Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
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Jesus is referred to as the "Bridegroom" several times in the Bible. When he comes again, we are told, Jesus the Bridegroom will be returning for his "Bride".
The body of Christ is comprised of both wise and foolish children of God. The "Bride of Christ", however, is comprised only of the wise. God's family is made up of "as many as the Lord our God shall call". But the Bride is made up of those who are "called, chosen, and faithful." Everyone in God's family is born again and everyone who is born again has the hope of salvation; still, not everyone born again will be saved. Some will "draw back into perdition [destruction]" (Heb. 10:39). Some will "return to the vomit" of their former sins (2Pet. 2:22). Some will be lured away from holiness when a desire for other things enters into their unstable hearts (Mk. 4:19). All members of God's family are in the race, but some will not receive the crown of life (1Cor. 9:24-27), either because they failed to walk in the law of the Spirit of life (2Tim. 2:5) or because one of Satan's ministers stole their hope (cp. 2Cor. 11:13-15 and Rev. 3:11).
The assembly of saints is not the Bride of Christ. The Bride of Christ are the faithful ones in God's family. "Be thou faithful unto death," Jesus said, "and I will give thee a crown of life." Only those in the body of Christ who are faithful to Jesus will be saved in the end.
When the day arrives for the Bridegroom's marriage, a mighty commandment will echo through the corridors of heaven. John was there, in the future, in a vision when the servants of God in heaven were commanded to rejoice: "And a voice came out of the throne, saying 'Praise our God, all ye His servants, and ye that fear Him, both small and great.' And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, 'Alleluia! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth! Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready!' And to her [the Bride] was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints."
Jesus told his disciples, "It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." If you want to give God pleasure in return, then prepare yourself to be in the Bride of Christ. Prepare yourself to receive the blessings of God, and He will rejoice to give them to you.
John continues: "And he saith to me, 'Write! Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" Amen! The faithful will be blessed! And God will be, too! We often speak of how happy we shall be on the day when Jesus leads us to his Marriage Supper, but have you ever contemplated on how happy God the Father will be on that day? On the day that His Son Jesus rejoices with his Bride, there will be a joy filling all of creation such as eternity has never seen, both in God and in us.
Being in the family of God is His greatest blessing to man on earth, but to be numbered among "the Bride" at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will be a blessing far greater than that.