Doves,

I normally am a lurker here but occasionally I have placed my two cents in.  This is one time I wish to again do so.  Again all here is in my humble opinion only and based on what I know of the WORD.

The soon coming rapture is for, I believe, the BRIDE.  The five WISE virgins.  The BODY (the five FOOLISH virgins) is a very different animal.  It IS of CHRIST but it does not have love FOR HIM, the passion FOR HIM, the intimate desire FOR HIM but the BRIDE does.  Bride Spots?  Bride Wrinkles?  ALWAYS!!!  But the visibly marked difference between the Bride and the Body is that when a blemish is seen or a spot is found on her, she will WASH IT AWAY IMMEDIATELY WITH THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB and not dawdle and she wishes never to be out of holiness/relationship to her betrothed.  She will not tolerate sin or a lack of holiness which sepearates her LORD and betrothed once that spot/wrinkle is found.  It is something she wishes never to be found with.  HOLINESS is her gateway to relationship with the Bridegroom - the ability of allowing her as Esther did, to approach the King and his scepter in the throne room.  She wants nothing more than to be close to her KING, and if she perishes she perishes!!  The rapture of the church will take the groom's beloved Bride to himself and close the door, but leave the Body due to it's relationship/attitude with the groom.   The body follows later, after they WASH their robes in the blood of the lamb, as per the middle of Revelation.

The bride is not so much of an entity rather it's a free-will ATITTUDE of that entity.  It is the full sell-out of body, soul, mind, will, emotions to her one and only beloved groom.  Ever waiting, ever watching, anxious for her final unity with the beloved for eternity.  She doesn't HAVE to do what she does, rather she DESIRES from her deepest part to do that which pleases her groom because she has grown to see the value of who HE is and what he represents.  It's growth and always a selling out of our all to the only ALL IN ALL. Rapturous LOVE always takes TIME.  It is not immediate, it comes by getting to know the one you love.

As Doves, we also must be as gentle as they are and as the Holy Spirit is.  Gentle is the key, with true meekness which is actually marked strength.  It is too easy for us to injure those who have simple questions.  Too easy is it for us to be harsh and condemning, we have to be careful of ALL of our parts because ALL are important.
 
Waiting and watching (even so....come LORD JESUS)

 
5/5/5 Let's go up ALIVE!!!!!
 

HIS2serv