Text: Song of Solomon 6:8-13
Intro: To say that all saved people make up the Bride of Christ and that one church is as good as another,  is not true.  Jesus
established only one kind of church; and in order to claim New Testament authority, a church must be like the one which He
established, in organization, in government, in doctrine and in practice.
    A. In our text the bridegroom (Solomon) rejoices in the woman he loves and  shows his love and desire to a Shulamite
         virgin,  figurative of  Christ’s love and desire to His virgin New Testament churches.
    B. He emphasizes the fact of her dissimilarity from and her superiority to all others.
    C. She stands alone in her class and is not to be considered as others.
    D. He sets her far above all queens, all concubines, and all virgins.
    E. So are the churches of Jesus Christ, compared with the institutions of the world, many of them claiming a right to the title
        "Church," yet none of them being able to establish divinen origin.
I. THERE ARE THREESCORE QUEENS: v. 3  Who are they?
    A. They are organizations and institutions in the world. Rev. 18:7 "I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no
         sorrow."
        1. Many are worthy and commendable in the scope of their ministrations.
        2. But never to be compared with the church which Jesus Christ established on earth more than 19 centuries ago.
    B. There are lodges, brotherhoods, and fraternal orders of men and many lay claim to being founded upon the Bible.
        1. But we cannot attribute to these man-made organizations such origin, honor and authority as that of a New Testament
            church.
    C. All these institutions and organizations together can never do the work of, nor take the place of Christ's Church.
        1. Many think other organizations are just as important.
             a. Many people think it is just as right to be a faithful member of some lodge, as to be born again and hold
                 membership in a New Testament Church.
    D. There are many queens in the world.
II. THERE ARE "FOURSCORE CONCUBINES. v. 8  A concubine is a woman who lives with a man and has a recognized position in his household but is not legally a wife. (it is whoredom)
    A. Jesus has never practiced spiritual concubinage nor does He require or allow His
         Bride to share favor with spiritual harlots.
    B. These man-made organizations try to hold the position and authority in His household which is the Brides alone.
III. THERE ARE VIRGINS WITHOUT NUMBER.  v. 8  Virginity is a state of moral purity, a state of undefilement.
    A. Man-made organizations and institutions may be sincere and stand for…
        1. Clean living.
        2. Noble ideals.
        3. General human betterment.
     B. But they do not, they can-not fill the place, nor perform the service, to which Jesus has appointed His one and only 
          love, His church.
    C. Queens, concubines, virgins, you can find plenty of them.
         1. But none are like His chosen one.
    D. They all have their origin in an ordinary man.
        1. Only a true New Testament Church can claim its beginning under the personal ministry of Jesus Christ.
IV. MY DOVE, MY UNDEFILED IS BUT ONE. v.9
    A. The Catholic Church is the oldest of the harlot institutions called churches, and it came through a gradual perversion and
         corruption.
        1. No trace of a Pope, or “Universal Father,” can be found during the first 300 years of this Christian Era.
        2. The full establishment of the Roman system of Popery didn't come until the end of the 5th century.
    B. The Lutheran Church was founded by Martin Luther no earlier than 1520 A.D.
        1. It Came about as a revolt against the Catholic Church.
    C. The Church of England, or Episcopal Church, was founded by Henry the VIII in the early part of the 16th century.
    D. The Presbyterian Church was founded by John Calvin around 1536.
    E. The Congregational church was founded by Robert Brown in 1580.
        1. A grand-daughter of the Roman Catholic Church. (Episcopalian)
    F. The Methodist Church began about 1729 led by Wesley brothers, J and C.
    G. The "Christian Church" which was earlier known as the Campbellites after the name of their founder Alexander 
         Campbell dates back to 1827.
    H. There are many concubine churches in the world.
        1. They draw from Christ's blessings.
        2. Nourish themselves with His spiritual food.
        3. They use His name.
        4. They claim His authority but they have never been betrothed.
    I. Paul said to the Corinth Church in II Cor. 11:2  "For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a
       chaste virgin to Christ."
    J. Jesus, the Bridegroom, declares, "My dove is but one"  He has only one bride.  Eph. 4:4  "There is one body, and one
        Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling."
        1. She is distinctive in her origin. Matt. 16:18
            a. Jesus is her Founder and she is the only one He founded. v.9 "My dove, my undefiled is but one;"
        2. She is distinctive in her ordinances.
            a. She has only two, Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
        3. She is distinctive in her doctrines.
            a. If its in the Bible, then it is Baptist doctrine; if its Baptist doctrine, you can find it in the Bible.
        4. She is distinctive in her responsibility.
            a. She alone is the custodian of the faith; it is given to her to preach the gospel, baptize believers and teach the "All
                things" which He has commanded, John 17:8,14;  I Tim. 3:15.
        5. She is distinctive in her promised security .
            a. All of the combined forces of Satan have never been able to destroy her, and never will.
            b. Jesus guaranteed her perpetuity. Matt 16:18 "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
        6. She is distinctive in her ultimate destiny.
            a. I love the church of which I am a member.
            b. I believe she is a church of Jesus Christ.
            c. I believe she has a mission, and a message given her from above.
            d. I believe she is the most important thing in the community.
            e. I believe she is worthy of my ...
                 a). Faithfulness.
                 b). Loyalty.
                 c). Support.
    D. She is not perfect because she is made up of imperfect people.
        1. One day she will be presented to Him without blemish and without spot. Eph 5:26-27  "That he might sanctify and
            cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot,
            or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
        2. All that she may have suffered in an unfriendly world will be forgotten in the joys of His delightful presence.
    E. There are many queens, concubines and virgins, but none to be compared with the Bride of Jesus,  S.O.S. 6:9
        "The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her."
        1. Will this actually happen?  Rev. 19: 6-7 (many waters = peoples, and multitudes and nations, and tongues. Rev.17:15) Conclusion: She stands alone in the world, both hated and admired, persecuted yet praised.