LEARNING DAILY

 

Ephesians 5: 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.

 

Paul uses the relationship between the Lord Jesus and His church to explain how husbands ought to love their wives.  In doing so, there is an interesting comment as to what the church is to be like when He comes for her.  The Church is referred to as the bride of Christ in Scripture.  He is coming for a Church that is holy and without blemish.  The Lord Jesus wants His bride to stand before Him on that wedding day “without spot or wrinkle” meaning without flaws and imperfections; this is not about physical imperfections, but about being pure before Him.  How can that be?  It is about being set apart and coming before Him with a clean heart.  Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

 

Let’s be honest.  You and I cannot in our own strength or ability make ourselves without “spot or wrinkle or any such thing”, nor can we “be holy and without blemish” by our own power.  Our responsibility is to be obedient to the Word of God.  We get on the narrow way by going through the door of salvation which is Jesus Christ.  When a person accepts Christ as their Savior, He sets the person apart and the process of sanctification begins.  Sanctification is a life-long process to transform each of us -the Church – into the likeness of Jesus Christ.  It is the process of cleansing us into being the church without spot or wrinkle and will continue until we are taken into heaven.  This cleansing occurs by hearing and being obedient to God’s Word.  The more Bible we put into our heart the more we desire to be obedient.  It is amazing how much more aware we become of the sinful things we say and the sinful things we do as we try to live obediently to God’s Word.  That is growth and maturity in Christlike living.

 

There is coming a day when our works will be judged.  This is not a matter that will affect our salvation.  In 1 Corinthians 3:10-14, Paul writes about the things that we do to build on the foundation of Jesus Christ.  This has to do with every Believer’s degree of faithfulness to God.  This is known as the judgment Seat of Christ.  Here every Believer’s motives, desires, and reasons for serving Christ will be exposed by fire.  Whatever remains will be the basis for rewards in heaven.  Let me emphasize that the service one gives does not save them; works can never earn salvation.  It is the free gift of Jesus Christ.  “Faithfulness in service, however, will earn one the right to give God even greater glory as the faithful lay down their rewards at His feet (revelation 4:10).”  (DJSB).

 

Here is the question I ask you to consider.  Does the church meet the criteria?  Is the Church a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish? 

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.