Expert: Phillip Senn - 6/26/2011

Question
Which is bride the of Christ, The new Testament Church or the New Jerusalem?

Answer
Nihal,

Both are technically correct. The church is referred to as having been "espoused to one husbandman". Christ is the head of the church as the man is the head of the woman. Paul said, he spoke of a mystery concerning Christ and the church.

Revelation says the Holy Angel said he would show John the bride of Christ. He then began to show him the New Jerusalem. The reason some teach that the New Jerusalem alone is the bride of Christ, is because they fail to read concerning the rest of the passage speaking of those that enter into it. Apart from those entering into the New Jerusalem, the glory that it has is from the creator, and not from those that have been redeemed. Revelation indicates that the glory that they bring is "the glory of the nations that have been redeemed. It is that glory that shines brighter that the streets of Gold, the gates of jewels. It is the glory that is produced in the nations by the redemption that is found in Christ Jesus himself.

He was glorified on the cross at Calvary. He glorified the Father through His sacrificial atonement for man's sins. Those that have been redeemed make up the body of Christ, the church, and they bring that glory into the New Jerusalem, in honor of the Lamb of God, the one to whom they have been espoused. Thus both the church, and the New Jerusalem have the glory of the Lord, because of the ministering of Christ at Calvary. The church (individuals that are called out) receives the glory of the Lord, and those redeemed bring their glory, that they received from Christ, into the New Jerusalem. Thus, when they are with Him in the New Jerusalem, the church is there, and both have Christ, as their head.

With Love In Christ,
Phillip Senn