The Bride of Jesus Christ

The ultimate prize in the New Heaven and the New Earth will be to those that are His Bride and that inherit an estate in New Jerusalem. The majority of the saints are woefully ignorant of this reward and the cost of such an exceptional honor. The golden city of New Jerusalem will be the light of the universe and its residence will have His name stamped in their appearance. They will have a new name that expresses their family relationship to the Bridegroom. The Bridegroom and His Bride will be held in the highest honor throughout the New Earth and the New Heavens. Jesus Christ revealed to John a small window into this mystery. John reported this picture in these following words. “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” (Revelation 21:24).

New Jerusalem is the BrideÂ’s gift from the Bridegroom. These saints were not just saved as is true with every believer; they have forsaken all to follow Him. They have made the ultimate sacrifice to be His chosen, and they shall not be disappointed. The Apostle Paul warned us of the cost of losing the great rewards available to the believers. He said, “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). Such a warning ought to fill us with the fear of God and a passion to pay the total price of discipleship.

Toward the end of this letter to Corinth and the saints, the author Paul reminded us that all the saints would receive different rewards. The writer, by the Holy Ghost, was describing our future resurrection. He declared “But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:38, 40-42a). Never in the Scripture are His saints treated like a nameless multitude. We are individual, and we will be treated by our Lord as special and unique, and our resurrection and reward will reflect an exact equality with our labor and sacrifice. God’s great universe will not be filled with copycat saints but with His eternally redeemed family, every glorified person with their own reward.

When Jesus Christ was speaking specifically of the Bride—as Matthew recorded in chapter twenty-two—He ended His great explanation concerning our being ready and dressed in bridal attire by stating, “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). Every saint of God is called because there is only one foundation, but how we build upon that foundation is the duty of each believer. The Word of God clearly warns, “But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon” (1 Corinthians 3:10). We are saved by grace alone, but we will be rewarded by our works alone. There will be no benefactors to slip your name in under the cover. A closing warning is repeated in the last chapter of the last book. “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” (Revelation 22:19). Here is a believer that had a part in the Holy City (the Bride) but who lost it because they denied “the words [or part of the words] of the book of this prophecy.”

Every saint is called to be part of the Bride. The highest honor of redemption is the prize that is ordained for one and all. The Blood that washed each and every soul knows no restriction to a lesser honor. We are called to the glory of a Bride dressed and prepared for the Bridegroom. Our surrender to such an honor is a decision made in the secret chambers of the human heart. Apostle Paul, who described the rewards to his readers, also set his own heart on the ultimate prize. He said, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). The Bride will be a “beauty” of ever marvelous grace. The Lord Jesus Christ is, as I write, preparing a church for Himself. “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27). Her beauty is equal to His prepared city where this Bride will dwell with the Bridegroom. He and His Bride together will welcome the New Earth’s multitudes to visit this transcendent golden city that lights the universe.