The Cleansing Power of Christ

"If turning from your sins means to stop sinning, then people can only be saved if they stop sinning. And it is unlikely that anyone has ever been saved, since we don't know anyone who has ever stopped sinning."  - Curtis Hutson

Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to make something as clean as it was when it new no matter how many times you wash, scrub, and rinse it?

Sure, it might look better than it did before you gave it a good scouring, but somehow it just isn't the same as it was. It will never be "brand new" again.

This is what sin does to us. It soils our hearts and contaminates our souls. And no matter what we do we cannot cleanse it, at least not on our own (Psalm 51:5).

Our sin also does a lot more than make us look dirty or unkempt. It stands in the way of our relationship with God. It keeps us from having communion with him.

From our perspective any hope of changing this situation looks bleak, but not from God's. I refer you to the miracle of Jesus' cleansing of the leper in Matthew 8:1-4.

During that time, leprosy was seen as a sign or mark given to a person by God as a result of sin. It was a condemnation from which there appeared no chance of parole.

Only one had the ability to cleanse the leper of his disease and us of our sin, and that is Jesus Christ. That is what God had in mind when he sent His Only Son to us here (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Then, with all the faith and humility he could muster, the leper pleaded with Jesus to make him clean and he was healed (Matthew 8:2-3).

Thus we are to approach him if we desire cleansing of our sins. Like the leper, we too must approach Christ in faith for his mercy.

Many have it the other way around, and then wonder why nothing has changed for them. Sin cannot be erased or scrubbed away by our own efforts.

There is no remedy or ritual found on earth that can remove it. This can only be accomplished by our  humble and faithful submission to Christ, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Scripture: 1 John 1:8; James 1:14; Psalm 51:10; John 5:14; Isaiah 64:6

Prayer: Dear Lord, wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me, amen.   - Psalm 51:2-3 (ESV)

Bless you,

Brielle