The Church is Not the Bride of Christ

There’s only one place in Scripture that names the "the bride, the Lamb’s wife", and that’s Revelation 21:

Bridal theology is pagan in its origin, and there are many ramifications to this false teaching, not the least of which is the perversion of Scripture.

Jude 1:3-4
3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
 

Jesus often used the marriage paradigm to describe the kingdom of heaven. Not once did Christ ever refer to the church or His followers as a bride, but on the contrary:

Matt 9:14-15
14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. (compare with  Mark 2:19, Luke 5:34)

Bridal Theology is found nowhere is Scripture. It is a false teaching that has its roots in the Roman Church as far back as the third-century A.D.

The church is most often described as Christ's body, but again, never as a "bride".

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There exists a very common argument that the holy city isn’t a structure, but that the saints constitute the holy city. If this were true, then the saints would already be in the city when she came down from heaven.

Let’s examine the passage:

Revelation 21:9-27

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

This city is HUGE, about 1200 miles each way ("length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.")

17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

Here we just saw the materials used, including pure transparent gold. "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful."

22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

What will it be like to experience His light in person? We cannot possibly imagine. I deserve perdiction, were it not for the blood of the Lamb!

24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

Very important "clue" here. Please note the word "shall" (future tense). Who are the "kings"? (Please see Revelation 1:6 for the answer). Notice the other words "into it".

25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

There are the words "shall" and "into it" again.

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Here we see what "shall" NOT "enter" "into it".

Revelation 22:14

14 Blessed are they that [wash their robes in the Lamb’s blood], that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Please notice "may enter in through the gates into the city."

Revelation 22:19

19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Here is the most sobering passage. In essence, if anyone "[takes] away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

Believers have the right to enter in through the gates into the city (the bride, the Lambs wife). By teaching anything contrary one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy- plain and simple.

Revelation 21 and 22 can easily be understood by a child, and Yeshua said, "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." (Mark 10:15)

Please compare with:

Matthew 18:3

Luke 18:17

John 3:3

Most we have met do not believe the literal words of Revelation 21 and 22. They haven’t received the kingdom as a little child. They can’t wrap their brains around the fact that "the bride, the Lamb’s wife" is an actual city as she/it is described in wonderful detail.

The Church is Not the Bride of Christ - The Church is His Body

Rom 12:4-5

4 For as we have many members in one BODY, but all the members do not have the same function,

5 so we, being many, are one BODY in Christ, and individually members of one another.

(NKJ)

1 Cor 10:16-17

16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the BODY of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one BODY; for we all partake of that one bread.

(NKJ)

1 Cor 12:12-13

12 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.

(NKJ)

1 Cor 12:20

20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one BODY.

(NKJ)

Eph 1:22-23

22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,

23 which is His BODY, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

(NKJ)

Eph 2:16

16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one BODY through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

(NKJ)

Eph 4:4

4 There is one BODY and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;

(NKJ)

Eph 4:11_12

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the BODY of Christ,

(NKJ)

Eph 5:23

23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the BODY.

(NKJ)

Eph 5:30

30 For we are members of His BODY, of His flesh and of His bones.

(NKJ)

Col 1:18

18 And He is the head of the BODY, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

(NKJ)

Col 1:24

24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His BODY, which is the church,

(NKJ)

Col 3:15

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one BODY; and be thankful.

(NKJ)

The Roman church started this lie that the church is the bride of The King of kings. This lie has crossed over to what many describe as the so-called protestant church. By and large, the "protestant" church is nothing more than a re-packaged Roman church. This is another topic to be discussed later, but when any church says they are the bride, they also say falsely "I sit a queen (to the King of kings), and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow." (Revelation 18:70)

Prayer:

Father in heaven, you are not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Have mercy on me, a sinner. Forgive me for my folly and rebellion, and account me and mine worthy to escape your wrath about to come upon those who destroy the earth. Please strengthen and guide me through Your Holy Word alone, and please open eyes to the truth of Your Word. We know time is short. Strengthen us to overcome by your power and might alone.

I pray especially for those who read these exhortations. In your name we ask these things. Amen.

More on this later, but please feel free to e-mail any questions.

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