What picture is God drawing with the Bride in Ephesians 5?
The picture is the Body of Christ as the Bride—white and clean, without spot, wrinkle, or blemish. Christ is the Head of the Church as a husband is head of a wife, and He presents the Church to Himself as a glorious bride.
Les explains that Ephesians 5 uses the husband-wife relationship as an analogy: the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the Head of the Church, and He is the Savior of the body. The Church, the Body of Christ, is seen as the Bride. Les draws the picture of a beautiful white-clad Bride without spot, wrinkle, or blemish, presented to Himself as a glorious church. He notes that brides in wedding gowns are attractive, illustrating how God pictures the Body of Christ as the Bride, white and clean, without wrinkle or blemish.
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.
More Questions
Why does a bride in her wedding gown illustrate the Church as the Bride of Christ?
A bride is always attractive in her wedding gown, even if she is otherwise a plain girl, which illustrates the picture of the Church as a beautiful, white-clad Bride without a wrinkle.