Churches, You Need Another Bath!

 Subject: A Call to Holiness: It Is Time for the Church to Take a Bath Again

The Lord God has authorized me to cultivate, enlighten, and empower the sons and daughters of Jesus Christ through His love and grace. I don't solicit funds through ministry, but I am seeking financial supporters to sustain this work. My ultimate goal in Christ’s service is to hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful minister." This is the eternal reward I strive toward. Glory to God in Jesus Christ.

God is speaking clearly to His ministers and members: it is time for the Church to take a bath again.

Ephesians 5:25–27 highlights Christ’s unique role as the sanctifier of the Church and as the ultimate model of sacrificial love. Scripture declares that “Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

It is time to hear the mandate of the Lord: remove your fig leaves and walk in the fullness of the purity He has provided.

In marriage, a husband should sacrificially love his wife just as Christ loves the Church. However, unlike a human marriage where husbands cannot sanctify their wives, Christ alone sanctifies and washes His Church. To sanctify in this context means to set apart for God’s purpose and to purify from sin. Through faith in the finished work of Christ, believers are consecrated as holy and dedicated to His service, as described in Romans 12:1–2 and 1 Peter 1:15–16.

Ephesians 5:26 links the "washing of water" to baptism, as seen in Romans 6:3–4. As the Apostle Paul explains, baptism symbolizes a believer’s death to sin and the beginning of a new life in Christ. This underscores the reality that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Just as water for cleansing was central to a bride’s wedding-day preparations, Jesus Christ calls us to remove our fig leaves and walk in the fullness of the purity He has provided.

The following text explores the connection between Ezekiel 16:1–13 and Ephesians 5:26–27. In the Ezekiel passage, Israel is portrayed as an abandoned girl who rises to become a queen, a narrative that prefigures the New Testament truth of the Church as the bride of Christ, sanctified and cleansed for Him. This metaphor is further enriched by Ezekiel 36:25, where God promises, “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you” (ESV). Through Christ, this promise of thorough cleansing is fulfilled.

The culmination of Christ’s sanctifying work is beautifully illustrated in the eschatological visions of Revelation 19:7–9 and 21:2, 9–11. In these passages, the Apostle John describes the marriage supper of the Lamb—a celebration representing the final consummation of Christ’s relationship with His Church. This future event is not only a joyous occasion but the ultimate fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan, wherein Christ presents the Church to Himself in splendor, "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:27). As the Holy Spirit declares, it is time to remove your fig leaves and stand pure before Him.

Ephesians 5:26 also specifies the agency through which Christ accomplishes His “washing” of the Church: it is done “through the word.” In His High Priestly Prayer, Jesus said, “Sanctify them (His disciples ) by the truth; your word is truth.” The means by which God justifies, saves, and sanctifies His people is the Word of God (see also John 15:3; James 1:18). It is by the Word that God accomplishes His purpose “to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” ( 2 Timothy 3:17) (THE WORD OF THE LORD SAYS TO REMOVE YOUR FIG LEAVES).

While the focus of Ephesians 5:26–27 remains on Christ’s role, there are vital practical implications for the Jesus Royal Believers Way Saints. Because we have been sanctified and washed, God calls us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling—with all humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another in love and eagerly maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1–3). As the Lord commands His saints: do not put those fig leaves back on! This walk of faith is not about earning salvation; rather, it is a heartfelt response to God’s grace through reverence and daily obedience.

The Church, as the collective body of believers, plays an essential role in the sanctification process. This communal aspect is emphasized in Hebrews 10:24–25, which encourages believers “to stir one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” As the Anointing declares to all ministers of the Gospel, both men and women: it is time to remove your fig leaves of religion—including traditional services, temples, outdated Hebrew laws, and Levitical methods of supporting yourself and the Church—and leave them off permanently.

The sanctification process is both personal and communal. Individually, believers are called to engage with Scripture, allowing the Word of God to cleanse them from sin and transform their hearts and minds (Psalm 119:105; James 1:22–25 ). Collectively, the Church reflects the holiness and purity of Christ, given to the church through what He accomplished on the cross.

Ephesians 5:26–27 presents profound insights into Christ’s role in the sanctification of His Church, drawing from Old Testament allegories and culminating in our future union with Him. Not only does this passage reveal the depth of Christ’s love and sacrifice, but it also calls us to a life of holiness and dedication to God’s service. Let us, then, live out the fullness of our spiritual cleansing, demonstrating to everyone that we belong to Christ, who sanctifies us “by the washing with water through the word. Amen.”

It is a blessing to welcome you to our Jesus Royal Believers Way Saints community in Jesus Christ! Here, you will find resources and support designed to enrich your spiritual journey. We encourage biblical study, spiritual growth, and prosperity as you walk with Senior Apostle & Messenger James Winfree Sr. through our national and global ministries. We hope you feel embraced and ready to grow with us. For further connection or support, please reach out to us at apostlejrwinfree@gmail.com, bettyrwinfree@gmail.com, or apostle.winfree@yahoo.com.

( 2 Corinthians 5:17 )

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he or she is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Amen.

( JESUS ROYAL BELIEVERS WAY SAINTS )

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Brotherly love is a command from our Lord, as written in 1 Thessalonians 4:9: "But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that I should write to you, for God teaches you yourselves to love one another just as He loves us; Amen and Amen."

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As Universal Senior Apostle James Winfree Sr., I want you to know that you are loved. If you ever feel otherwise, please help me to love you better.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

To all the Jesus Royal Believers Way Saints: Go where you will be welcome, loved, respected, and appreciated—a place where you can belong, grow, and prosper.

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We invite you to reach out to us at apostlejrwinfree@gmail.com, bettyrwinfree@gmail.com, or apostle.winfree@yahoo.com.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

To all the Jesus Royal Believers Way Saints: Go where you will be welcome, loved, respected, and appreciated—a place where you can belong, grow, and prosper.