Forum breadcrumbs - You are here:WeLoveGod RallysPublic Newsletters: adevotionalgroupCovered or Cleansed?
You need to log in to create posts and topics.
Covered or Cleansed?
159 Posts
#1 · July 17, 2008, 4:24 pm
Quote from Forum Archives on July 17, 2008, 4:24 pmPosted by: <@...>
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:7-9 NKJV)Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the Lord." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Psalm 32:5 (NLT)If you've ever washed laundry, you understand the difference between a stain that is covered and one that is cleansed. When a soiled garment goes through the wash and the stain is not removed, you have a few choices: (1) you can try washing it again; (2) you can discard the garment; or (3) you can cover the stain with some type of patch. At some point, however, the patch will come loose and the stain will again be revealed. It never really went away, it was just temporarily hidden.If a stain is cleansed, however, it is completely eradicated, eliminated, destroyed, done away with. There is no longer any evidence of it on the garment. You may remember the event that caused the stain, but the stain itself is nonexistent.By the same token, if you place a blanket over someone with leprosy, they may be kept warm, but the leprosy remains. When Jesus encountered lepers, He didn't cover them, He cleansed them. He not only eliminated all traces of the disease, He restored the parts of their body that the disease had decimated. The leper in Luke 17 returned to give thanks when he saw that he was cleansed. There was physical evidence of his healing.When you and I hold on to sin and try to cover it up hoping God doesn't see, it continues to eat away at us like leprosy, destroying from within. When we humble ourselves before Jesus, confess our sin to Him, repent of it and sincerely ask His forgiveness, this scripture does not say that He covers that sin. He doesn't throw a blanket over it and then lift up the covering from time to time and say, "Remember when you did this?" No, Satan is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). Jesus has already suffered the agony of the cross for that sin. What does He do? He cleanses. He removes all traces of it. As far as the east is from the west - as far as sunrise is from sunset - that's how far He removes that sin from us (Psalm 103:12). And He remembers it no more forever (Hebrews 8:12, 10:17)!Gracious Father, thank You for the precious blood of Jesus! Father, Your goodness and mercy are so unfathomable! Jesus, You did for us what we could not possibly do for ourselves - You made us clean before God and set us in right relationship with Him. Imperfect humanity made righteous and welcomed at the feet of a perfect and holy God! So amazing! I stand in awe of You. Amen.To subscribe: <adevotionalgroup-subscribe@welovegod.org> To unsubscribe: <adevotionalgroup-unsubscribe@welovegod.org If you have questions: <adevotionalgroup-owner@welovegod.org>
Posted by: <@...>
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:7-9 NKJV)
Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the Lord." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Psalm 32:5 (NLT)
If you've ever washed laundry, you understand the difference between a stain that is covered and one that is cleansed. When a soiled garment goes through the wash and the stain is not removed, you have a few choices: (1) you can try washing it again; (2) you can discard the garment; or (3) you can cover the stain with some type of patch. At some point, however, the patch will come loose and the stain will again be revealed. It never really went away, it was just temporarily hidden.
If a stain is cleansed, however, it is completely eradicated, eliminated, destroyed, done away with. There is no longer any evidence of it on the garment. You may remember the event that caused the stain, but the stain itself is nonexistent.
By the same token, if you place a blanket over someone with leprosy, they may be kept warm, but the leprosy remains. When Jesus encountered lepers, He didn't cover them, He cleansed them. He not only eliminated all traces of the disease, He restored the parts of their body that the disease had decimated. The leper in Luke 17 returned to give thanks when he saw that he was cleansed. There was physical evidence of his healing.
When you and I hold on to sin and try to cover it up hoping God doesn't see, it continues to eat away at us like leprosy, destroying from within. When we humble ourselves before Jesus, confess our sin to Him, repent of it and sincerely ask His forgiveness, this scripture does not say that He covers that sin. He doesn't throw a blanket over it and then lift up the covering from time to time and say, "Remember when you did this?" No, Satan is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). Jesus has already suffered the agony of the cross for that sin. What does He do? He cleanses. He removes all traces of it. As far as the east is from the west - as far as sunrise is from sunset - that's how far He removes that sin from us (Psalm 103:12). And He remembers it no more forever (Hebrews 8:12, 10:17)!
Gracious Father, thank You for the precious blood of Jesus! Father, Your goodness and mercy are so unfathomable! Jesus, You did for us what we could not possibly do for ourselves - You made us clean before God and set us in right relationship with Him. Imperfect humanity made righteous and welcomed at the feet of a perfect and holy God! So amazing! I stand in awe of You. Amen.
To subscribe: <adevotionalgroup-subscribe@welovegod.org> To unsubscribe: <adevotionalgroup-unsubscribe@welovegod.org If you have questions: <adevotionalgroup-owner@welovegod.org>
Click for thumbs down.0Click for thumbs up.0