Jesus and the apostles taught in words, relationships and comparisons that the people of that day would understand. He taught in parables and said many times that the things of God were like unto some thing or event that the people did and could relate to for understanding. Some of the people understood and some didn’t, which wasn’t unusual in that day or in the days now.

Paul also taught in a comparative manner to get his points across. When Paul was teaching the Ephesians about the husband wife relationship in 5:22-33, he compared the way the husband should treat his wife to the way Christ loved the church, his body. Paul wrote in verses 23-27: For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.  In those verses is the comparison of marriage relationship to Christ and the church, which is the basis for the lesson you are reading. Just as a man and a woman have to meet certain requirements for the relationship to begin and continue, Christ’s relationship to the church and the church (believers) in return must keep the bond viable as well.  

Marriage is one of selfless giving. One gives to the other for the benefit of the other and that is what Christ did for each individual in the world. He gave himself, as Paul wrote, to cleanse sin from all of us so that we could approach God as his bride (the church) for whom he died. Those who come to God have to be spotless and Christ supplies the way. No amount of human oriented good works i.e. doing things in an attempt to save ones self by self righteousness, will ever be good enough. No deed except Christ’s can purge sin.

Paul wrote of himself beginning in Philippians 3:6-9: Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:  Paul was blameless before the law and he kept it perfectly according to the demands of righteousness in reference to the law’s requirements. He said that while those things were good for his personal gain, they did nothing to help him find Christ, though he was blameless in his keeping of the law.  He said all the things he did were but dung when compared to the righteousness of Christ.

Each believer at the time of obedience to the gospel becomes a member of the Lord’s body, the church, the Lord’s bride. Jesus died on the cross to put away the sins of the world, and though God, through faith has made Jesus Christ sufficient for salvation, each person as a member of the body is duty bound, out of love for Christ, to dedicate their life to Christ as Paul did, a man who gave his life over to the service of God by faith in Jesus Christ.

© 02-26-2003 DEC

Revised 04-14-2008

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