The Mystery is Great

These thoughts need more refinement, but I wanted to post after our discussion last night.

"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery — but I am talking about Christ and the church. (Eph 5:31-33, NIV)

Given our conversation last night, the end of the passage might better be rendered, "I am talking about Christ and the assembly". The passage is now more inclusive to be Israel and those grafted into Israel. "And so all Israel will be saved." (Rom 11:25-26).

The scripture is clear, "His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross"
(Eph 2:14-16). Both Jew and Gentile become one man in CHRIST, but why was it necessary to make "one new man out of the two"?

If GOD is just, HE must be the GOD of both the Jew and the Gentile so that the entire creation has an equal opportunity of salvation. Further, GOD never divorced Israel and the story of Hosea bears out GOD’S longsuffering toward his bride. "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning" (Matt 19:8). If GOD never divorced Israel, HE cannot take on another bride or HE becomes an adulterer subject to the judgment of HIS own law.

Therefore, believers in JESUS must be grafted into Israel (Rom 11:17) making one, and only one, bride to be presented to the LAMB.

"Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear."
(Rev 19:7-8)

Scott