myself repeating the same to my own children. In an age of mass information and misinformation, there is one thing we can trust without reservation: the Word of God.

Recently, a friend sent me a video asking for my thoughts. It deeply saddened me. The video attempted to separate the Church from the Bride, a false teaching that stems from ignorance and not from Scripture. Let's explore this through the unshakable lens of God's Word.

1. Carnality Divides, But the Spirit Unites

The Apostle Paul rebuked the church in Corinth for their spiritual immaturity:

"And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ."
"I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it... For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?"
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (KJV)

Division arises when believers elevate personal affiliations or theological preferences above Christ. Whether we say, "I am of Paul" or "I am of Apollos," the truth is:

"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
1 Corinthians 3:11 (KJV)

2. Salvation Is Not by Works

Too many are trying to earn their way into favor with God, but Scripture is clear:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

Salvation is complete because of the finished work of Christ. We do not work for salvation. We work from salvation. It is a gift, not a wage.

3. Relationship Over Religion

Our walk with Christ is not a religious checklist. It is a covenant relationship. It is not a chore. It is a calling. When we said "yes" to Jesus, we entered into a covenant of love.

"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."
Revelation 19:7 (KJV)

The Church is the Bride. To separate the two is to reject the clear teaching of Scripture.

4. Doctrinal Debates Don't Define Salvation

Whether one believes in a pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-trib rapture, or even debates over flat earth vs. globe earth, these are not salvation issues. What matters is the foundation:

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
Romans 10:9 (KJV)

5. Judgment by Fire: Rewards, Not Condemnation

For believers, judgment will occur at the Bema Seat a place of reward, not punishment:

"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire... If any man's work abide... he shall receive a reward."
"If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
1 Corinthians 3:13-15 (KJV)

The Bride who stands on the firm foundation will be judged, not for sin, but for service. Some will receive greater rewards, but all who are in Christ will share in His eternal glory.

6. The Lukewarm and the Tribulation

The Laodicean church is a warning to all who profess but do not possess genuine faith. Lukewarm believers will go through the refining fire of tribulation:

"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot... So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."
Revelation 3:15-16 (KJV)

Meanwhile, the Bride those truly in relationship with Christ are told to watch and pray:

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things..."
Luke 21:36 (KJV)

Conclusion: One Foundation, One Bride, One Savior

If you believe in Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, and risen on the third day, you are part of the Body. You are part of the Church. You are the Bride.

Don't be deceived by doctrines that divide what God has joined. Our unity is not in denomination, tradition, or end-time theories. It is in Jesus Christ and Him alone. Let us walk in that love, live out our calling, and look up, for our redemption draweth nigh.

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Call to Repentance and Salvation

All have sinned.

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
Romans 3:23 (KJV)

Sin brings death.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Romans 6:23 (KJV)

Jesus paid the price.

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8 (KJV)

Confess and believe.

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
Romans 10:9 (KJV)

Let today be the day of salvation. Turn to Christ. Receive Him as Lord. Walk in the joy of knowing you are the Bride, preparing for His soon return.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.