Ephesians 5:25–33 (NKJV)

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak of Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Just in case anyone wants to go soft on the meaning of agape in the command for husbands to love your wives, Paul adds, “just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.” That’s total sacrifice.

But it doesn’t stop there. In another (you guessed it) purpose construct Paul gives a new perspective on the point of Christ giving Himself for the church. It’s that He might sanctify and cleanse her.

Then, in yet another purpose construct, Paul tells us that the sanctifying and cleansing are so that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

That’s the endpoint of the whole thing? That’s where the universe is headed? That’s the ultimate purpose of the cross and of the gospel?

Apparently so. What a fantastic vision this is. Everything is leading up to some spectacular end-time event where the church will be involved in a ceremony. Christ will present her to Himself.

We have a tradition where I work. When a guy gets all dressed up and looks great, we like to needle him by saying, “His lawyer says he cleans up real good.” Here Paul says that about the whole church. Christ’s love transforms this ragamuffin gang into something that can be presented not having spot or wrinkle.

And, as it just so happens, Christ is our lawyer.

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/paraclete/

We keep returning to this concept that we’re each a part of a great whole. We get to go to heaven, but the point is the church being holy and without blemish. That’s what Christ will present.

So, we shouldn’t think about our life goals in terms of where we should go, but where the church should go. Think team goals, even as you set your personal goals.

Whether planning projects, evangelism, prayer, financial giving, or even your quiet time consider how your activities fit into the grand plan of making Christ’s church glorious.

The weekly study guides, which include all five devotionals plus related questions for discussion or meditation, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies