What does it mean that the church is the bride of Christ?

Answer

The representation and symbolism of marriage are applied to Christ and the group of believers known as the church. The church consists of those who have believed in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and have obtained eternal life. Christ, the Bridegroom, has chosen the church to be His bride sacrificially and lovingly (Ephesians 5:25-27). Just as there was a period of betrothal in biblical times when the bride and groom were separated until the wedding, so the bride of Christ is separated from her Bridegroom during the church age. Her duty during the betrothal period is to remain faithful to Him (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:24). At the rapture, the church will be united with the Bridegroom, and the official “wedding ceremony” will take place, thus actualizing the eternal union of Christ and His bride (Revelation 19:7-9; 21:1-2).

In the eternal state, believers will have access to the heavenly city known as New Jerusalem, also referred to as “the holy city” in Revelation 21:2 and 10. The New Jerusalem is not the church, but it shares some characteristics with the church. In his vision of the end of the age, the apostle John sees the city descending from heaven adorned “as a bride,” indicating that the city will be gloriously radiant and its inhabitants, the redeemed of the Lord, will be holy and pure, clothed in white garments of holiness and righteousness. Some have misunderstood verse 9 to imply that the holy city is the bride.

The bride of Christ, but that cannot be because Christ died for His people, not for a city. The city is called the bride because it encompasses all who are the bride, just as all the students of a school are sometimes called “the school.”

Believers in Jesus Christ are the bride of Christ, and we wait with great anticipation for the day when we will be united with our Bridegroom. Until then, we remain faithful to Him and say with all the redeemed of the Lord, “Come, Lord Jesus!” «He who testifies these things says, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. », (Revelation 22:20).