Who Is the Bride of Christ? 

Is Israel the Bride of Christ? 

Here are five arguments that some Christians use to claim “the church is NOT the bride of Christ”!

These are the actual reasons they give, which I will summarize cleanly so you can see the logic behind their conclusion. 

Reason Number 1.

 Some Christians say that the bride is Israel, as in natural Israel, the Jewish people, and NOT the church.

This is the most common argument.

Here is what they claim and the verses they use:

• God is married to Israel. (Isaiah 54, Jeremiah 3, Hosea 2)

• Israel is the wife of Yahweh.

• Therefore, they conclude that the “bride of the Lamb” must be the redeemed Israel and not the church.

Why they think this matters:  

If Israel is the bride, then the church is a separate group. This fits the OSAS and dispensational charts where Israel and the church never mix.

Reason Number 2. 

They say Revelation 21 shows the bride is a city, and a city is not people.

They point to this verse in Revelation 21:

“Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife… and he showed me the holy city, New Jerusalem.”

And they argue:

• The bride is a city.

• The city represents Israel.

• Therefore the church cannot be the bride.

To me, this argument is very weak. 

• The whole city came out to meet Jesus in Matthew 8:34. And many other verses in the New Testament refer to “people” as being the city.

• Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all, according to Galatians 4:26.

• At the very first, the Church consisted ONLY of converted people from Israel, which the Bible calls the Jews.

Again, their argument is not logical in the light of the whole word of Almighty God but they use it heavily in spite of not seeing that people make up a city.

Reason Number 3. 

They say John the Baptist called himself a “friend of the bridegroom,” and thus, he is not part of the bride.

They argue the following three points:

• John was the greatest born of women.

• Yet he said he was only a “friend” of the bridegroom.

• Therefore, the bride must be a special group distinct from OT saints and NT believers

This is used to create multiple classes of saved people. And again, these arguments seem to come from OSAS teachers which need to support their system.

All three statements are true, but their logic fails to see that the church began after the cross, which was after the death of John the Baptist. Please understand that I am not saying that Israel will never be a part of the Bride of Christ. Rather, I am saying that those found righteous in the Old Testament may not be given eternal life until the end of the Millennium.

Reason Number 4. 

They say Paul never directly calls the church “the bride”

They argue:

• Ephesians 5 compares marriage to Christ and the church.

• But Paul never uses the word “bride”.

• Therefore, they conclude that the church is only “like” a bride, not “the” bride

This is a technical argument, but they use it to claim the church is only the “body,” and not the “bride.”

Reason Number 5. 

They say the bride is a reward group, and not all believers in Jesus as the Messiah.

This is a newer teaching in OSAS circles.

They claim:

• All believers are “saved”.

• But only the faithful, overcoming believers become “the bride”.

• The rest are “guests” at the wedding.

This argument creates some major problems:

• Saved but not faithful.

• Saved but not overcoming Christians.

• Saved but not part of the bride.

Again, this fits OSAS theology, because it allows them to say:

• “You can be saved even if you don’t endure unto the end to obtain any reward. And thus, you just lose rewards.”

Why these arguments appeal to OSAS teachers.

This is important, because the church being the bride of Christ actually refutes the theology that a Christians can never be found unworthy to receive eternal life at the coming of Jesus.

For you see, if the church is indeed the bride of Christ, then therefore:

• The bride must be pure.

• The bride must be faithful.

• The bride must be without any spot or wrinkle.

• The bride must be ready.

• The bride must endure unto the end to be saved.

And all these things directly contradict the OSAS theology that a Christians can never lose their salvation.

Therefore, by separating “church” from “bride” allows them to say:

• “You can be saved but not faithful.”

• “You can be saved but not endure.”

• “You can be saved but not be the bride.”

It protects their system of belief that it is impossible for a Christian to lose Eternal Life.

The Biblical counterpoints on the other hand are very simple, and very strong.

Biblical Answer Number 1. 

Paul says the church is the bride, and he says it directly.

Ephesians 5:25–32.

First of all, Paul quotes Genesis 2 saying, “the two shall become one flesh”, and says:

“This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”

Paul is not giving an analogy, he is revealing a mystery that the church is the bride by saying, the TWO shall become one. In other words, Christ and the church shall become ONE in unity and in agreement. And this agrees with the words of Jesus is John 17:22-26 where we shall become ONE with God and Jesus even as Jesus and the Father are ONE.

Biblical Answer Number 2. 

Revelation 19 says the bride are the righteous saints.

“The fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

Not unsaved Israel.

Not a physical city made of non living substance.

Not a separate reward group of Christians, where all other Christians who are not found ready still receive eternal life to live on the earth and only lose their reward of ruling and reigning with Jesus.

Biblical Answer Number 3. 

The saints and who they are.

The New Jerusalem is a symbol of the people who inhabit it. And it will only the saints, the ones found worthy, who will enter into the City of God, according to Revelation 22:14,15.

So then, just like:

• The temple = True born-again Christians.

• The body = True born-again Christians.

• The city above in heaven = True born-again Christians.

• Believers in Jesus still alive = True born-again Christians.

Prove that the bride is not a literal building. Can you not see that the OSAS argument number 2 is NOT Logical? They are actually saying the ISRAEL is a building by saying that the church is NOT a building. They are saying that Israel is a City, but the Church is NOT a City, based on their reasoning that PEOPLE are NOT a City. Well, that would consequently mean that NO PEOPLE are the bride of Christ, because Israel is a PEOPLE.

Here is the OSAS reason 2 again:

Reason Number 2. 

They say Revelation 21 shows the bride is a city, and a city is not people.

Biblical Answer Number 4. 

The Lamb marries those He redeemed with His blood

Revelation 5:9,10. 

The Lamb purchased:

• every tribe.

• every nation.

• every tongue.

• Every race of people.

• And NOT just the one nation of Israel.

And the redeemed who BELIEVE are the church, the BODY of Christ. None of UNSAVED Israel are SAVED. Will every Jew be saved? Will the Jews who heard the Gospel and rejected Jesus until the day they died be saved? Will the Jew who blasphemed the Holy Spirit and never repented be saved?

Biblical Answer Number 5. 

There is only one body, one Spirit, one hope.

Ephesians 4:4

If the church is the body of Christ, and the bride becomes “one flesh” with Christ, then the body and bride cannot be two different groups.

To summarize the MOTIVE behind the teaching that the Church is NOT the bride of Christ, here are a few points to ponder.

Some teach that the church is not the bride because they want to keep Israel and the church separate for a reason.

One reason is because they see a reward group of Christians and another group of Christians that lose their reward, but they are still saved. And the “Bride” of Christ seemed to them like a good way to try to prove to themselves and others that Christians do not have to endure unto the end in order to be saved and receive eternal life.

But Scripture consistently identifies the church as being the redeemed saints. And the redeemed in Christ are clearly identified as the bride. 

Paul calls the union of Christ and the church the ‘great mystery’ of marriage (Eph. 5:32). 

Revelation says the bride is clothed in the righteous deeds of the saints (Rev. 19:8). 

The Lamb marries those He redeemed with His blood (Rev. 5:9). 

There are 14 verses that have the word “bride” in them, and all 14 verses point to the Church as being that Bride.

Let’s examine them more closely, starting with the New Testament.

John 3:38,39.

“You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am NOT the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 

(John is saying that he is NOT the CHRIST. John is NOT saying that he is NOT the bride and never shall ever be the bride. John rejoices greatly because he HEARS the bridegroom’s voice. We who BELIEVE are also called the FRIENDS of Jesus.)

John 3:29  He that has the bride is the bridegroom: but (Can also be translated and MOREOVER) the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 

This verse does NOT prove that the FRIENDS of Jesus cannot be the Bride of Christ. Rather, it supports that the “friends” of Jesus will stand and HEAR the voice of Jesus, and OBEY the teachings and commandments of Jesus. 

Revelation 18:23 teaches that the voice of the Bridegroom and the Bride are the SAME LIGHT and the SAME VOICE.

Revelation 21:2 teaches us about the CITY, the New Jerusalem, coming down to the NEW Earth after the old earth passes away at the end of the Millennial Reign of Jesus and the Saints. And at that time the MARRIAGE of the Lamb will be COMPLETED.

Revelation 21:9 now says  the Lamb’s WIFE instead of the Bride of Christ.

Revelation 22:17. The context is Jesus speaking to the churches. And the Spirit and the bride say, COME. A call of the gospel to come a drink of the living water.

I do not see any of these five New Testament verses as being Israel.

Let’s take a closer look at the nine Old Testament verses.

Isaiah 49:18. This whole chapter is about the Messiah feeling that his work to gather Israel was in vain. In verse 18, Yahweh assures the Messiah that he shall surely clothe himself will ALL of THEM. 

Now, one could twist the word of God to argue that this verse has nothing whatsoever to do with the church. The Christians who wrongly teach that salvation is ONLY for the Jews twist many Old Testament verses to do the same thing.

The meanings of the Hebrew words can be understood as, Love them as you would love a bride. This is Israel that rejected Jesus during this present age, but shall desire his help to save them from their future captures in the coming war.

Isaiah 61:10 teaches us the BOTH the Bridegroom and the Bride are clothed with the Salvation of Yahweh.

Therefore, the BRIDE is speaking of those who are SAVED. And Israel is not yet saved. The remnant of Israel shall be saved at the coming of Jesus, but they will remain as mortal humans to bear children during the 1000 years from generation to generation. 

In other words, each generation will be TAUGHT of the Yahweh and His Messiah. Thus, salvation will be taught to Israel throughout every generation during the Millennial reign of Jesus and the Saints, who are the “nursing kings” back in Isaiah 49:21.

Isaiah 62:5 teaches us that the sons who are pure like a virgin will be the bride of the Messiah. And only becoming a true born-again Christian makes us pure and holy. So, this verse is not speaking of unsaved Israel.

Jeremiah 32:2. This verse teaches us that no one who forgets God, not Israel nor a Christian that forgets God can be a bride. Therefore, the unfaithful Christians and Jews will not be a part of the Bride of Christ at his coming.

Jeremiah 7:34 is what Revelation 18:23 quotes, which teaches that the voice of the Bridegroom and the Bride are the SAME LIGHT and the SAME VOICE.

Jeremiah 16:8 is also what Revelation 18:23 quotes, which teaches that the voice of the Bridegroom and the Bride are the SAME LIGHT and the SAME VOICE.

Jeremiah 25:10 repeats what Jeremiah 32:2; 7:34; and 16:8 say that is quoted inRevelation 18:23 quotes, which teaches that the voice of the Bridegroom and the Bride are the SAME LIGHT and the SAME VOICE. And the next verse in Jeremiah is the same.

Jeremiah 33:11 is again what Revelation 18:23 quotes, which teaches that the voice of the Bridegroom and the Bride are the SAME LIGHT and the SAME VOICE. 

Joel 2:16. This is the only verse in the whole Bible with the word “bride” in it that is speaking of natural Israel to REPENT or turn from her evil.

But, when we move down to the context in verse 22,23, we can see that both the fig tree and the VINE are the children of Zion. And the time of the fulfillment of this chapter is at the sounding of the trumpet at the coming of Jesus. 

Therefore, Joel 2:16 does not prove that the Church is NOT the bride. But rather, it proves the SAVED Israel or Israel that REPENTS is ALSO a part of the Bride of Christ.

There is no biblical basis for separating the church from being the bride of Christ.

Thanks for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. 

And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. 

Once Christians, Jews, Muslims, and even atheists understand the REASON that Yahweh CREATED the Son of MAN, Jesus, was to have DOMINION over the work of Yahweh’s hands. 

And after you understand that the REASON that Yahweh did that is to STILL His ENEMIES, Satan and the fallen angels. 

Then you can understand that God made His human Son to become “a” Lord, “a” King, and “a” God, under and subject to his God and Father in order to JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels. 

For a deeper understanding of this WAR that Lucifer and one third of the angels waged against the throne of Almighty God, please read the studies under the subject category called ** Q-0 Why Are We Here?  Is God at WAR? **.

More studies are coming in this SHORTER Biblical Unitarian view of who Jesus is according to the WHOLE word of God. 

If you have a PARTICULAR verse of Scripture that you would like to know the sound Biblical Unitarian meaning, then please email me at MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail.com and let me know.

For further and more in-depth studies on this subject of Jesus being created to STILL the enemies of Yahweh, please read the studies called D-25. A NEW LOOK at JOHN 1:1, In the BEGINNING! 

And also read the study called D-28. The PRE-ADAMIC LUCIFERIAN FLOOD! 

At the top of my homepage, there are subjects or categories which contain compiled lists of ** ALL Studies! ** I have written on that particular subject. So, if a link within a study is broken, then click on ** ALL Studies! ** to find the suggested study.

Or you can scroll down to the MORE dropdown menu list to find those studies as well. 

Thanks again for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. 

And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. 

And again, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading ** D-0 The BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of Jesus! **

And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading ** C-0 The TRUE FOUNDATION of the Church! ** 

This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.

Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Brother Mark.

My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century. 

So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament. 

To learn more TRUTH, then please return to:

My HOMEPAGE at

AMatterOfTruth

Or

Type in the SEARCH bar

Mark At A Matter Of Truth

Or

The Church of the Firstborn of God

Also, here is the MASTER Menu List of my 12 NEW BOOKS with LINKS to all of the chapters in those eight new books.

Click here to learn HOW to use the Microsoft Edge reading aloud feature, so that you can LISTEN to my studies being read aloud to you!

Always be faithful to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ!