As Christ gave himself for the church. Shouldn't that washed away our sins believing in Jesus and Him crucified? So why the washing of water by the word.
Ephesians 5:26
ESV - 26 That he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.
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Water is the illustration for so many things in the Bible: spiritual cleansing, the Holy Spirit, the word of God, etc. In Eph. 5:26 is an example of the word of Christ.