THE CHRISTIAN'S PURITY PT 4

EPHESIANS 5:25-33

As we have seen from Ephesians or any other of Paul’s writings, he utilizes run on – run long sentences – often without punctuation or pause – but this closing on chapter 5 – Paul gets concise – short sentences – specific word choices – he wants us to pay close attention to the words God gave him – especially these words when it regards marriage – biblical marriage.

Chapter 5 has taken us on a rollercoaster of a ride regarding the Christian life –

We discussed the Christlike life and if we don’t live a Christlike life, we will fall into the corrupt life. Living in a corrupt life leads to a confused life. We see the confusion sweeping our nation as people are confused even scientifically speaking what marriage is, what a woman is, what a man is, what life is, what gender is.

BUT – if we live the Christlike life that leads to a cleansed life and a cleansed life leads to a consecrated life. We have been talking about these last two over the last two weeks – and a consecrated life leads to the Christian Love – and this last part – the Christian Love contains some controversial verses – verses that have been taken out of context to justify certain actions and behaviors –

When I do weddings, I use these verses if the couple allows – during the ceremony. We start with 1 Corinthians 13 then we do vows then I read this charge to the couple – and I will be using some of what my ceremony includes here today with everyone.

I am going to flip the script on the verse-by-verse study we have been doing. We finished with Ephesians 5:21 last week – we are going to revisit that verse and then jump to verses 25-30 and then next week we will come back to verses 21-24. The reason for this is to start with the leadership and the role that men, husbands are called to and then we will talk about wives, women next week.

My prayer this morning – for you – for me – for the church – don’t allow the enemy to come in while listening to God’s word – don’t let him twist it – don’t let him set an unrighteous anger in you – I honestly believe with every fiber of my being that the Holy Spirit is saying that any anger this may cause should be directed at self – as a husband, as a wife – have I being living the Christian Love in my relationship with my spouse.

Let Us Pray!

The Christian’s Purity pt 4

Ephesians 5:25-33

submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 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. In the same way husbands should love their 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 Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Let’s go back for a moment to verse 21– submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

2 People, 2 individuals demanding their own rights will eventually end up going their separate ways

As Christians we are called to submit to each other – preferring each other before ourself and our own selfish desires – not demanding your rights

Remember Philippians 2:3-5 – Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

Pride and individualism are destructive to fellowship and the church – nothing will destroy faster than pride and fellowship – that is why submission is stressed so much here

Francis Foulkes put it this way - Paul knew from experience that the secret of maintaining joyful fellowship in the community was the order and discipline that come from the willing submission of one person to another (cf. Eph. 4:2–3). Pride of position and the authoritarian spirit are destructive of fellowship

I. The Christian Love

1. Sanctification—vv. 25–27. The cleansed Church – 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.

v25 – Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

While the call on the wife is to submit to the spiritual authority of the husband – the husband has a higher calling – to love the church as Christ loved the church –

The present imperative of the verbs make it a constant responsibility – his love should be sacrificial love looking and aiding in her growth and looking at her best interests

Colossians 3:19 – Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

In both Colossians 3:19 and Ephesians 5:25 Paul uses the most powerful love word there is apapao – agape – the kind of love described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

How did He love the church?

Philippians 2:5-9 – Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

Ephesians 5:2 – And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

1 John 3:16 – By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Husbands that is how you are to love your wives – Paul addresses the wives in 3 verses but takes a full 8 verses to instruct husbands

John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

v26 – that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

Sanctification – to set apart, being freed from sin or purified, making or declaring something holy – dedicate to God – this is point 1

As Husbands we are called to do that –

To sanctify in bible times was to make clean – leapers, Nazirites, before entering the temple – so people would know this term

By the washing of water with the word –

John 17:17 – Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

How are the words you use towards your wife, with your wife at your wife – sanctifying her

We are created in His Image – His Words have power – our words have power –

Are you loving her according to 1 Cor 13:4-7 and Sanctifying her with your words like

v27 – 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.

Endoxos – en dox os – illustrious, great esteem, honorable, glorious –

Like when the bride enters at the back of the church and everyone gasps at the beauty

Song of Solomon 4:7 – You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.

Physically – spiritually – emotionally whole – without spot or blemish – no flaw – holy

Colossians 1:28 – Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

Your love – how you love your wife – it affects this sanctification process

2. Showing—vv. 28–30. Husbands to love their wives Biblically – In the same way husbands should love their 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 Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.

v28 – In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Husbands this is a call to make it part of your identity – as if you were physically connected – we will discuss this in a bit

Colossians 3:19 – Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

Emotional care, spiritual care, physical care, verbal care,

The spiritual picture Paul is writing about is not one superior to the other but wife and husband equal partners, her even being a part of him.

Genesis 2:23 – Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”

v29 – For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,

As a husband takes care of himself, his body, his needs – more so he should do for his wife – JUST AS CHRIST DID

Philippians 2:6-8 – who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Empty yourself

Be a servant of your wife’s needs

Humbly love your wife

v30 – because we are members of his body.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13 – For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:27 – Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

1 Corinthians 6:15 – Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!

3. Spiritual—vv. 31–33. Husband and wife are one – “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Paul quotes Genesis 2:24 – v31 – “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

Leave his father and mother – be his own

Hold fast to his wife – a new union – unity

Become one flesh – complete the image of God

God – has both male and female characteristics

Genesis 1:27 – So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Man alone – is incomplete

Woman alone – is incomplete

Together through marriage – the mystery of completing the image of God – both equal parts of that message

Shall become one – shall be joined together – proskollao – pros kpl lah o – glued togther – forever joined

Fireproof example

Mark 10:7-9 – ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Matthew 19:5-6– and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Highest level of loyalty here – God first – spouse second –

Quote my dad

v32 – This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

Darrell Brock in his commentary on Ephesians 5 – says the mystery is how that which is physically distinct can be seen as a single unit is the great mystery

How much more true is it for the church as a whole – we are all individual units but must come together and be unified as one body – regardless of denominational tags or individual upbringing and preconceived ideas and desires – How does this edify my wife – how does this edify the body of Christ?

Foulkes in his commentary says it this way – They are made one together. The husband’s position as head, and his duty of sacrificial love and devoted care for his wife are but pictures, imperfect, but the best that this life can offer, of Christ as head, of his love, self-sacrifice and concern for his church. The dependence of the wife on her husband and her duty to accept his leadership are a picture of how the church should live and act towards her divine Lord.

v33 – However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

To close this mystery – love your wife – pure and simple – love your wife – wives respect your husbands

Christian and Secular psychologists agree men desire respect while women desire to be loved – its here in Scripture – Bible studies have been written regarding this one verse

The word here for respect is phobeo – fob eh o – where we get our word phobia – fear but it is the same word used to fear the Lord – literally to reverence, venerate, to treat with deference or reverential obedience

1 John 4:18 – There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

It's a reverence not fear causing

Love and fear cannot coexist – so we must accept the other definition of phobeo reverence – respect

Proverbs 9:10 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

1 Peter 3:6-7 – as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Pope John Paul II said as the family goes so does the nation.

As a nation of husbands – have been loving our wives this way?

What do we need to do to start or continue to loving them this way?