Ephesians 5:25-27 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

context – context - context First rule of Biblical interpretation context – context - context

Ephesians 5:25-29…Christ… Loved the church (5:25) Gave Himself for the church (5:25) Will sanctify the church (5:26) Will present the church (5:27) Nourishes the church (5:29) Cherishes the church (5:29)

The Big Idea As an act of love, a husband is to cultivate a climate of purity, righteousness, and sanctity for his wife, a climate that leads her to greater Christlikness.

“to set apart unto God for His purposes.” Sanctify “to set apart unto God for His purposes.” Positional sanctification - the state of Christ’s holiness imputed (given) to the Christian at the moment of his conversion to Christ. (see 1 Corinthians 1:2) Progressive sanctification - the process by which we personally grow in Christ. (see 2 Corinthians 3:18).

“to set apart unto God for His purposes.” Sanctify “to set apart unto God for His purposes.” Perfect sanctification - The glorified state of our ultimate separation from sin, a total and prefect sanctification in every respect. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 - “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

John MacArthur “…just as saving grace makes believers holy through the cleansing agency of the Word of God . . . it is with that same purpose and in that same love that husbands are to cultivate the purity, righteousness, and sanctity of their wives.”

R. Kent Hughes “The man who sanctifies his wife understands that this is his divinely ordained responsibility… Is my wife more like Christ because she is married to me? Or is she like Christ in spite of me? Has she shrunk from His likeness because of me? Do I sanctify her or hold her back? Is she a better woman because she is married to me?”

Ephesians 5:25-27 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

1. Not leading her into sin… 2. Leading her into righteousness… How a husband leads… 1. Not leading her into sin… 2. Leading her into righteousness… husbands must help their wives grow in their personal walk with Christ. husbands must take the initiative and encourage their wives to grow in the Lord with them. husbands must lead their wives to corporate worship.

Prepared by the Lord Ephesians 5:27 - “that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” Ezekiel 16:14 - “Then your fame went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of My splendor which I bestowed on you,” declares the LORD God.

John MacArthur “Men, if you love a woman, you will do everything in your power to maintain her holiness, her virtue, her righteousness, and her purity…every day you live. You'll never put her in a compromising situation where she would become angered, because that's a sin. You would never induce an argument out of her, because that's a sin. You would do nothing to defile her. You would never let her see anything or expose her to anything, or let her indulge in anything that would in any way bring impurity into her life. Love always seeks to purify.”

Cultivating a Climate of Christlikeness Make your wife’s well-being your priority. “Gospel” your wife. Protect your wife. Serve your wife. Lead your wife.

Martin Luther “Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave.”