.. or unclean?
July 13, 2008 (Sunday)
The New International Version of the Bible has the word, “filthy,” in it five times. Each occurrence of the word is connected to sin, directly or indirectly. Seems we have no trouble thinking of a sinful life as unclean.
Hear the prayer of a young man who desired to be clean in God’s eyes:
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9-11).
Plainly the Psalmist realized his need of being morally clean before God.
Do we know we need to be clean? Are we like the children who “washed up” before meals only to be sent from the table to do it again because they were not clean. Do we think we’re clean when we’re not? Are we like a movie set, looking great on the outside but littered with trash on the unseen side of the make believe building? Are we really clean within? 1 John 3:3 says that salvation brings with it a desire to have a clean heart and a clean life. God wants us to be like more Jesus in our daily lives, and He helps us to do that. He gives us a new heart and through the Holy Spirit who lives within us, urges us to allow Him to produce fruit in our lives. (Galatians 5:22-23).
Do we want to be clean? Do we hear God calling us to be clean? (1 Thess 4:7). Do we understand the Christian life to be a clean life? (Titus 2:12-14). Have we asked the Lord to make us clean? (Ps 51:10).
Will we allow the Lord to make us clean? we cannot cleanse ourselves, but He wants us to be clean, so He invites us to let Him make us clean: “’Come now, let us reason together,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool’” (Isaiah 1:18 NIV).
“f we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NIV).
An old hymn begins with a relevant question, “Have you been to Jesus for the Cleansing Power?” I’m thankful today that I have been to Jesus for the Cleansing Power; have you? “If you will confess with your mouth that Jesus Is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).