I wasn't taking about John the Baptist, but those who were going to Jesus which is what prompted John to say "the bride belongs to the Bridegroom" ergo, everyone who was going to Jesus. Also, just because Peter, John and James were an inner circle, does not support that the bride is only made up of select believers. That's why I said, where are your scriptures to support this? Consider the following scripture:
"Let us rejoice and celebrate and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. She was given clothing of fine linen, linen bright and pure." For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints."
Regarding the above and according to what you are claiming, not every believer will receive their fine linen at the wedding of the Lamb. For the scripture above has only the bride at the wedding of the Lamb. However, the scripture states that the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints, which would include all believers.
Please provide scriptures that specifically divide common believers from the bride. The entire church is the bride and will be present at the wedding of the Lamb to receive her fine linen. Revelation 19:14 also shows the bride following Christ out of heaven riding on white horses and wearing that same fine linen. This is will be the entire church, for scripture states that when Christ returns to the earth to end the age, with him will be His "called, chosen and faithful followers."
"They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” - Rev.17:14
"Let us rejoice and celebrate and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. She was given clothing of fine linen, linen bright and pure." For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints."
Regarding the above and according to what you are claiming, not every believer will receive their fine linen at the wedding of the Lamb. For the scripture above has only the bride at the wedding of the Lamb. However, the scripture states that the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints, which would include all believers.
Please provide scriptures that specifically divide common believers from the bride. The entire church is the bride and will be present at the wedding of the Lamb to receive her fine linen. Revelation 19:14 also shows the bride following Christ out of heaven riding on white horses and wearing that same fine linen. This is will be the entire church, for scripture states that when Christ returns to the earth to end the age, with him will be His "called, chosen and faithful followers."
"They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” - Rev.17:14
I know you said you weren't talking about John the Baptist, but I was because he was a believer in Jesus Christ and declared Jesus to be The Lamb of God, yet you pointed out that he was not called to follow Jesus as the disciples of Christ were, and he referred to himself as the "friend" of the bridegroom, so I think the point you're making is that John the Baptist should be excluded from this discussion because although he was a believer, he was not a "follower" of Jesus Christ and therefore, cannot be considered. So, in this case, it appears there is a difference between a "believer" and a "follower" of Jesus Christ.
Scripture does tell us that the bride has to "make herself ready," which we know has NOTHING to do with salvation which leads me to the 7 letters in Revelation which pertain to overcoming certain obstacles.
Also, the parable of the 10 virgins is about the bride "making herself ready."
You asked me for a specific scripture that makes a division between believers and the bride. I do not know of a scripture that specifically says there is a distinction between believers/followers of Christ and the bride.
I think we agree that all followers of Jesus Christ are the Body of Christ, also known as the Church according to Paul in
Ephesians 5:23
For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
As I searched for scripture regarding the bride, guess what I found out?!
The bride of Christ is not in scripture, the "bride" and "wife" are only referred to as the Lamb's bride or the Lamb's wife. Why do you suppose that is?
We know Jesus is the Lamb of God, but why refer to His bride or wife as belonging to the Lamb?