My wife loves to end the day with a long bath. If the day has ambushed her, she finds the tub to be a place of rest and relaxation. Paul talks about how Jesus uses a very special kind of bath for His bride, the church. The apostle commands married men to “love your wives, as Christ loved the church” (Eph 5:25). He first says that our Savior demonstrated His love to His church through His self-sacrifice. Paul goes on to tell us that Jesus doesn’t stop there, “that He might sanctify her having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word” (v26). Christ fills the tub for His bride, but not with bubbles. He uses something that cleans so much better than Calgon. His Word. Not bubbles but Bible. Scripture, take me away!
Let’s get something straight about what Paul is saying here. This verse is about Jesus and His bride. Paul describes what Christ’s love for the church looks like in very practical terms. Does a Jesus following hubby play a role in his wife’s spiritual growth? Absolutely! There is no doubt that’s the case. In his command to the married ladies, the apostle said “the husband is the head of the wife” (Eph 5:23). This doesn’t mean he’s to be a brutal dictator. It does mean that he’s responsible and accountable to God for her care, nourishment and growth. And Paul told the folks in Corinth that somehow and someway believing spouses actually have a sanctifying effect if they’re married to unbelieving partners. “For the unbelieving husband is made holy (Gr. hagiazo) because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy (Gr. hagiazo) because of her husband” (1Cor 7:14). But, fellas, your wife is NOT a project. You’re NOT flipping a house. You are NOT Jesus. He’s the One responsible for her sanctification. Husband, be ready and available to be used by Christ in what He’s doing in the life of your wife.
Paul makes it clear that a big part of Jesus’ expression of love to His church is to “sanctify her” (v26). This is the Greek verb hagiazo, which means to make holy, consecrate, dedicate or separate to God and His service. We need to understand a couple of critical ideas when it comes to God’s saving process. One VERY important thing He does at our moment of salvation is to justify us. This happens when Jesus’ perfect life, death and resurrection are exchanged for our sin and rebellion (2Cor 5:21). Many folks call it the Great Exchange. The result is that when our heavenly Dad looks at us, He doesn’t see our sin. He sees His sinless Son. At that point, something else begins to happen. God begins to actually make us holy. This is the process we call sanctification. It will last my entire earthly life. But what God starts, He finishes (Phil 1:6). According to Tullian Tchvidjian, the best way to participate in our sanctification is to continually remember our justification. Married men should continually remind their believing wives of who they are in Christ. That’s what Jesus does for His bride.
To sanctify or make holy includes the idea of setting apart for a special use or purpose. Mark Driscoll says this like the difference between the plates your family uses for everyday meals and those dishes pulled out of the hutch for important meals and holidays. You don’t just use the fine china when you’re burning a few hot dogs on the grill. You save it for a special occasion like Thanksgiving. It’s sanctified for special use. It’s consecrated for a unique purpose. God has selected His followers for a unique cause. Like the church in Corinth. “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified (Gr. hagiazo) in Christ Jesus” (1Cor 1:2). We’re to make Him famous. Husbands should constantly remind their wives of their special purpose in God’s kingdom.
The word hagiazo also means to purify and completely cleanse. A huge part of Jesus’ heart is the clean His church to rid her of filth and sin. Christ continually washing His bride. It was part of His plan all along. The night before His execution, Jesus prayed for His crew and asked His Dad, “Sanctify (Gr. hagiazo) them in the truth; Your word is truth...And for their sake I consecrate (Gr. hagiazo) Myself, that they also may be sanctified (Gr. hagiazo) in truth” (Jn 17:17-19). Some of us might think that we’re beyond His ability to supernaturally scrub us clean. We think we’re too dirty. We think we’re too nasty. Think again. Check out the miraculous bath the Corinthians experienced. Before Jesus, they were sinning sexually, using hookers, worshiping idols, sleeping around outside of marriage, practicing homosexuality, stealing, greedy, continually high and drunk, as well as abusing, swindling and trash talking. But something spectacular happened once Christ saved them. “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified (Gr. hagiazo), you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1Cor 6:11). God won’t just clean you up part of the way and walk away. He promises to finish the job. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify (Gr. hagiazo) you completely” (1Th 5:23). What He starts, He always finishes (Phil 1:6).
So how do husbands who follow Jesus follow His example? What does this look like in a Christian marriage? First of all, husbands need to know where their wives are in God’s process. Does she follow Christ? Has she ever placed her trust in who He is and what He’s done? We’re not to be “unequally yoked” in marriage (2Cor 6:14). But what happens if one spouse comes to faith after the wedding? It certainly happens. As Paul writes in 1Corinthians 7, stay married and let God use you in His process. Husbands should continually remind their wives of who they are in Christ. Too often folks who believe in Jesus fall victim to the lies that Satan continually whispers in our ear. Once our Savior justifies her, assure her that nothing can change that. Assure her that when her heavenly Dad looks at her, He sees His sinless Son. An important key to our sanctification is to remember our justification. And husbands do that by knowing God’s Word and continually bathing our brides in it. Quote Scripture to her. Pray Scripture over her. Bubble baths are nice. But what your bride really needs is a Bible bath.
So what do YOU think? Do you agree? Disagree? Drop a comment below and let's chat.
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