Ephesians 5:26-27

"So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word." Ephesians 5:26

Having just told the husband to "love his wife" in the previous verse, it is natural to think this verse would reflect the husbands success, or fruit of that love, but what we read instead, is that "Christ" is whom might sanctify the wife... it is Christ whom is cleansing her by washing her with His Word. So what happened to, "husbands, love your wife"? You see, "this truly is written to the True Christian, because, telling the husband to "love" his wife is assuming that the husband loves Christ and is subject to Christ! It does not mean "taking everything a husband believes to be loving, and then and apply it to his wife". No! I have seen some who read through the scriptures that teach, "we are not capable of producing love... that love is manifested by Christ alone... and through the Holy Spirit", and they will nod their heads "yes"... or even say, "Amen". And then those same individuals will come to a verse that says, "love your wife" or "love one another", and revert right to their own understanding of what love is. It doesn't work that way.

However, the true Christian husband has allowed the leading of the Holy Spirit to direct him as the spiritual head of his wife in God's love. The most obvious thing from this verse is that God's love must lead the husband to be administering the Word of God, because it says, it "cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word". A Godly Husband will then lead his wife in the Word of God. Let's look at the reasoning behind why Christ's washing of God's Word is the focus in real love between husband and wife.

27. "That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy and faultless]."

Christians, we are told by God's Word, that our sins are covered by Christ, and we can trust that this is true! But it's not a smoke and mirror trick that Christ is pulling before God. While God cannot see our sin (because Christ has covered them), Christ has EVERY intention of making good on His covering. We will be reformed... regenerate... we WILL be changed... "in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things".

Let's pick up with Ephesians verse 5:28 next time.

I love you.