Ephesians 5:25-27  English Standard Version

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, ²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ 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.

There are two messages here, separate and complete.

The first is ”love your wives”. This message is the last part of instructions of how husbands and wives are to treat one another that began in verses 22,23, and 24. The first part of verse 25 belongs to those verses.

The rest of the message is about how Christ loves the church, His church. Christ sanctifies, Christ cleanses and Christ presents His bride holy and without blemish.

We do err to think that the husband does those things for his wife.

The best that a man can do for his wife is to include her in bible studies where both will be washed together by the Word of Christ.

Galatians 6:1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

So often we use catch phrases without giving much thought to them. We might not think of “in the Spirit” as a catch phrase but if we used it more often, it might catch on.

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

We think of legalism as a bad thing.

Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

So what is the law of Christ?

Galatians 5:14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

James 2:8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

The Royal Law is Christ’s Law as He sits on the throne of heaven and we all are subject to Him.

That law only has one rule. “Love one another.” 

“In the Spirit.”