Several things caught my eye here:
1. Christ sacrificed himself for the church ( while we were yet sinners); that is a lot of faith!
2. Christ gave himself for us, yet that was not the end. His dying for us does not guarantee our salvation; his dying makes it possible to receive it. We still have to respond to the gift by taking what grace is offering to us.
-WE must be sanctified. That is, we must be separated from the world. This is repentance. To repent means to turn away. When one repents, he is turning from his old self, and everything that sustains that old self. For if any man be in Christ he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new. Of course the key word here is "become". It is a process, a journey, with the completion of our transformation taking place when we are caught way to eternity with Christ.
-We must be cleansed with the washing of water . My bible references John 3:5*, and Titus 3:5* in the margin. Let's check it out...
*John 3:5- Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
*Titus 3:5- he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
-We must be cleansed with the washing of water by (according to) the Word*
*Each baptism performed by, (not instructed to) the apostles was done by "calling on the name of the Lord", or " in the name of Jesus Christ."
*Matthew 28:19"...baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
3. God will present us to himself, without spot, blemish, or wrinkle
-It is not up to us to get out the spots, or blemishes, or wrinkles. God who is holy, God who is Spirit, -- the Holy Spirit-- will bring us to completion. After we are cleansed ,we need the power of God's Holy Spirit, to spot clean and iron us out.
There's a a hymn I remember singing since a young girl:
A Glorious ChurchV.1 Do you hear them coming, brother,-Ralph E. Hudson (1843-1901) Words & Music: Ralph E. Hudson, 1892
Thronging up the steeps of light,
Clad in glorious shining garments,
Blood washed, garments pure and white?
Refrain-
’Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle,
Washed in the blood of the Lamb;
’Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle,
Washed in the blood of the Lamb.
V.2 Do you hear the stirring anthems,
Filling all the earth and sky,
’Tis a grand, victorious army,
Lift its banner up on high!
(Refrain)
V.3 Never fear the clouds of sorrow,
Never fear the storms of sin.
We shall triumph on the morrow,
Even now our joys begin.
(Refrain)
V.4 Wave the banner, shout His praises,
For our victory is nigh!
We shall join our conqu’ring Savior,
We shall reign with Him on high!
(Refrain)
Sing along with the instrumental here. Click on the MIDI link and enjoy! It's a beautiful, heartwarming melody.
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