Bride of Christ

Greetings in the glorious name of our Lord Jesus who said, “He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.”

Let us address the question: Who is the bride of Christ?

The imagery of marriage is applied to Christ and His believers known as the church. The believers are those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior and have become heirs to eternal life. In the New Testament, Christ, the Bridegroom, has sacrificially and lovingly chosen the church (the body of believers) to be His bride (Ephesians 5:25-27)[a]. Just as during the betrothal period, the bride and groom are apart until the wedding, so the bride of Christ on earth is waiting for her Bridegroom during the church age. Meanwhile her responsibility is to remain faithful to Him (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:24)[b].

At the end of the age the church will be united with the Bridegroom at the "wedding of the Lamb" and with it, the eternal union of Christ and His bride will be actualized (Revelation 19:7-9; 21:1-2)[c].At that time, all believers will inhabit the city known as New Jerusalem, also called the Holy City in Revelation 21:2 and 10. Apostle John in his vision sees the Holy City coming down from heaven adorned “as a bride”. This clearly shows that the inhabitants of the city, the redeemed of the Lord, will be pure and holy, wearing white garments of holiness and righteousness. The city is not an earthly city but consists of the redeemed ones of Christ.

Revelation 19 verse 9 further explains that ‘fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints’. This identifies not only the fine linen but also the woman who wears it. If the bride's fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints, then the bride herself represents the saints. The holy city is called the bride because it includes all those who are the bride and the Lamb's bride is dressed in fine linen that is bright and clean.

(There are those who misinterpreted Revelation 19 verse 9 among other verses like Rev 22:17, saying that the bride of Christ is “heavenly mother”, co-equal and eternal with the heavenly Father. They do not accept that the bride of Christ is the believers who are redeemed by the blood of the lamb. They interpret the word ‘bride’ to represent a female counterpart of God. Such people distort the Truth and are false teachers[d] and their end is eternal destruction).

As believers in Jesus Christ, we who are the bride of Christ wait with great anticipation for the day we will be united with our Bridegroom. Until then, we are to remain faithful to Him and say with all the redeemed of the Lord, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).

Footnotes
a. Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. - NKJV

b. II Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. - NKJV
Ephesians 5:24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. - NKJV

c. Revelation 19:7-9 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” - NKJV
Revelation 21:1-2 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John,saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. - NKJV

d. II Peter chapter 2