Dear John, & RJ2Bless you John for your devotion to Christ and this Forum! Thank You!Dear RJ2, you said........My wife and I are in a rather unusual circumstance. We are retired from secular employment and we do not attend churches or get involved in the religious activities that attract so many. So we don't usually show much outward activity even though we are, in the spirit, continually active before the Lord. However, I haven't had a ready answer that I like when someone might ask us what we are "doing" for the Lord. (We don't "do," we have reached that state of rest where we just "be.")....................................
What my wife and I have come to understand is that Adam and Eve was the physical type and shadow of Christ and His Bride. As Eve was taken from Adam's body so will Christ's Bride be taken from His Body (but His "body" is not "the Bride"). The work of taking dominion over the Earth that proved impossible for Adam will be done in the Spirit by Christ and His Bride.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------RJ, I'm retired too and what a blessing it is!When someone asked you what you do for the Lord, you gave the VERY BEST answer! "We don't "do", we just "be"! It takes a whole lifetime to come to that place where God wants us just to "be"! We are at peace with God and with ourselves. We know that we are safe in Him and we have no fears! We long for His fellowship and drawing aside after Him, and we aren't bothered with pursuing ANY "vanity" in this life! We just want to "BE" in Christ, who is our LIFE! Yep! You gave them the best answer possible!Concerning the teachings of the Bride, Adam and Eve, and our being taken from Christ's side...........I'm very familiar with all that. Smile!The Best Teacher I have found on the subject is from Pastor Riggs. I've come to realize it's not "where" the Bride is taken out from (Christ's side), but it's the MEASURE of the STATURE of Christ that is IN us that marks the Bride. And you're right, the WHOLE church, sadly, wont qualify, but that doesn't mean they wont be in Heaven.RJ, I've been studying the Word all my Life and went to Bible College, but they never taught on any of these issues like Pastor Riggs has. My spirit agrees with his. I've grown immensely by listening to him expound on ......The Man-Child....The Blessed Hope...The Eternal Inheritance of the Believer....The Celestial Court.....The Bride Has Made Herself Ready.......Jesus Christ the Morning Star.....The Final Revelation of Jesus Christ......Exposing End-Time Deception......These are just a few:And here's the web address:RJ, my desire is that everyone would listen to him just one time and then they would be hooked, because it's the Meat Doctrines of the Word instead of Milk!There's a great Blessing to be had!Blessings to you and your dear wife!YSIC, Sandy B.