6.2 The Harlot and the Bride

Under the communist regimes in the east we have seen several examples of:

how official churches have accepted a compromise with the atheistic state's demands, even when they have gone against the clear will of God in the Bible. In this way they lose the possibility of influencing society towards repentance, and they figuratively become a spiritual Harlot, who allows herself to be carried away by the "wild beast" of the state. numerous underground churches which have in contrast chosen to obey God rather than human authority. By their faithfulness and devoted love to Christ these Christians (such as found in China today) can be likened to a pure Bride who triumphantly dances on the Dragon of evil. (The endtime dragon in Rev.12:3 is red, and has ten heads.)

It is not unthinkable that in the future the Antichrist would try (like the communist state) to coerce not only Christians, but even Jews and Muslims (all those who officially believe in one God) to build a common world church. If this should happen, those who belong to the Bride would of necessity have to remain separate from the Antichrist's world church, which the Bible calls the great Harlot.

The Bride of Christ is also willing, even in the midst of great agony in persecution, to give birth to new spiritual life in the form of new spiritual children. In contrast, the Harlot has often in the course of history chosen to cooperate with the state/beast, even when it has persecuted and killed the Christians of the Bride. Behind the persecution is the Devil, who wants to destroy the new life before it has time to grow up into a conqueror.
In this way the Harlot has figuratively speaking "become drunk with the blood of the saints", from a cup of devil-inspired hate. The Apostle Paul, before his conversion, acted out this hatred for the Bride, and even thought that he was thereby serving God. In the year 1996, the number of Christian martyrs was estimated to be upwards of 150,000 people per year.

(A similar hatred with exclusion and persecution also affects courageous Christians who dare to criticize or leave so-called Christian sects. Even though sect members can be born-again Christians, their "uncrucified flesh" is just as evil as those with only a pseudo-Christianity. In this way, these Christians are slowly digging their own spiritual graves. Despite the examples given above, I believe it is wrong that so many protestants have in the past called, for example, the Catholic church the great Harlot. Individuals with the soul of the Harlot, and individuals with the soul of the Bride will be found during all ages in all churches and denominations. Even Jesus, therefore, considers it unavoidable that the weeds and the good seed are allowed to grow up together until the time of the harvest.)

The concept of the Harlot or the Bride is ultimately determined by each individual's heart relationship, and will therefore remain a secret which only God truly knows.