A Glorious Church without Spot or Wrinkle Ephesians 5:27

Paul the apostle instructed the “husbands” within the church of Ephesus to “love” their “wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it”. In chapter five and verse twenty-seven of his letter, Paul wrote about the way His bride was to be a“a glorious church without spot or wrinkle” where we read:

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle,

or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The verse begins, “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle,or any such thing;” Paul began with the phrase, “that he might present” or “place beside or near, set at hand, proffer or provide” “it” which refers to “the church” “to himself” which refers to Jesus Christ “a glorious church” which means “good, of great esteem and high repute, illustrious, honorable, notable, and splendid assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting”, “not having spot” or “fault, moral blemish, defect, disgrace or stain”, “or wrinkle” which means “that which is drawn together and contracted”, “or any such thing” which refers to “anything of this kind or sort”. Jesus desires a “illustrious and honorable” church that doesn't have “faults or defects” that would “disgrace” it.

The verse goes on to say, “but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Paul continued with the word, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction which means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was previously stated, “moreover, nevertheless and nonetheless” “that it should be holy” or “sacred, morally blameless or religiously and ceremonially consecrated” “and without blemish” which means “without rebuke, faultless and unblameable”. Jesus desired for His bride, the church, to be completely “sacred and morally blameless” “without fault and blame”, and His provision of the “word of God” would insure this to be.

When we consider these words of Paul, we understand his example of Jesus' purpose, resolve and love for His bride to be a “holy” church. “Husbands” are to “love their wives” in the same manner. Paul's idea was to demonstrate to “husbands” the standard by which they are to “love” their “wives” and the purpose for “washing” their “wives” “by the word” of God. May the Lord Jesus by His Holy Spirit help all “husbands” to know the importance of exposing their “wives” to “God's word”, and may “wives” know the “holiness” and “sacredness” that lies within it.

Next time Paul shares how “men ought to love their wives as their own body”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.