THE WATER OF GOD’S WORD

“That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of WATER BY THE WORD” – Ephesians 5:26

Apart from water representing Life, cleansing, and refreshment, there is also the WATER of GOD’S WORD: “That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of WATER BY THE WORD” (Eph.5:26). One of the many benefits of water is its cleansing ability – not only on our bodies but in them as well. The word of God as water has cleansing power. Paul reminded the Ephesians of how deeply Christ is committed to the church, the body of believers: "Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word." (vv.25b-26). That is, Christ through the washing of water by the word rids the church of wrinkles and spots, presenting to himself a glorious church (vv. 25-27).

The mission of God’s word is to make us like Christ, the Word of God (Jh.1: 1-2). The more the word of God is applied to our lives, the more of the life of Christ we display, because the more the works of the flesh gets washed away. Certain disciples were called Christians in Antioch, but this was not until the preaching of the word had gone on for some time in that place. And that is the name that is generally acceptable to refer to followers of Jesus: “So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:26b).

Just as clear, fresh water cleanses our bodies, God's Word washes us clean deep down inside our souls. It purifies our thoughts, scrubs our motives, and cleans our conscience as we absorb it and obey its truths. In Psalm 51: 1-10, David repeatedly asked the Lord to cleanse him within: “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (v.2); “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (v.7). God’s Word purifies our thoughts and motives as we absorb and obey its truths. The word of God is called the word of righteousness: “For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe” (Heb. 5:13). Without the word doing His work in us, there is no way that our life can reflect the righteousness of Jesus. It is the word that comes to empower us to do the right things.

The word as water can cleanse us from wrong habits, as we review the stand of the word of God in our various areas of life’s challenge. Jesus says: “You are already clean because of the WORD which I have spoken to you” (Jh. 15:3). The world is full of all kinds of dirt, unbelief, fear and evil. Every time we’re in conversation with people, especially those who aren’t in the faith, they rub off some negativity on us. Every time we browse on social media or watch television, there’s something terrible and negative, something transmitting fear and uncleanness. Wrong thoughts come to us as well, from which we have to cleanse ourselves.

God’s Word purifies and cleanses us from the dirt we contact from the world. His Word is the best cleansing agent. Listening to the Word cleanses our souls and purifies our hearts. It’s time to give ourselves to His Word: ^“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col.3:16). God’s Word displaces unrighteousness from a man’s heart and replaces it with righteousness. It wipes out fear and replaces it with faith. The Word of God is a cleanser; it cleanses anyone who comes under its influence, power, and authority.