It Starts Small

This is such an amazing scripture of encouragement! Let us look at verse 27 with it. We are going to look at the KJV of these verses because there’s an important word to focus on:

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.

Ephesians 5:26-27

The Greek word for that is ina and means that, in order that, so that. The Lord had an ultimate purpose behind His love for the church—“that He might sanctify and cleanse” the church. There are three “that” clauses in verses 26 and 27 in the Greek:

In order that He might “make holy”

In order that He might “present”

In order that it might “be holy and blameless”

“That” here shows the purpose Christ has for the church by His sacrifice for sins. There is a goal that Christ has for His church.

He might sanctify

There are two elements to sanctification and cleansing:

Consecration to God

Separation from something unclean

Consecration is coincidental with cleansing. Cleansing is the removal of sin, while sanctification is positional setting apart to God. Christ’s purpose is to “sanctify” or set apart the church for Himself. He wants to consecrate her for Himself. This is positional sanctification, not progressive. Christ’s goal is to set the church apart for exclusive and permanent relationship with God. Positional sanctification is a onetime event whereby the believer or the church is sanctified forever. Christians can never lose this permanent status with God.

The purpose of sanctification of the church is a one-time setting apart the church unto Christ. Jesus accomplished this by His death upon the cross. This was a past action with no future action beyond the accomplished action of the past. This is a permanent sanctification.

and cleanse her

The Greek word for cleanse is katharizō and means, in a moral sense, to free from defilement of sin and from faults, to purify from wickedness. Do you see what English word we got from the Greek? Cauterize has it’s roots from this Greek word. When you cauterize a wound, you are in effect cleansing it and sealing it from getting infected. Cleansing the church here is not baptismal regeneration but simply regeneration. This cleansing of the church was contemporary with it being set apart unto God. Christ removed sin from the church so that she would be presentable for eternity with God.

with the washing of water

The Greek word for “washing” is loutron and means a bath. The imagery here has to do with the prenuptial bridal bath. During this betrothal ceremony the bride was prepared with her wedding clothes. This imagery focuses on spiritual cleansing by God’s truth. Christ’s death on the cross is what cleanses us from our sin. In culture, this bath by was effected by water, but here Paul used “washing” metaphorically, not literally. It is a spiritual washing.

The only other occurrence of this Greek word “washing” is in Titus 3:5, where it is used for regeneration.

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Titus 3:5

The Bible nowhere else asserts that the church is baptized, so the idea here is not of baptism.

by the word,

The Greek word for “word” here is rēma and means, that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word. This phrase “by the word” refers to the cleansing of the church; it is the purifying of the gospel preached that saves the church.

Through Christ’s sacrificial death, He claimed the church as an exclusive and permanent relationship to Himself. Christ made the church holy by cleansing her. This cleansing came by the gospel preached. In God’s eyes the church is perfect, positionally sanctified and regenerated.

God’s mercy is made new each day by the cleansing power of His Word. It is not just written words on pages, but a breathed Word that is living and moving. When we approach and open our Bibles, we shouldn’t just think of them as written words on pages. Instead, they are spoken words. Words that move in our hearts. Today, He has a refreshing and cleansing Word for you! A restoring Word. A Word of encouragement. A Word of strength. A Word of hope. A Word of healing.