What is the Church? | The church is the wife of Christ

The images and the symbolism of marriage apply to Christ and the body of believers known as the church. The church is composed of all those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their personal savior and who have received eternal life. Christ, the husband, with much sacrifice and love, has chosen the church to be his wife (Ephesians 5:25-27). Just as there was a period of getting married in biblical times, during which the bride and groom were separated until the wedding, so the wife of Christ is separated from her husband during the church age. The responsibility of the bride during the betrothal period is to be faithful to him (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:24). In the Second Coming of Christ, the Church will be united with the husband, and the "weddings" will be carried out, and in this way the eternal Union of Christ and his wife will be restored (Revelation 19:7-9; 21:1-2).

In the eternal state, believers will have access to the heavenly city known as the New Jerusalem, which is also called "The Holy City" in Revelation 21:2, 10. The New Jerusalem is not the church, but it has some characteristics of the church. In his vision of the end of time, the Apostle John sees the city descending from the sky adorned "like a bride", implying that the city will be gloriously radiant and the inhabitants of the city, the redeemed of the Lord, will be holy and pure, wearing White robes of holiness and righteousness. Some have misinterpreted verse 9 to imply that the holy city is the Bride of Christ, but that cannot be because Christ died for his people and not for a city. The city is called the wife because it includes all those who are the wife, in the same way that all students in a school are sometimes called "the school."

Believers in Christ Jesus are the wife of Christ, and we look forward to the day when we will be united with our husband. Until then, we remain faithful to him and say with all the redeemed of the Lord: "Come Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20).