LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Times of Repentance
"Moreover let each one of you also love his wife as himself; and let the wife respect her husband" (Ephesians 5:33).
In the New Testament we see in everything the figure of Christ and the church. In this passage of Ephesians 5, the apostle Paul speaks to us by the Spirit of the relationship between husband and wife, making an allusion to Christ and the church. There are many teachings in these verses, but what we want to emphasize is the communion with Christ our Lord, and the church, his beloved.
The first is that between Christ and the church there are no intermediaries, for that would be adultery. Jesus did not appoint anyone to feed and care for his church, because he himself is the one who does this (Eph. 5:29). He himself is the one who takes care of his body, feeds it and builds it: "...on this rock I will build my church" (Matt. 16:18).
The only character we find in the Word in this communion between Christ and the church is the figure of the friend. The friend knows what He does, and rejoices: "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth by him, and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly at the bridegroom's voice" (John 3:29).
The church, as the Spirit teaches us in these verses, must be submissive to Christ, must honor him as its head. This is what God did in his kingdom: "But I would have you know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ" (1 Cor. 11:3).
Christ loves his church with all his intensity, and he gave proof of this by giving himself for it. But the church, we Christians, are we submissive to the Lord? Do we have him as our head? Do we reverence him, do we honor him properly?
Subjection must be voluntary, from the heart, not by imposition. The husband can never demand subjection from the wife, only love her. Jesus will never force the church to be submissive to him. It is not by force, nor by violence, but by his Spirit.
He is meek and humble of heart. His love for the church makes him patient, long-suffering and benign. He believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. He does not want the church to be adorned with gold or costly apparel. He loves the truth to be in the inward parts, the church to be adorned with spiritual garments, to be in subjection, and to hope all things in him.
The Lord already loves us with full intensity. It is up to us now to be submissive to him. He will never force us into this, but he has taught us in all meekness. We must honor him and have him as our head. His love has made him endure our lack of subjection. His love has made him expect us to repent. His love has made him believe that one day all things will be subject to him, and he will be all in all. It is time for us to repent, and give him due honor.