It is a common misunderstanding among churches today that the “bride” or “wife of the Lamb” mentioned in the book of Revelation indicates the church or the saints (members of the church). However, this is incorrect. The bride mentioned in Revelation cannot be the church for this reason.

In Revelation 22 it is written that the bride gives the water of life.

Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

The water of life indicates eternal life. The bride mentioned in the book of Revelation is the giver of the water of life, eternal life. Can a church or its members ever give us eternal life? Never. Only God can give the water of life.

In the age of the Father, only God the Father Jehovah could give the water of life.

Jeremiah 2:13 “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me [Jehovah], the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

In the age of the son, too, only the Savior, Jesus, could give the water of life.

John 4:13-14 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

In any age, the Bible consistently teaches that only the Savior can give us the water of life, eternal life. We can never receive eternal life from a church leader, such as a pastor, or from another church member. So, the bride in the book of Revelation who gives the water of life cannot be the church or its members.