… and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
Summary: Paul uses Jesus’ relationship with his church as a model for husbands to follow in their relationships with their wives.
When we dissect Paul’s writing like we do here, it is easy to lose sight of where we started. This passage began with “Husbands, lover your wives.” Paul is talking to husbands and instructing them how to love their wives. The example he uses is Jesus and his love for the church.
The church is described in different ways in Scripture. Sometimes Paul calls it the “body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12). Just a few verses earlier, Paul compared husbands to Christ as the “head of the church, his body” (Ephesians 5:23). In our passage today, the church is metaphorically Jesus’ bride.
The bride analogy is something we can all relate to. When we go to a wedding, we expect that the bride has made herself as beautiful as possible. If the bride arrived drunk, soaked in vomit and mud, and smelling like a cheap bar, there probably wouldn’t be a wedding that day.
In Ezekiel, chapter sixteen, the prophet describes Israel as a girl who grows into womanhood and is taken for a wife by God. God cleans her up and gives her fine clothes and jewelry, but Israel proves herself unworthy, turning away from God to worship idols instead. (God calls this “prostitution.”) We are no better than Israel, but we do have a savior in Jesus Christ. Not only does he clean us up and give us the means to look presentable, but he gives us himself as well (John 15:26).
All of us are sinners (Romans 3:23), but we are not defined by our sin. Instead, we are defined by our Savior, who cleanses us from all sin (Ephesians 5:26). How does he do this? Paul says we have been washed “through the word.” The Word is Jesus (John 1:1), and the “word” is the story of Jesus. It is the power of Jesus to forgive makes us “radiant,” without “stain or wrinkle.”
This is not something we can take for granted. We cannot harbor evil in our hearts and expect God to whitewash our sins on the outside. That is not what happens. The radiant church is fully alive to Christ. Its members acknowledge their sin, confess it, and repent, turning away from the dark deeds done in the past and turning towards a new life in Jesus, holy and blameless.
Application: Examine your wedding clothes. Are they without stain or blemish?
Food for Thought: How are husbands supposed to “wash” their wives in the way that Christ washes the church?
I think the key is to follow Jesus’ lead. He served the church, cherished the church, sacrificed for the church. We are to love our wives as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5: 25). I think the washing will be connected to service just like Christ washing His disciples feet was an example to follow. If we as husbands can emulate that kind of service and devotion with our wives it will lead to a healthy relationship.
Thanks Rich!
Nicely said. 🙂
I agree with Rich. Love and cherish as Christ did. Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger, so we can give a respectful answers balanced in truth and grace. Offer ourselves as living sacrifice to God, so that light and love shines through.
I reckon to say it metaphorically: “wash” with the living water that is held in the vessel of the heart.
Chris,
You’re a poet! 🙂
And yes, I agree that being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger is key to the health of any relationship, but especially marriage.
09-14-2023, How are husbands supposed to “wash” their wives in the way that Christ washes the church?
Is it possible only Christ in us. Christ who is THE power to wash away sins, washes the church, is the power in husbands who wash’s their wives?
Husbands, are to love our wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. We have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us. We now live in the flesh by faith in the Son of God who loved and gave himself for us. In Christ, we are a new creation. The old has passed away and the new has come, knowing the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, called to be filled up to all the fullness of God, and do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Ephesians 5:25, Galatians 2:20, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 3:19, Philippians 4:13
Ron,
You have opened the door to a very interesting thought!
You bring to mind 1 Corinthians 7:14 —
“For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.”
If children are made holy through their believing parent(s), and unbelieving spouses through a believing spouse, how much more a believing spouse?
I think you are onto something here Jeff!
Blessings!
Ron