The command is clear . . . the example is glorious. What I am to do is beyond dispute . . . Who I am to emulate is beyond description. The opportunity to be an object lesson should inspire me . . . the reality of being the object of His affection should amaze me. Such is the two-fold nature of Paul’s exhortation to husbands in Ephesians 5.

The command is simple and direct . . . but, it is directed to men and so, it needs to be repeated three times . . . “Husbands, love your wives . . . so husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies . . . let each of you in particular so love his own wife as himself” (Eph. 5:25, 28, 33). Pretty clear, really, in terms of what I’m to do. And the “how I’m to do it” is also spelled out . . it’s not a phileo, or brotherly affection I’m to show my wife . . . and it’s not just an eros love I’m to share with her . . . but it is the full-blown, Christ modeled, agape, or self-sacrificing love . . . “love your wives, just as Christ loved the church” (5:25). The Lord is the pattern for wife-loving husbands. I’m to show the same love to my wife, as Christ showed to the church. And it’s here where Paul “digresses” a bit, as he moves from the command to the example . . . as he illustrates what I’m to do with what has been done for me.

The motivation for loving my bride goes so beyond “disciplined obedience” . . . it is born from being, myself, part of “the bride of Christ” . . . the church. Check this out . . .

” . . . Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 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.” (Eph. 5:25b-27).

O’, the love of Christ! It goes so far beyond meeting our basic need of forgiveness of sins . . . it encompasses a redemption that eventually results in Christ delighting in presenting to Himself a glorious church . . . holy . . . without spot . . . without blemish . . . wrinkle free!

And this high and lofty end goal for His people could only be achieved as Christ gave Himself fully and wholly to His bride and for His bride. The blood of Christ cleansing us from all sin . . . the blood of Christ making us whole again . . . the blood of Christ being the basis for His work of sanctification and beautification and glorification. The work He has begun in His bride, He will complete (Php. 1:6) . . . as He “cleans us up” with the washing of His word . . . as He transforms us into His image through the renewing of our minds . . . as He determines to get us ready to present us to Himself . . . wrinkle free.

What will it be to be marched down the aisle with Christ waiting before us to receive us. I’m thinking He’ll stand as He did with Stephen (Acts 7:55-56). And He will see us arrayed in a garment of righteousness which He purchased for us . . . holy, spotless, without blemish . . . wrinkle free. And we will be culmination of His love for us . . . His prize . . . a glorious church . . . for His glory.

Yup, the command is great . . . and by His grace, I want it to play out in my marriage . . . that it might, in some small degree, be an object lesson of how Christ loved the church. But while the command is great . . . the Commander is beyond great . . . His love beyond full comprehension . . . His work beyond fully knowing . . . until that day He presents His bride to Himself . . . wrinkle free!

The bride eyes not her garment, but her dear Bridegroom’s face . . . I will not gaze at glory, but on my King of grace . . .