May 25, 2025

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by 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 would be holy and blameless.”

Ephesians 5:25-27

This passage aims to exhort men to love their wives as Christ loves His church, while explicitly describing how our Lord loves us.

Christ’s love is a selfless act of giving Himself to sanctify us. His love is proactive. It transforms us by sanctifying us, removing our sins, guilt, and shame, and making us holy and blameless in His sight. Ultimately, His love glorifies us, so we may be presented to Him as His glorious, blameless bride with great joy.

As an old pastor once told me, when we stand before God in heaven, our robes of righteousness will not be off-white but pure white, clothed in His righteousness.

In marriage, all that belongs to the husband becomes the bride’s, and all that belongs to the bride becomes the groom’s. Similarly, Christ takes our sin, guilt, shame, and death as His own because He loves us and can fully address them. In return, He gives us His righteousness, obedience, and eternal life, so we may be with Him forever, blameless and filled with great joy.