Mar 24

Ephesians 5:25-27
Memorise Ephesians 5:26
“That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.”

After we have been saved through the faithful preaching of the Word, we begin a new life in Christ. We do not just become a better person, the Bible tells us that we are an entirely new creature. Our old life of sin is gone, all things are now new (2 Corinthians 5:17). As a born again believer, our journey in Christ has just begun. Just as the Word is what saved us, it is also instrumental in guiding us on our journey of sanctification. We become more and more Christ-like in our lives, as we draw away from the things of the world. This is the cleansing effect that the Word will have on every believer.

Ephesians 5 compares the husband-wife relationship to that of Christ and the church. As the head of the church, Christ has the sacred task of sanctifying and cleansing the church, to prepare her for the glorious marriage supper of the Lamb that will take place after His second coming. His desire is that we will become more and more pure and holy, and cleansed from the putrefying effects that sin has on our lives. In order to do so, He has given us the Word of God to live by. In it, we see the numerous exhortations for us to forsake the sins of this world, to love not the world, and to be holy, even as our God in heaven is holy. This whole process is likened to the washing with water, similar to how we would wash our dirty clothes, or take a bath after a whole day out being exposed to the elements. In like manner, the Lord lovingly presents the Word before us, and exhorts us to “be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). This renewing of the mind can only come about through the careful study, meditation and application of the Word of God. That is how we can be sanctified, cleansed, and be made to conform to the image of Christ.

Dear teen, do you desire to be clean? Are you receptive to the Word of God, and do you allow it to renew your minds and change your lives?

Thought: Do you want to be clean now? Or are you just glad to be saved, and refuse to be cleansed? Do you want to live your life your own way?
Prayer: Lord, give me the desire to be like Christ, even now.