That He Might Sanctify and Cleanse It

Dec 28, 2016

Ephesians 5:25 and 26 say, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.”
Thus, the primary role of husbands is to love their wives. And for a better understanding of that we are directed in the Scriptures to learn how the Lord Jesus, quote, “… loved the church, and gave himself for it.”
Specifically, how did He “sanctify and cleanse it”? The Greek word for “sanctify” originates from the word for “holy,” and is almost always translated as “sanctify”, which means “to set apart as holy”.
John 17:17 affirms this, saying, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
In this marvelous verse, God again reminds us that salvation only occurs by the Bible, even as we read in Romans 10:17, “… faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
John 17:19 adds, “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” Hebrews 2:11 also testifies to this same truth: “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.”
The redemption that God has procured for each believer is the greatest miracle in this universe. As we see in Acts 26:18, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

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