Interesting questions grasshopper. I have never thought to question this, but it is good to do so.
I would like to quote Ephesians 5:25-27. Hopefully this has not already been discussed. Sorry if it has.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
Here are some points I can glean from this scripture:
- Here we can see that Christ loves the church similar to a husband loving his wife. If so, then the husband needs to marry his wife before they are consider husband and wife. Perhaps the Church is in the dating stage of the relationship. If so, then there is no guarantee of a marriage until you are at the Wedding itself.
- While our sins are forgiven by the blood of the lamb instantly, will the Church will be presented as a radiant church instantly? Is there a process of discipline and learning that will get the Church there?
Sometimes I think that the sacrifice of Christ makes it possible, but it still requires those to receive it and to act upon it before radiance or glory is achieved. Notice the words “cleansing her by the washing with water through the word”. Is that instant or is it from reading the Word and letting it renew us that this happens? Regardless, the Church is likened to a wife. If that is the case, then Christ has a wife (the Church) and he also marries his bride giving him two wives in this scenario. Or is it what most already believe that the Church inherits the city? Often when a man and woman marry, their dwelling is an important point of consideration.
That said, I will try and find a reason in scripture (besides what you have already pointed out above) that indicates that the bride is not church. Off the top of my head we know that Jesus has sheep from another pen. This is traditionally thought of as the Jews and the Gentiles. Further he says they will become one flock and we do read that there is neither Jew nor Gentile in Christ. But there always the possibility that he was talking about something else.
