|
Without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish!
(Philpot, "The
Love of Christ in Giving Himself for the Church")
"Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. He did
this to present her to Himself as a glorious church
without
a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish! Instead, she will
be holy and without fault." Ephesians 5:25, 27
What are we ourselves as viewed by our own eyes?
Full of spots, wrinkles, and blemishes! And What do we
see in ourselves every day, but sin and filth and folly?
What evil is there in the world that is not in us, and in
our hearts? It is true others cannot read our hearts. But
we read them; yes, are every day, and sometimes all the
day reading them. And what do we read there? Like
Ezekiel's scroll, it is "written within and without;" and
we may well add, if we rightly read what is there written,
we have every reason to say it is "full of lamentations,
and mourning, and woe." Ezekiel 2:10
For I am sure that there is nothing that we see there
every day and every hour, but would cover us with
shame and confusion of face, and make us blush to
lift up our eyes before God, or almost to appear in
the presence of our fellow man!
But neither others, nor we ourselves, now see what
the church one day will be, and what she ever was in
the eyes of Jesus! He could look through all the sins
and sorrows of this intermediate period, and fix His
eye upon the bridal day--the day when before
assembled angels, in the courts of heaven, in the
realms of eternal bliss, He would present her to
Himself a glorious church, without a spot or
wrinkle
or any other blemish, but holy, and without fault.
O what a day will that be, when the Son of God
shall openly wed His espoused bride; when there
shall be heard in heaven, "what sounded like a
great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and
like loud peals of thunder, shouting--Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns! Let us rejoice and
be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the
Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready."
Revelation 19:6-7
|