SCRIPTURE
“Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” Ephesians 5:24-27 (NIV).
MESSAGE
The Church is called the Bride of Christ and Christ is the Head of the Church. Paul in the above scripture was talking about Christ and the church and metaphorically compared it to the husband and the wife. The Lord Jesus Christ’s love for His bride, “the Church”, was expressed by how He gave Himself for her. “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word” Ephesians 5:26. Jesus loved the Church and gave Himself up for her as its Savior (John 3:16). The Bride is to submit to the authority and Lordship of Christ (the bridegroom) to be nurtured and enriched in every way.
The goal of Christ is to sanctify His Bride “and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” Ephesians 5:27. We are talking about the love of the Lord Jesus for the church (His bride). Nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35-37). In talking about the Church as the Bride, Apostle Paul said, “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him” 2 Corinthians 11:2 (NIV). You are married to one Husband, the Lord Jesus Christ, and you are to remain faithful and loyal, waiting in anticipation for the glorious day to be united with Him forever.
PRAYER / CONFESSION
Dear Father, I am grateful for the honor of being groomed by Christ to present me to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. I receive grace to follow Christ as the Shepherd of my life in the name of the Lord of Jesus.
WISDOM NUGGET
“For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.”Isaiah 54:5 (KJV)