Describe Him: Sanctifier

 "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish."  (Ephesians 5:25-27)

Here in Ephesians 5:25-27, Paul paints details into how a husband is to love his wife by giving us the supreme example of Christ's glorious relationship with His Bride.  Paul exhorts husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the Church. 

How did He love the Church?

Christ loved the Church to the extent that He laid down His life for Her.

In my mind's eye, these verses portray a groom waiting at the end of the aisle, anxiously anticipating his bride to appear in the doorway, resplendent in a spotless gown of white .

From the context of this passage, we understand that the Groom is Christ.  

His Bride is the Church. 

However, instead of having the gorgeous, spotless, pressed, pure white gown all brides should wear, this elect Bride only has one scrap of clothing to wear: it is filthy and stained, foul and and torn, unsuccessfully covering her nakedness. 

The Bride stands there, unaware of her own state of wretchedness and utterly incapable of doing anything about it, even if she were aware of her vile state. 

Christ, the Groom, knows such unholy apparel warrants nothing less than eternal judgment.  

         But He loves her.  

         Oh how He loves Her. 

And it was this love that took Him to the cross.  

It was on the cross then, that He became the Sanctifier:  Paul says that "[Christ] gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her." (vs. 26) [emphasis added]

His Bride's sanctification was the goal of Christ's death.  It plainly says so in verse 26.

This was the purpose of His death on the cross: to make holy His Bride's vile garment, to free His Bride from the shameful stain of sin that has defined her to the very core of her being since the very beginning of her existence. 

But the price tag for such a Garment was costly.

          He loves Her. 

          Oh how He loves Her.  

And so He willingly paid the price: He laid down His life and became the Sanctifier of His Bride, the Church.

 

He loved Her so much that He gave His life in order to present to Himself with a Bride "without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing."  (vs. 27)

He gave His life so that He might have a Bride "holy and without blemish." (vs. 27)

Yes, Christ's Bride was robed in filthy rags, and Christ saw those rags.

But He loved Her anyway.

 

And when He became the Sanctifier, He tore off those filthy rags, so stained and wretched, torn and rank, and replaced them with the pure garment of His Holy Righteousness.

And now He stands at the end of the aisle, waiting for His  Beloved Bride, whom He has sanctified with His own blood.  

And oh how unequivocally beautiful She is now, standing there, dressed in all the splendor of His divine righteousness. 

There are no wrinkles or stains on this pure and holy Wedding Dress. 

There is only divine splendor. (vs. 27) 

Yes, if you have trusted Christ as your Savior, you are a part of the Church.

Yes, we were that Bride, standing there in shame, but now we are clothed in His righteousness.  

Aren't you glad He is the Sanctifier?