By “rightly dividing the word of truth” we are able to differentiate the theological expression, the bride of Christ from the body of Christ, and see that these are separate and distinct from each other.
The Body of Christ
Many believe that Ephesians Chapter 5 proves to them that the church that is the body of Christ is also the bride of Christ. However, this chapter only provides us with comparisons (similes) between Christ and the church and marriage between husbands and wives.
In Ephesians 5:22-32 our Apostle Paul tells us that Christ is the head of the church and the Savior of the body, that Christ loved the church and gave His life for it. Paul also tells us that we are members of the body. In Ephesians 5:32 Paul tells us that he is speaking of the church and tells us that the church is a mystery, meaning that this is a new revelation and not part of past prophecy.
Submission
Ephesians 5:22-24
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Love
Ephesians 5:25-29
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.
Joined Together
Ephesians 5:30-32
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
In Paul’s epistles we see that the body of Christ is made up of believers of the gospel of the grace of God, as seen in Romans 12:4-5, I Corinthians 10:17 and I Corinthians 12:12-27.
The Bride of Christ
In the gospel of the kingdom, Israel is referred to as the bride. In John 3:29-30 we see John the Baptist refer to Christ as the bridegroom and Israel as the bride.
John 3:29-30
29 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.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
In Matthew 10:5-6 the twelve were told not to go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Matthew 10:5-6
5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
The parable of the ten virgins written of in Matthew 25:1-13 is a representation of the marriage of the Lamb. Five virgins were foolish and five virgins were wise. The foolish virgins represent the unsaved of Israel and the wise virgins represent the saved of Israel.
In Revelation 19:7-9 we see that the time of the marriage time has finally arrived. This marriage will take place on earth when Christ returns to set up His earthly kingdom.
Revelation 19:7-9
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
Nowhere in Paul’s epistles do we see him refer to the bride of Christ. In fact, the word bride is never mentioned in any of Paul’s epistles. The body of Christ is the church. Christ is the head of the church and the Savior of the body (Ephesians 5:23).
In I Corinthians 12:12 Paul tells us that “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”
John the Baptist speaks of Jesus Christ as the bridegroom when he says that He who has the bride is the bridegroom. John the Baptist, refers to himself as a friend of the bridegroom. In Revelation 19:7-9 John tells us of the marriage of the Lamb, and that the wife has made herself ready. We understand that saved Israel has become the wife of the Lamb through their salvation.
We become confused when we do not “rightly divide the word of truth.” However, by dividing our salvation under the gospel of the grace of God, from Israel’s salvation under the gospel of the kingdom, we can easily see and understand our position as saved members of the body of Christ, as well as Israel referred to as a bride and saved Israel’s position as the Lamb’s wife.