Deeper Reflection
THE CHURCH IS IMPERFECT ON EARTH, BUT CHRIST IS
perfecting His church eschatologically (cf. 1 Thess 5:23-24). It is Christ’s
commitment to His church – a commitment expressed in seven acts.Christ loved His church (v.25a) “with an everlasting love” (Jer 31:3):
“having loved His own…He loved them to the end” (Jn 13:1). And this love
means Christ “gave Himself up for her” (v.25b). Christ has given all that
He could give: His whole person. He has given us the best: “Himself ”,
who is God Himself.Through His death, Christ cleanses His church from her unholiness and
sanctifies her – setting her apart to God for His purposes (v.26). This
cleansing and sanctifying is an ongoing process of transformation until the
future consummation when we mature to “the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13;
2 Cor 3:18). Christ “cleanses” and “sanctifies” us through the Word of
God (Jn 15:3; 17:17) and the Holy Spirit working in us (1 Cor 6:11; Tit 3:5).
Thus, daily spiritual renewal is vitally necessary (Rom 12:1-2; 2 Cor 4:16).Christ nourishes the church by protecting and providing her with
everything necessary for her growth to maturity, and cherishes her as
His precious possession (vv.29-30). We, as Christ’s church, will certainly
eventually become “without spot or wrinkle” and “holy and blameless”
“in all her glory” (v.27), despite our long history of being often plagued
by sins, struggles, shortcomings and setbacks. Christ Himself will
present to Himself His church to have such glory and beauty. Such is
our hope and it must be our vision. Let us not lose heart with ourselves.
