"The Baptist Church -- The Bride Of Christ"
In a former article I set forth the Baptist teaching concerning the church and how they value it. In this, I want to discuss the church as "the bride of Christ" from the Baptist viewpoint. Let us begin with a quotation from the booklet by Mr. E. C. Gillentine, called "Baptist Doctrine." On page 14, discussing the subject of "The Church, Its Dignity and Identity," we find this:
"The most highly honored position, and the most dignified place spoken of concerning the dignity of the church is that she is called the Bride of Christ, John 3:29; Rev. 2-9-10; 2 Cor. 11:1-2; Eph. 5:23-27. The church is now the Bride of Christ, but when He returns He will take her unto Himself and then she will be His wife .... Christ is not a polygamist — He will marry but one woman. He will have but one wife; He will marry but one church. It is a wonderful joy to anticipate being a part of the bride of Christ and participating in the marriage feast with Him and Ms church."
Be sure to read the above statement carefully. The church is the bride of Christ according to Baptist doctrine and this is the "most highly honored position" of the church. Yet, according to Baptists, the bride of Christ is not essential and has absolutely no connection with man's salvation. One does not have to be, yea, does not even need to be a part of the bride of Christ to be saved. Mr. Kirkland affirmed in our debate that "all true believers are saved regardless of church membership." What is so wonderful about the church being the bride of Christ, if it is wholly useless as far as man's salvation is concerned?
Mr. Gillentine says that the church is now only the PROSPECTIVE bride of Christ, and when Christ comes the second time He will take her unto Him as His wife. Baptists think that Christ is not now married to His bride. This is simply the "engagement period" now. The marriage is something that is supposed to take place in the next age — the millennial age. Of course, this is not true, but I will not take time now to discuss this angle. Gillentine says, "It is a wonderful joy to anticipate being a part of the bride of Christ and participating in the marriage feast with Him and His church." Why is it such a wonderful thing to anticipate? It is wholly useless as far as man's salvation is concerned.
Mr. Kirkland had no little trouble explaining about the bride of Christ in our debate. It proved to be most troublesome in the light of his proposition. I asked him if one had to be a part of the bride of Christ to be saved. He answered in the negative. Then I kept asking him to tell us about the marriage feast of Christ and His bride. I asked him if the Baptist Church is the bride of Christ. He said, "Yes," in so many words. Now since Christ is to marry His bride and His bride is the Baptist Church; and since "He will MARRY BUT ONE CHURCH" according to Gillentine, what about those who are not a part of the Baptist Church — which is supposed to be the bride of Christ? Will they be saved? If so, can one be saved and never be married to Christ? What about the Methodists? They are not a "part of the bride of Christ" if the Baptist Church be that bride. Will they be married to Christ? Will they get to enter the marriage feast? If so, on what condition and why? There is not a Baptist preacher that can explain this. Christ will not then marry Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, etc. . . . He will only "MARRY ONE CHURCH" and that church is the Baptist Church! Those in these other churches are certainly not members of the Baptist Church, therefore, are no part of "the bride of Christ," and will never be married to Him. That is Baptist doctrine for you! Actually Baptists teach that the Baptist Church is the only true church and that they are the only ones right, the only ones who will be married to Christ.
According to Baptist doctrine, if people of all the other churches will be saved, then they will be saved without being a part of the bride of Christ. Only Baptists enjoy this exalted position! Only the Baptists are to be married to Christ as His bride and hold this "most highly honored position." If any Methodists make it they will only be "attendants" at the wedding! None can enjoy the place of dignity of the Baptists. The Methodists, Presbyterians, and others will not enjoy heaven as fully as the Baptists. Let Mr. J. E. Cobb, a Baptist scholar, tell us about these others. On page 11 of his "New Manual For Baptist Churches," he says:
"God's children who, in the gospel age, are misinformed and misguided, and do not unite with the true church, or with a true church, will not be, in some mysterious way, injected into its membership in the coming age. Those who, because of misinformation or misguidance, refuse to become attached to a true church will suffer loss in the age to come. God, in His divine word of truth, has revealed the true way and the true church, but if one allows prejudice, misinformation, or misguidance to keep him out of the true church, God is not responsible, but He will hold the individual responsible for his gullibility."
Thus, we can see that Mr. Cobb holds out some small hope for those of "God's children" who are not in the Baptist Church, but says that they will not be "in some mysterious way injected into its membership in the coming age." Hence they can never be a part of the bride of Christ and share with the Baptists all the exalted privileges and blessings thereof. "God's children" in all these other churches are "misinformed and misguided," and because they are not members of the Baptist Church they "will suffer loss." They will have to suffer for their "gullibility." They will only have a second-rate salvation and not a real first-class salvation like the Baptists! In other words, one can be saved out of the Baptist Church and make it to heaven all right, but his salvation is not as full and complete as it would have been had he been a member of the. Baptist Church — the bride of Christ, and thus been able to participate in the marriage feast. Only by being in the Baptist Church can one really enjoy the fullness of heaven and eternal glory. That is Baptist doctrine. After all then, according to these Baptists, it is important that one be in the church — the Baptist church at that — if one really expects to share fully in the joy of heaven! The Baptist Church is "the true church," and one must be in it to fully enjoy heaven. All the Methodists, Presbyterians, and others, are "misinformed and misguided." They are "gullible." They are members of false churches. They have allowed "prejudice, misinformation, or misguidance' 'to keep them out of the true church. But the Baptists will be generous to them. They will let all the others come in, but they can not participate in the marriage feast as a part of the bride of Christ, and they will all "suffer loss." They will have only a second-rate salvation and not be able to as completely and fully enjoy heaven as the Baptists! Such is the inconsistency and the absurdity of this man-made theology as taught by the Baptists. People need to learn the truth about such.