Who is The Bride of Christ?

Throughout the centuries, there has been many things taught concerning the bride of Christ. Who is the bride? Who is in the bride? Where will the bride live? Some have taught that the bride is the church. Some have taught the bride replaces Israel. Some have taught that the church is spiritual Israel, and Israel will never be a part of the bride. Does the bride marry the Christ? Does the love of Christ prohibit the bride from going through the tribulation? There are many teachings, many questions, and hopefully for each question, Scripture will give us an answer.

When Paul wrote his Epistle to Ephesus, he laid out some precepts that are at first overlooked, but when we take a little closer look we may see what he was actually writing. It goes a little deeper than what we have gleaned in the past. 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. NKJV Paul concluded the importance of Jesus' resurrection and ascension in Chapter 4 as He carried into heaven the saints in Abraham's bosom, the gifts He gave to the church for the perfecting and equipping of it, and the characteristics that will manifest, must be taught, and must be learned in all those who have been born again. We are to imitate our Example, God!

Paul goes on in the Chapter. vs 14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light." NKJV After revealing what the unregenerated man does, and those who are new borns, Paul now deals with those who may have been born again a little longer in time frame telling them to Awake, you who sleep,...! Paul is also telling the Ephesians that they need to be preaching the Word because there are many in the church who are still sleeping in ignorance, those who are still dead in their sins and in need of repentance and regeneration.

One of the main reasons that I see Paul talking to the ones who are converted in the church is the context. First and foremost is this, the Epistle is written in a general sense to the elders of Ephesus. The whole Epistle is written in "good" things to do and understand, mostly they are generic that if anyone does them, they will grow closer to the Lord, yet some are more specific than others. Paul goes on in the Chapter. Vss 15-16 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. NKJV Our walk must be circumspectly and with wisdom redeeming the very time that we spent in the world and using our time in the Lord wisely for His will. Vss 17-21 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. NKJV All these things that Paul mentions reveal one thing, the relationship can not be presumed upon, it takes effort to develop a relationship, and the Lord will bless our obedience.

Paul speaks about the mystery, a great mystery, and to reveal the details and characteristics of this mystery, Paul lays precepts on precepts with the most important point to be made about the bride, the church. Vs 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. NKJV In the Greek, the word mystery is a transliterated word into English and does not mean what we think of as a mystery. The word means something that was hidden or secret, something not yet revealed, and now is in the process of being revealed. The church is that something that is being revealed. Until the Lord was resurrected, there were people who believed in Him, 120 disciples were found together in the upper room, but most would not call them a church. This is the mystery, the church is the revealed body of Christ, believers who have taken a "bath" in His blood, and they are now purged from sin's penalty as a result of their repentance of those sins.

Paul tells these people that faith is the key to "salvation". We accept what is written in God's Word about Jesus, our sin, His death, and resurrection, and we come by faith to Him believing that He desires to do what His Word states that He will do for all those who repent. Look at what Paul says. Ephesians 2:11-13 ś Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. NKJV Paul says it a little differently to the Collossians. Colossians 3:9-11 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. NKJV

Notice what Paul tells the Ephesians in these next verses. Ephesians 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. NKJV These verses clearly show the bride of Christ as a habitation, a building that is built on the apostles and prophets with Jesus as the Cornerstone. We are fellow citizens, saints of God, all members in one house. Look at what else Paul says. Ephesians 5:25-30 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. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. NKJV We are part of the body of Christ, a bride that is cleansed by the washing of the Word, a glorious church without spot or wrinkle.

Paul tells the Corinthians a little diferent perspective while he is discussing the gifts of the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. NKJV There is just ONE body of Christ. There are no Jews or Greeks in the body of Christ. Paul told the Romans that the Lord used the Jews rejection to bring in the Gentiles and is using the Jews jealousy to the Gentiles to bring in the remnant Jews that will mourn when they see Him in the clouds on His return. There is just one body of Christ, different members, but we all work together in one body of Christ, the church.

The body of Christ is made up of men and women of faith in Him. By faith we had our sins washed away. By faith we believed the Word that told us we were in sin. By faith we have preached the Word and by faith we live our lives. Jesus is Lord, and we believe this by faith. We learn so much from the writer of Hebrews about faith, but he also gives us the key elemnt to the entire body of Christ. Hebrews 11:39-40 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. NKJV The writer details the many deeds of faith and the promises that were obtained by faith stating the world was not worthy of these great witnesses of the glory of God. Notice the writer says that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

5048 teleiow teleioo tel-i-o'-o

from 5046; TDNT-8:79,1161; v

AV-make perfect 12, perfect 4, finish 4, fulfil 2, be perfect 1, consecrate 1; 24

1) to make perfect, complete

1a) to carry through completely, to accomplish, finish, bring to an end 2) to complete (perfect)

3) to bring to the end (goal) proposed
4) to accomplish

4a) bring to a close or fulfilment by event

4a1) of the prophecies of the scriptures

There is just one body, one church, and the Lord is pefecting the whole body of Christ, the whole church, and none will be any more important or less important in the body of Christ. When we repent and are washed in His blood, we become members in the body of Christ, the patriarchs of faith are our witnesses, they didn't receive the promises of God, and we don't as the church today until the whole church, the whole bride of Christ is completed in numeric num,ber which the Lord Jesus knows the number. The time of His return is soon because the events that He tells us will precede His return are happening as I write this article.

The church still has two more parts to be completed before it is whole in number. One more part of the bride that is left is the obvious, the saints who are washed in the blood of the lamb during the tribulation.
Revelation 6:9-11 ś And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. KJV
Revelation 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; KJV
Revelation 7:13-17 ś And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. KJV
Revelation 15:2-4 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. KJV

The second part of the bride that remains to be perfected or complete is the Jew, the remnant of Israel that will be "saved". God's soveriegn plan that opens the door to the Gentiles makes all one body, one church, one complete and holy bride prepared to wed the King of Kings. There is a Jewish remnant that will look on Him in the clouds and repent, thus completing the whole bride of Christ. Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. KJV
Romans 11:25-27 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins." NKJV
Zechariah 12:10-12 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; KJV

For anyone to leave out any part of the bride is ignorant of the Scriptures and God's plan of perfection to make the bride whole, white, and without wrinkle. To believe that one part of the bride is more important than another is western arrogance. It promotes and fosters prejudice of either the tribulation saints or the Jewish remnant. One saint in the church is no more or any less important than any other. The wrong teaching that the person in the tribulation must go through it to be "saved", is not exegeting the Scriptures correctly and has placed their importance unduly. It originated in the western world man or woman who has no idea what tribulation is, and think that the Lord will return pre-tribulation to help them escape tribulation. They don't live in China or Russia or Indonesia, and yet they are more important than the tribulation saint and the Jewish saint and must be raptured out of the tribulation.

Jesus will return Immediately after the tribulation of those days as Matthew recorded for the saints in China, and all over the world, a gathering from the four corners of the earth and from all of heaven, giving the dead in Christ glorified bodies for eternity, and rapturing the ones alive in Christ giving them also a glorified body for eternity. This includes the remnant of Israel that saw Him in the clouds because they were looking for Him. Jesus claims His bride, His holy bride, and so will we be with the Lord!