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FAQ # 46
QUESTION 46 : How
is it you speak of baptism as it pertains to its necessity for salvation
or regeneration (being born again)? Didn’t Eph 5:26 clearly tell us that
we are cleansed by “the washing of water by the word?” And doesn’t this
occurs when we accepted Jesus?
Unfortunately
many persons and even theologians have cling to that meaning; even linking
it with John 15:3. However, as I’ve exhausted in these F.A.Q, one has
to read the verses below and above to get the true meaning of a single
verse.
Reason
being, if that was done in this case, you’ll notice that this verse was
solely giving an analogy of what Christ did for us and how we should do
the same for our spouse. It wasn’t a summation of how we are to be saved
or any allusion to such directives. The only directive this verse meant
to give was instructing the Ephesians to love their spouses. Moreover,
the entire chapter was telling them how to conduct themselves having been
regenerated; that’s why the first verse said, “Be ye therefore followers
of God, as dear children.”
Then
from verse 2 to 25 Paul outlined a few things as to how we are to be followers
of Christ; like “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness,
let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints” (Eph 5:3).
Then
from verse 25 to the end, on the same line of being followers of Christ,
he went into details of how we are to love our spouses, using the example
of Christ and the church as an analogy. To illustrate this true meaning
of Eph 5:26, let us look at verse 25 to 29:
“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, 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 ought men to
love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth
it, even as the Lord the church.”
In
verse 25 he simply says to love you spouse as Christ loved the church.
But he didn’t stop there, he went further to show what Christ did for
the church out of love – “gave himself for it.” Then he again went further
to show why he gave himself for it – “That he might sanctify and cleanse
it with the washing of water by the word. 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” (V 25-27).
Now,
the only way it (church) can be holy and without blemish is by the word.
In other words, Paul was simply illustrating what Christ had done for
us and how we are to indirectly do the same for our spouses. That’s why
he said in verse 28, “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.”
Then
from verse 29 to the end he showed why we should love our spouses as our
own bodies, because like Christ and us, we are one. Even saying, “but
I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of
you in particular so love his wife even as himself.”
So
then, Eph 5:26 had nothing to do with how to be saved, but rather, showed
the thoroughness of what he did by his word, to them that are water baptized
and spirit born; indirectly saying we ought to love our spouse in like
manner.
Answer Notes: 1. The washing of water by the word is not an allusion to water baptism only or “born of the water.” It’s just an inherently define statement of what he did and who he is. For he does everything by his word, “the worlds were framed by the word of God” (Heb 11:3). But physical things took place, like the water being divided from the waters (Gen 1:6). This signified the two baptisms, water and spirit, the first you go into (sea) and the second comes down (rain). The thing is, if it is done by his word, it is thoroughly done; for the word is holy, he is the word, and what he makes by his word is perfected. So by his word you are cleansed, but that is applied through faith in water and spirit baptism: Without the work of this faith, you could not have been cleansed (John 3:5, James 2:20,26)
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