“that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:27)
The church is the bride of Christ and Ephesians chapter six says that Jesus wishes for His bride to be as beautiful and glorious as she can. It is as if He bought her the best clothes, paid for her to go the finest spas, and provided her with the highest quality of lotions and perfumes so that she could be seen as the very best and purest version of herself.
The imagery is of a groom that desires to help his bride be her best and will pay any price to proudly present her to the world in the best of lights. This is a model for how every husband ought to treat his wife. The purity of her reputation and presentation to the world is his concern and worthy of his sacrifice and effort.
It is also a reminder that Jesus has done that for us. Jesus paid the ultimate price to cleanse us and present us as holy and blameless. We are clean because He has made us that way.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
Today’s Reading: Ephesians 5:22-33
Questions to ask:
- How is Paul feeling as he writes today’s passage? What is his mood?
- What are the central themes in Paul’s preaching and teaching which are being emphasized, or how are the central themes in this epistle being emphasized in today’s reading?
- How does our reading show Paul’s people skills, especially how he handles conflict?
- What in this passage would change the lives of the believer(s) being addressed? How does it make me a better disciple?
- How does this show the “good news” of the gospel? How can I share that with someone else?
This year, #Biblebites are following the life and writings of Paul. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2023-vision