Without Spot or Wrinkle

 

Ephesians 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

ILLUSTRATION:  Garments getting spotted, dirty, stained, etc.

·         A spot on the skin was a warning sign of leprosy.

Leviticus 13:2  When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or a bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:

·         Sacrifices under the Law were to be “without spot.”

Numbers 28:3  And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the Lord; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.

·         The word “spot” as used in the Bible represents SIN.

Job 11:15  For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

Jude 1:23  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

·         There are many false believers who live lives spotted by sin.

Jude 1:12  These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

2 Peter 2:13-14  And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

·         Sin in the life of a child of God is the ultimate tragedy, because they know better and will be held accountable by God! Sin steals our confidence before God, causing us to distance ourselves from His people and from His presence. The devil doesn’t flee from someone who is participating in sin – no matter how loud they pray!

·         There is only one way in which sin is faithful – its reward is always death. Not just eternal death, but spiritual death right from the start! Sin always kills something in us when we transgress. It assaults our sensitivity, trashes our conscience, mauls our willpower, and defiles our soul. You could almost say that every time we sin, something in us dies. Then, at the end of the road, sin pays up with eternal death.

Galatians 6:7-8  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

THANK GOD HE HAS PROVIDED POWER TO LIVE ABOVE SIN!

·         The blood of Jesus Christ was spotless (sinless) blood.

Hebrews 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

1 Peter 1:18-19  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

·         The Bride of Christ is to live a spotless life.

Song of Solomon 4:7  Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.

2 Peter 3:14  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

1 Timothy 6:14  That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

It is in Genesis 3 that sin enters the world, but the context of Ephesians 5:27 refers back to Genesis 2 when Eve was created for Adam …

Ephesians 5:25-27  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; [26] That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, [27] That he might present it to himself a glorious church …

Before sin ever entered the world, before the first sacrifice was offered, it was in God’s plan to have a church. We are not “Plan B” in God’s mind!

There are many types of death in the Old Testament that represent the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, but this one reaches back before sin. Adam wasn’t put to sleep because of sin, but because God was going to provide him a wife. His sleep was not for her sin but for her very existence. Yes, Jesus died for our sins – thank God He did! But the entire redemption process was an interruption (because of our sin) in God’s ultimate purpose through the ages, which was to have a church!

We were not created to be “sinners saved by grace” – that is our fault! We were created to be “sons and daughters of God”! Our fall into sin was a detour to God’s original purpose, but the truly wonderful thing about grace is that we who were undeserving have received more than Adam ever possessed! He had life in the tree of life; we have life in Jesus!

Just like Adam was put to sleep so Eve could be created, Jesus went to “sleep” so the church could be born. The Bible says that believers “fall asleep” rather than that they “die” because whenever death is mentioned, sin is there in the background. But when a believer dies “in Christ,” sin is no longer a factor. So the grave is not the end for the child of God!

1 Corinthians 15:51  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1 Thessalonians 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

1 Thessalonians 5:10  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

·         PEOPLE BACKSLIDE, BUT THE CHURCH DOES NOT! God will have a church whether we are in it or not. The outcome of the cross was a Bride for the Lord Jesus … a Bride without spot … or wrinkle!

Ephesians 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

·         A spotted garment represents SIN in the Bride. But a wrinkle is merely a place where the garment has remained in one place too long and become marked – this represents STAGNATION in the Bride. God doesn’t want His glorious church to have either one!

·         When Christians become complacent and content, and no longer hunger for God’s presence, power and holiness, GOD IS NOT PLEASED! He paid too much for this “glorious church” to allow it to wear garments that are spotted or wrinkled.

Hebrews 6:1-6  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, [2] Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. [3] And this will we do, if God permit. [4] For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, [5] And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, [6] If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Revelation 19:6-9  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. [7] Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. [8] And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. [9] And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

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