“…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….’For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Ephesians 5:27, 31-33i
The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter 5 about the relationships and order in a marriage, and he likened it to Christ’s relationship and authority in the church. In describing Christ and the church, Paul indicates that Christ’s love for the church was manifested by service: “Husbands, love your wives, just as 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…” (vss. 25-26). He laid down His life for her, so He could sanctify and cleanse her. Then Paul noted the purpose of the service: so He could receive her as a glorious church, completely pure and worthy. What is a glorious church, and how does that principle relate to husbands and wives?
God told us in Isaiah 43:7 that He created us (those called by His name) for His glory.ii The Hebrew root for the word “glory” includes the concept of splendor, copiousness or weightiness, and “glory” includes honor and abundance.iii God is Spirit and man as His glory gives weight or substance to His presence. Man is His image in the universe.iv Romans 1:20 says that God’s invisible attributes, eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen in the creation.v This is most strongly demonstrated in mankind. We can look at godly men and understand more about God and His character.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11:7 that man is the image and glory of God. Then he says woman is the glory of man.vi The Greek word for “glory”is also translated as dignity, honor, praise or worship.vii Men, consider these for your wife: Is she your dignity? Is she your honor? Does that woman bring praise to you?
As the wife of a Bible teacher, my wife knows that others often watch her closely. My daughters also feel this pressure sometimes. People often come and tell them they are examples for younger women and girls. Occasionally, people whom I barely know and who have never heard me teach come and say what a blessing I am, and say “we watch your family.” My only reply to this is that God is good and His word is true. While all this is gratifying, it illustrates a deeper principle than just my daughters being submissive and reverent.
When a minister speaks, people naturally look at his wife to see if what he says is true. She is his glory, she adds weight to his words by her demeanor. If she is submissive and reverent, like my wife, they see that I know what I’m talking about when I teach about marriage. When my children are well-behaved and honoring, my teaching on family life or anything elseviii gains credibility.
Here’s where the glory of the church fits into the principle:
Jesus is the Word of God;ix the church is his bride.x When people hear or read the Word of God, they look at the church to see if it’s true. The people around the the early church believed because they saw the church walking in submission to Christ.xi
Think about all the people with whom you’ve discussed the claims of Jesus Christ. How many of them pointed to the church as the reason they won’t believe? (If you haven’t run into this argument, you’re not sharing the gospel enough.) People often don’t trust God because what they see in the church doesn’t line up with His word. That’s quite an indictment. Paul, after expressing God’s incredible power in answering prayer, says in Ephesians 3:21 “to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever” He expects the church to glorify God forever… and ever.
You may complain that it’s not fair that God expects us to hold that high of a standard, and my family may sometimes feel that way, and it is clearly not attainable. But here’s how I can be done: by Christ Jesus. As a man, I can only walk in holiness and righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ and by faith in His working in me “both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”xii I can only have that type of faith by His grace.xiii His grace is the only hope of me being His glory or my wife being my glory,xiv and that grace is the only hope of the church glorifying Christ.xv But in His grace Christ did whatever it took “to present her to Himself a glorious church.”
Man, are you giving yourself for your wife? Are you setting her apart as precious? Are you cleansing her with the word of God in your life? Are you honoring her as a fellow-heir of grace?xvi Are you encouraging her in her walk with the Lord so she is holy and blameless? If you will, she will be your glory, dignity, honor and praise. When people see and hear you together, they will have no excuse because they will have seen God’s glory in your life.
Woman, are you respecting your husband? Do you have the “incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,” being submissive to your husband?xvii Do your looks, attitude and support bring glory to him so the word of God is not blasphemed?xviii If you will, he will be a covering and a security to you, a loving leader that actively works for your best eternal benefit. When people see you together, they will have no excuse because they will have seen God’s glory in your life.
And Church, are you so submitted to Christ that you are glorious? Do you come to Him as a chaste bride, adorned in good works, reverent and pure? If you will, then His coming and His presence will be a rejoicing and healing time and His word will cleanse and sanctify you, separating you from the world, and you will “be filled with all the fulness of God”xix and you will fulfill His purpose in creating you, glorifying Him alone.
i All Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
ii “Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” Isaiah 43:7
iii Strong’s H3513 and H3519
iv “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27
v “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,” Romans 1:20
vi “For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.” I Corinthians 11:7
vii Vines Greek Dictionary has as part of the definition of “glory” that it speaks “of man as representing the authority of God, and woman as rendering as conspicuous the authority of man.” Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985
viii “… who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);” 1 Timothy 3:4-5
ix “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. …And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1, 14
x “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:2; “’Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” Revelation 19:7-8
xi “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:46-47
xii “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13
xiii “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,” Ephesians 2:8
xiv “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27
xv “that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 1:12
xvi “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7
xvii “Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.” 1 Peter 3:3-6
xviii “the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.” Titus 2:3-5
xix“to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:19
