by Cindy Phillips
It’s raining as I type and I am reminded of how rain (water) washes things. That brought me to Ephesians 5:26 (NKJV). that He [Jesus] might sanctify and cleanse her [a man’s wife] with the washing of water by the Word
This single verse sits inside a larger passage where the Apostle Paul compares the relationship between Christ and the church to that of a husband and wife. But verse 26 zooms in on something deeply personal and spiritual: how Jesus Christ transforms people.
- A picture of intentional love – The word translated “sanctify” (to make her set apart as holy) tells us that Christ’s love is not passive. It’s purposeful. Holiness here doesn’t mean perfection in a rigid sense, it means reshaped for something good and meaningful. The idea is that divine love is not content to leave a person unchanged; it actively works toward their renewal.
- Cleansing as a process, not a moment – “Cleansing her” suggests an ongoing action. This is important. Spiritual growth isn’t usually instant, rather it unfolds over time. Just as washing removes dirt gradually, this verse implies a process of inner renewal, where old patterns, guilt, or brokenness are steadily washed away.
- “Washing of water” — Water often symbolizes purification throughout Scripture. Here, the emphasis is on what the ritual represents: renewal, new identity, a fresh start. Water cleans externally, but the verse points to something deeper: internal transformation.
- “By [or through] the Word” — This is the key phrase. The cleansing happens “by (or through) the Word.” That can be understood in two complementary ways: God’s spoken truth (teachings, promises, and guidance that reshape how a person thinks and lives), and Christ Himself as the Word (John 1:14). The idea is that transformation happens when truth is heard, received, and lived out. This is confirmed by two other Scriptures; Faith comes by hearing the Word (Rom 10:17) and be a hearer and a doer of the Word (James 1:22)
- A relational dynamic – Taken together, the verse paints a relational picture: Jesus Christ acts with intention, people are recipients of that work and the process involves both grace (given) and response (received). It’s less about self-improvement and more about being shaped by a relationship grounded in love and truth.
Ephesians 5:26 suggests that real change doesn’t come from pressure or performance, but from being steadily shaped by truth and love. This applies to how the wife is shaped by the love her husband and how the Church is shaped by the love of Jesus.