#101 WITHOUT SPOT, WRINKLE, OR BLEMISH

It is not coincidental that our Lord has used marriage to illustrate the sanctity and intimacy of His relationship with the church. "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." What was our Lord's goal? "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. So {too} ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself." (Ephesians 5:24-28)  No husband wants a Don Juan making passes at his wife. Each time we entertain false worship, and pagan customs, we are flirting with Satan—the deceiver and spoiler— giving him access to interfere with our relationship with Christ. Like a promiscuous wife, we jeopardize our marriage vows for the sake of a handful of carnal pleasures. Pastor Singh jealously guards his assembly (and indeed, the whole of God's work).  He is "jealous over us with godly jealousy: for he has espoused us to one husband, that he may present us as a chaste virgin to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:2)