Jane Schoolteacher or Jane Doe?

Did anyone ever read of the Corinth Catholic church...the Ephesus Baptist church, or the Philippi Methodist church?

Did you ever wonder 'why'? Because, in the Bible, the church "of Christ" is His bride, and the bride wears the name of her husband.

Eph. 5:23-25, 32 - 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.

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it...this is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

When division occurs in a local group, (whether total/partial); often the new "group" will take on a new "name". The reason for the new name, is to identify the 'distinction' between them and the "old" group from which they recently departed.

The new "name" serves to identify what the 'split' or 'division' was over. For example, we see this in the name "baptist" that was chosen as a name for a particular 'faith', or 'church' (i.e., the ____ Baptist church)

It is obvious that when this denomination first started (1607); BAPTISM was the key issue. History revealed that, at the time, there were differing views on baptism, (whether sprinkling, pouring, or immersion was the correct way to baptize). So those who 'held' to the conviction that ONLY immersion was the correct way, separated from those who practiced sprinkling and/or pouring as well as immersion.

Rather than call themselves "of Christ", they took on the name of a practice (baptism). [Their teaching on the subject differed]

Such can be seen also from the word Pentecost(al) ~ i.e., stressing the belief in the miracles done on this day (Acts 2), such as speaking in tongues etc. So this denomination, rather than calling themselves "of Christ", wears the name of a ____ Pentecostal church. This stresses their belief that the practice of miraculous tongue speaking can still be done.

It makes as much sense for a woman to take on the name of one particular practice of her husband/marriage (i.e., Jane Schoolteacher versus Jane Doe); as it does for a group of people to call themselves after a particular practice (and yet deny that practice as necessary to salvation).

Collectively, a group of Christians are the bride "of Christ"; NOT the bride of a practice or a teaching of Christ.

Hence, the church at Corinth was "of Christ"; the church at Ephesus was "of Christ"; and the church in Philippi was "of Christ".

The name individually is simply a Christian (meaning simply: Christ-like)

A collective of Christians are a congregation...."of Christ". Congregations were referred to as "churches of Christ" (see Romans 16:16).

The church is the bride; the bride wears the name of the husband.

Mark 8:38 - Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. (see also Luke 9:26)

2 Tim. 1:8 - Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God...

Phil. 2:9-10 - Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow...

Psalm 111:9 - He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.

8/13/2020

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