What is Christ's goal for the church?
Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it, aiming to sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water by the Word. His goal is to present the church to Himself as a glorious called-out assembly, holy and set apart, without spot, wrinkle, blemish, or any such thing.
Les teaches that Christ's goal for the church is bound up in His sacrificial love: He loved the church and gave Himself for it. The purpose is that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word—not baptismal water, but Scripture. Then He will present the body, the church, to Himself as a glorious called-out assembly, without spot, wrinkle, or any such thing, so it should be holy, set apart, and without blemish. Les also ties this to believers being members of His body, of His flesh and bones, made one with Christ, as Paul speaks concerning Christ and the church, the body.
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.