Types of the Bride of Christ: Eve

This is the first of a series that looks at the types of the bride of Christ in the order that they appear in Scripture.

Eve (Genesis 2) was created as Adam’s “help meet” when God took a rib out of Adam’s body, which is a type of the bride being taken out of the body of believers.  Adam was put to sleep and his side was opened when the Lord created Eve. Our bridegroom was also put to sleep at Calvary and his side was opened.  And just as the Lord wanted Adam to have a bride, He has been longing to find a bride (another suitable help meet) for His son Christ Jesus.

I was initially taught that all believers are the bride of Christ.  But when you study Scripture deeply, and pay attention to all of the types that the Lord has lovingly orchestrated for those who have eyes to see, you realize that this just does not line up with Scripture. 

The parable of the ten virgins is a perfect example

Many erroneously preach that five of the virgins were unbelievers.  If that were true, they would never have addressed Jesus as “Lord, Lord” (Matthew 25:11).  All the virgins are saved — and will all have eternal life — yet the door (entrance to the Millennial Kingdom) is shut to the five who were unwise (see my previous post on this). I believe they may only be able to see the Kingdom from the outer darkness, which explains why there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The serpent only deceived Eve

Adam willingly partook of the fruit, taking on the sin of his bride so that she would not be alone. It was also the only way that he could bring about Eve’s redemption (Chitwood, "The Bride in Genesis"). 

It is such a beautiful type of the terrible sacrifice that Jesus made for us at Calvary.  He was pure and innocent when He took upon the sin of the world.  While Adam likely suffered great emotional pain after being expelled from the Garden of Eden, I can’t imagine it comes close to the horrendous physical pain that our Lord experienced on the cross.

A timely warning 

2 Corinthians 11:3 tells us:

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

This is a warning for all preparing brides today — not only for themselves, but also so that they can warn other believers who are at this very moment being deceived by false doctrines and false Christs, new age mysticism, and contemplative practices that are being ushered into many churches with open arms.

And now, little children, abide in Him: that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 

(1 John 2:28)

The Little Children

I was reading 1 John (KJV) and noticed that the author addresses multiple audiences:

• My little children (my dear children in the NIV)
• Brethren and my brethren (dear friends in the NIV)
• Fathers, young men, and children (The IVP Bible Background says this represents different stages of faith; fathers held positions of honor and authority; young men had strength and vigor, but were still vulnerable to temptation; children were still learning)
• Beloved (Rabbi Meir says beloved is Israel) 

I created a table so I could look at the passages side-by-side and noticed that the Greek word for little children was different in just one verse.

1 John 2:1	Tekníon
1 John 2:12	Tekníon
1 John 2:18	Paidíon
1 John 2:28	Tekníon
1 John 3:7	Tekníon
1 John 3:18	Tekníon
1 John 4:4	Tekníon
1 John 5:21	Tekníon

1 John 2:18: Little children, it is the last time; and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come even now are there many antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time. (KJV)

I looked up the Greek words using the Complete Word Study Bible:

• Tekníon: Child, a little child.  Used only figuratively and always in the plural.  A term of affection by a teacher to his disciples

• Paidíon: Child, a little child, either male or female. A child recently born, a baby, an infant.  Metaphorically in 1 Cor 14:20, “be not children in understanding,” meaning weak, ignorant, childish.  As an endearing appellation for the followers in Christ

In Matthew 18:3, Jesus says: Verily I say unto you Except ye be converted and become as little children [paidíon] ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven (KJV, notation added)

The late pastor John White preached that it is the little children [paidíon] who are entering the kingdom. They are submissive to the Lord.  He also refers to little children as "a body of believers taken out of the body” who will be great in the kingdom.  

Little children are also the sons and the brethren or brothers of Christ, who are those who are seeking to enter the kingdom by doing the will of the Father (Matthew 5:20, Matthew 7:21; 18:3; 19:23-24, Mark 9:47; 10:23-25; Luke 18:24-25; John 3:5; Acts 14:22). 

Scripture tells us that some will only see the kingdom and not everyone will enter the kingdom:

John 3:3: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Matthew 7:21: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

If we are striving to be little children and enter the kingdom, how do we know what the will of the Father is? White says we discover it by studying the Bible.

Soft Clay

I have been learning more about the Kingdom truths from some wonderful sermons by John White, the late Pastor of Grace Bible Church in Minneapolis.  In his Hebrew series, he talks about having soft hearts to hear the Word of God so we can be soft clay for the Lord to mold.  If our hearts are hard, our clay is hard, and hard clay cannot be easily molded.

I was reminded of this again during my morning reading from the book of Isaiah:

But now, O LORD, You are our Father,

We are the clay, and You our potter;

All of us are the work of Your hand.

(Isaiah 64:8, NASB)

I learned from The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary that clay is highly valuable for making pottery when it is in its pure condition. Pure clay is generated from the decomposition of feldspathic rocks, which forms whitish, chalky-looking beds. Most clay, however, is generally contaminated with other substances. 

I thought this was an apropos analogy for believers who are striving not just to see the Kingdom, but to enter it.  Scripture instructs us to seek first His Kingdom, but that is not always easy (Matthew 6:33).  If we are not careful, and do not guard our minds and our hearts, it is easy to become contaminated by other substances in the world.  

I further learned that clay was used during Biblical times to make earthen vessels, which often housed gold or silver.  Scripture tells us that if we build on the foundation Jesus Christ has set with gold, silver, and precious stones, our works may withstand the test of fire (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).

As we run our race of faith, let us pray that our vessels will be filled with gold, silver, and precious stones and not with wood, hay, and stubble.  Lord may we be soft clay as we prepare for thy Kingdom come.  And in all our ways, may Your will be done.

What Does it Mean to Abide in Christ?

I was listening to an online sermon by Pastor Alan Robinson from Community Baptist Church titled "Abiding in the Vine" and wanted to know more about what abiding in Christ means.

Pastor Robinson mentions that in John 15:1-7, Jesus uses the word abide multiple times (emphasis mine):

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Robinson defines abiding as remaining or continuing in Christ by reading His Word, praying, and going about our daily business as a disciple as Christ. 

I wanted to know if Scripture could tell me more about how we are to abide in Christ.  I did a word search and was surprised to find that there are no mentions of abide in the NIV.  There are, however, 103 mentions in the KJV.

2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”  Every jot and tittle is important, which means we should pay attention to even the smallest details.  

So I used the online Net Bible to look up those 103 Scripture verses.  I discovered that Jesus always used the root word meno (Strong 3306) for abide.  At times like these, I really wish I could read biblical Hebrew and Greek because while God’s Word is infallible, the translators are not.  But according to Strong, meno can mean (emphasis mine):

1) to remain, abide

1a) in reference to place

1a1) to sojourn, tarry

1a2) not to depart

1a2a) to continue to be present

1a2b) to be held, kept, continually

1b) in reference to time

1b1) to continue to be, not to perish, to last, endure

1b1a) of persons, to survive, live

1c) in reference to state or condition

1c1) to remain as one, not to become another or different

2) to wait for, await one

Thanks to this exercise, I have a much better understanding of what it means to abide in Christ Jesus.