Ephesians 5:22-33: The Bride and the Bridegroom

As St. Paul encourages Christians to live in the order that God has given, he gives a table of duties. Beginning with the way wives and husbands act toward each other, the Apostle not only gives instruction for Christian living, but he proclaims the Gospel in the way Christ has acted as Bridegroom for His Bride, the Church. Wives are to submit to their husbands as the Church submits to Christ. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the Church. In saying this, St. Paul expounds upon the mystery of what Jesus has done for His Bride, washing her clean in Holy Baptism to present her as blameless before Him. The way that husbands and wives live together in Christ provides a glimpse of this reality of Christ and His Church.  Rev. Mark Barz, pastor at Crown of Life Lutheran Church in San Antonio, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ephesians 5:22-33.  "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle to the Ephesians. St. Paul highlights the salvation that God has given to His whole Church by His grace through faith. Because God has given His people this new life in Holy Baptism, we live in thanksgiving to Him as members of one body.