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Christ and The Church
The special topic this issue deals with the church. Certainly one of the most
thought-provoking passages in the New Testament dealing with Christ and His
church is found in Ephesians 5:22-33 where the relationship between a husband
and wife are compared with the relationship between Jesus and His church.
A part of that context reads as follows:
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the
church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed
her with the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself
the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but
that she should be holy and blameless." (Ephesians 5:25-27).
Crucial aspects of God's plan of salvation are revealed in this passage:
Christ loved the church; (His people)
Christ gave Himself up for the church
Christ did this so that He might sanctify His people
Christ cleansed His people
This cleansing took place with the washing of water and the word
A goal of this cleansing was the removal of spots and wrinkles
Another goal was that His people might be holy and blameless
By Jon W. Quinn
From Expository Files 2.9; September, 1995
