First of all Ephesians 4:13 was not talking about the "church" but those who teach in it. But as to your contention that mature only refers to men.
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
So you would claim Paul was talking only to the men?
Again, Paul was talking only about men?
>>The Church is identified with male circumcision.<<
Romans 15:8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers,
Would you claim that Jesus was only a servant to the men? Were women excluded from His ministry?
>>The Church is illustrated as a "priesthood". Priests are men.<<
Galatians 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
>>The Church is called "he".<<
The "church" is NOT the restrainer. The Holy Spirit is and He certainly is a He.
>>The Church is identified as a "son".<<
NO, it's not. Read the verse again.
Galatians 4:29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also. 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son (hyiós) of the freewoman.
Greek - hyiós - equally refers to female believers (Gal 3:28). [http://biblehub.com/greek/5207.htm]
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Revelation 21:7 "He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son (huios).
Again, would you purport that women are excluded in that?
>>Ph.1.27b I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel
The Church is likened to "one man".<<
A direct translation of that text from the Greek.
Phillipians 1:27 Only worthily of the good news of the Christ conduct ye yourselves, that, whether having come and seen you, whether being absent I may hear of the things concerning you, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul, striving together for the faith of the good news,
You should notice that there is NO Greek word in that text that can be interpreted "man". So you basically changed the words of scripture to bolster your contention. STOP IT ALREADY. If you have to change the words of scripture your views MUST be ignored.
>>So, where does it talk about the bride of Christ?<<
You referenced Revelation 21 where it says that the "New Jerusalem" is the bride of Christ. But who is part of that "New Jerusalem"?
Hebrews 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
The "New Jerusalem" consists of "the general assembly and the church of the firstborn" which are the believers. That includes Old Testament believers because they were made part of the ekklesia (the "church") when Christ died and freed them. The ekklesia (church) is NOT earth bound.
Ephesians 2:6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Your entire post is rife with error. It should be disregarded totally.
>>>You should notice that there is NO Greek word in that text that can be interpreted "man". So you basically changed the words of scripture to bolster your contention. STOP IT ALREADY. If you have to change the words of scripture your views MUST be ignored.<<<
Ph.1.27b I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel
Looking at the Greek I agree that soul is the right translation. I will remove it from my ebook. I quoted the NIV. My bad for trusting the NIV, something I don't normally do, however this was a study that I did twenty years ago when I was still developing good research habits. A simple Google search would have told you that I have not "changed the words of scripture". So by your logic, since I have not "changed the words of scripture", my views should not be ignored.
I explained He.12.22-24. So, in effect, my post has no errors except for trusting the NIV.
Over and over the Scriptures flat-out describe the Church as masculine. Yeast always represents evil in Scripture. Before even explaining in Ep.5.23-33 that husbands must love their own bodies just as does Christ His body (the Church), Paul states flat-out in Ep.2.15b-16 that:
Church = Israel + Gentiles = "one new man" = "one body"
Revelation then tells us flat-out that the heavenly Jerusalem is the bride and Galatians tells us flat-out that the heavenly Jerusalem is also our mother (of the Church).
But you can cling to your "tradition" if you like - most people do...