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Paul, in Ephesians 5:31, quotes Genesis 2:24, stating that a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This statement transcends the mere marital bond between husband and wife. As Ephesians 5:32 reveals, it points to the profound mystery of God’s eternal purpose, fulfilled in Christ Jesus. This mystery is that Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her, cleansing her through the washing of water with the Word and covering her with His blood, as demonstrated in His sacrificial death on the cross. Through this work, Christ established a holy, blameless, and glorious Church, one befitting His glory, founded upon God's unconditional love, divine election, predestination, and sovereign will.

From the creation narrative in Genesis 1, marriage was never intended to be a mere institution marking the beginning of human history. Rather, it was divinely ordained to reflect the covenantal relationship between Christ and His Church. This relationship is characterized by Christ’s sanctifying work, whereby He purifies His Church through the water of the Word and covers her sins with His shed blood, making her spotless and radiant before God. This mystery was progressively revealed throughout redemptive history and fully understood by Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as he wrote the epistle to the Ephesians. Thus, the scriptures, from beginning to end, center on Christ and cannot be rightly interpreted apart from Him.

When approaching scripture and seeking God’s will, it is vital to recognize that God’s purposes are revealed to humanity for His glory and within the bounds of His sovereign decree. The Bible, as the inspired, infallible, and sufficient Word of God, holds supreme authority above all human traditions, religious ceremonies, ecclesiastical structures, and cultural practices. Consequently, believers are called to rely wholly on Jesus Christ—the incarnate Word—trusting in His finished work on the cross, which purifies and covers His Church, as the ultimate revelation of God’s redemptive plan.