He did this. This points to the goal of Christ's self-sacrificing love. To dedicate the church. The idea is to make holy, to set apart for holy use. By his word. The promise attached to baptism (1 Peter 3:21) is like a marriage vow. The washing in water would have no meaning without the authority of his word (see notes on Acts 2:38). After making it clean. The aorist verb form points to the act of baptism by which believers are united with Christ, rather than to continuous Christian growth. Wesley says: "In baptism; if, with the outward and visible sign,' we receive the inward and spiritual grace.'" Compare Titus 3:5 and note.

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Old Testament