A Glorious Church

Ephesians 5:25-27
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
27 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.

Looking at the current conditions of the churches around us, can we find a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing?

The Church, like Israel, is not what Christ has paid for by His death on Calvary.

Amazingly, because Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her, He will sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word. He will present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without blemish.

Herein is our future hope. When He returns, He will sanctify and cleanse her.

Ezekiel 36:20-28
20 When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name—when they said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, and yet they have gone out of His land.’
21 But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went.
22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.
23 And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.
24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.
25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.

The Lord GOD said to the people of Israel, "I am bringing you back again, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect My holy name, which you tarnished among the nations. I will honor My great name, that you defiled, and the people of the world shall know I am the LORD. I will be honored before their eyes by delivering you from exile among them. For I will bring you back home again to the land of Israel."

Similarly, the Lord will not allow His name to be profaned by His Church again in the nations! He will sanctify and cleanse His Church with the washing of water by the Word. He will present her to Himself as a glorious Church without a single spot or wrinkle or any other blemish, being holy and without a single fault. He will do it!

But will every Christian be sanctified and cleansed?

Luke 17:32
Remember Lot’s wife.

While escaping Sodom, she became a pillar of salt after she looked back, unwilling to leave behind the past sins and pleasures, and unable to truly love God, and forsake the world and the things in the world!

Jesus will present to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without blemish.

But are we willing to be sanctified and cleansed when the time comes? Will we look back?

Written on: 27 September 2018