Interviewer: Can you tell us about the passage you wrote in Ephesians 5:25-26?

Author: Certainly. In this passage, I wrote, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.”

Interviewer: That’s a beautiful sentiment. Can you explain more about what you meant by husbands loving their wives as Christ loved the church?

Author: Yes, of course. Christ sacrificed himself for the church, even unto death, out of his deep and abiding love for her. Similarly, husbands are called to sacrifice for and love their wives, putting their needs before their own and being willing to do whatever it takes to make them holy and whole.

Interviewer: And what does the “washing with water through the word” refer to?

Author: This is a metaphor for the way that the Bible has the power to wash away our sins and make us pure. Husbands are called to help their wives grow in their faith and spiritual journey, just as Christ helps us grow in relationship with God.

Interviewer: Thank you for explaining that. Is there anything else you want readers to take away from this passage?

Author: I would say that the message is not just for husbands, but for all of us. We are all called to love others as Christ loved us, sacrificing ourselves for the benefit of others and helping them on their journey with God.