Who Is The Bride of Christ?

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. Matthew 22:2

The King here in this parable is God and the King’s Son is Jesus. Jesus tells us that our Father is going to throw a party for Him and His Bride. The question here for us is: who is Jesus’ Bride?

Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching, That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. John 17:20-23

Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself. She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white--for the fine linen is (signifies, represents) the righteousness (the upright, just, and godly living, deeds, and conduct, and right standing with God) of the saints (God's holy people). Revelation 19:7-8

The Bride of Christ is all of us who have been chosen by God to be one with Jesus. The important thing to remember as we study about the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is that those of us who are the Bride, were chosen by God to be the Bride. Just as our Father chose Jesus to be the Groom, we have been chosen by God to be the Bride.

And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [them all] up at the last day. John 6:39

No one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him and gives him the desire to come to Me, and [then] I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day. John 6:44

For many are called (invited and summoned), but few are chosen. Matthew 22:14

And He said, This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted him [unless he is enabled to do so] by the Father. John 6:65

And Peter answered them, Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is to and for you and your children, and to and for all that are far away, [even] to and for as many as the Lord our God invites and bids to come to Himself. Acts 2:38-39

And the children were yet unborn and had so far done nothing either good or evil. Even so, in order further to carry out God's purpose of selection (election, choice), which depends not on works or what men can do, but on Him Who calls [them], It was said to her that the elder [son] should serve the younger [son]. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated (held in relative disregard in comparison with My feeling for Jacob). Romans 9:11-13

When Jesus spoke this parable the tradition was that the father of the groom chose the bride for his son. The glorious Truth for us is that we do not first call on Jesus to be our Lord, our Father first calls and chooses us to be saved. We were called and chosen to be the Bride before the world ever was created.

But when He, Who had chosen and set me apart [even] before I was born and had called me by His grace (His undeserved favor and blessing), saw fit and was pleased Galatians 1:15

This is so glorious, because it means that our Father knew all of our faults and weaknesses before He ever chose us. None of that matters, only the grace of God matters, and we have been given God’s free grace as He has called and chosen us to be His Son’s Bride.