Come, and be made clean….

By Burney Choate, WB0RNO

“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. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his Word is not in us.”

I John 1: 8-10

John first speaks of those days, when Jews and Gentiles say, they have no sin. Hear him as he speaks of this deception, “ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves “ and when people, themselves, are deceived, they deceive others, because we can only say it under the influence of self-deception. And such self- deception, implies the absence of that truth, in the inward parts [mind and soul] which God desires. Read it in Psalms 51:6 “Behold, You (God) desire truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.” .It is far better for us to confess our sins, believing that God forgives sins, and He does so, in such a way of faithfulness and justice, insuring our being cleansed from all unrighteousness. To say that we have no sin, is to make Him liar, and the truth is not in us. Read Romans 3: 10 “There is none righteous, no not one.” Now the question arises, what is truth? Jesus said, “I am the truth.” What is one to do in such a case as this? We are to open our hearts to Him; we spread out our case before Him, concealing nothing, glossing over nothing. We tell Him of all that is sad and distressing, all our failures and selfishness as well as our worldliness and carnality. This demonstrates how sin has quenched our love, to Him, making us miserable, indifferent to the good work going on all around us. Therefore, COME TO CHRIST, to confer with Him AS OUR GOD. We will find Him faithful, and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. Isn’t that a wonderful thing to know, that He is faithful, keeping covenants and mercy? He will keep us in His loving hands. With the charm of true love, He will work truth and uprightness in us, so as to our walk, inner and outward and all shall be light, clear light, clear as crystal, between Him and us.

Then we will reject the very thought, that Satan convinced us we had no sin. And glory in that we are delivered, from such a tragic event. Knowing that the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s son, cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 2:1, 5-17...”Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” COME, CONFESS YOUR SINS, OR THAT YOU ARE A SINNER, knowing that “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s son, cleanses us from ALL SIN. ” COME AND BE MADE CLEAN. IT FEELS GOOD TO BE CLEAN!

Though cleansing from sin is made available to all, I fear few take advantage of it. They also differ on the, means of cleansing. Job asked the question in Job 15:14...”WHAT IS MAN, THAT HE SHOULD BE CLEAN, AND HE WHICH IS BORN OF A WOMAN, THAT HE SHOULD BE RIGHTEOUS?” We are told in our text, 1John 1:9...”IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.” Do you believe that? AND,.HAVE YOU ACTED UPON IT? Pilate, though a sinner, after he had delivered Jesus to the mob to be crucified, Matt. 27:24...he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I AM INNOCENT OF THE BLOOD OF THIS JUST PERSON.” If he had believed Jesus a just person, [AND HE WAS] it was in his power to set Jesus free. But being ignorant of God’s word, he believed, that by washing his hands in a basin of water, this would free him from the guilt of murder, of whom he rightly called, A JUST MAN. Had he been familiar with Job 9:30-31...he would have known the answer! “If I wash myself with snow water, and make MY HANDS never so clean; YET I SHALL THOU PLUNGE me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.” Hebrews 9:22, “And almost all things, are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” [Forgiveness]. Paul draws this analogy from Old Testament burnt offerings, which typifies Christ, offering Himself, without spot or blemish to God, in atonement for our sins. A man can have clean hands and a sinful heart. This was in the case of Pilate!

We read the same of other groups in Matthew 23:25-28, where Jesus said, “woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye make CLEAN THE OUTSIDE OF THE CUP, but within, they are full of extortion and excess.

Thou blind Pharisees, CLEANSE FIRST THAT WHICH IS WITHIN the cup and platter that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like unto white tombs. WHICH APPEAR BEAUTIFUL OUT - WARD, BUT ARE WITHIN FULL OR DEAD MEN’S BONES, AND OF ALL UNCLEANNESS. Even so, also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” Here are those that say, they have no sin. See the deception here? They give much attention to their outward appearance, but inside, their hearts are like whited sepulchres. [graves.! They were not clean, neither did they feel a need of spiritual cleansing. [isn’t it amazing, how many people take great care to keep their bodies clean, yet give no thought about the condition of their hearts? This same group complained about the disciples eating without washing their hands. And how many times have you heard comments about those who go unbathed and wear dirty clothes, in a disgraceful manner? Yet, when our Lord reveals to them their real nature, their inward defilement, they are moved to kill Him. What deception! They make the outside clean, while their hearts are compared to “WHITE SEPULCHERS.” They were unclean AND HAD NO DESIRE TO BE MADE CLEAN. AND HATED HIM who had the power to do so. They were self - deceived. One thing they had forgotten, in 1 Samuel 16:7...”BUT THE LORD SAID UNTO SAMUEL, LOOK NOT ON HIS COUNTENANCE...FOR THE LORD SEETH NOT AS MAN SEETH: FOR MAN LOOKETH ON THE OUT - WARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKETH ON THE HEART. “

When the Lord looks on our hearts, what does He see? Does He see hardness of heart there? David said, in Psalms- 139:23-24...” Search me, O God, and KNOW MY HEART: try me, and know my thoughts: AND SEE if there be any wicked way in me, and LEAD ME .IN THE WAY EVERLASTING.” Again in Psalms 51:7-8...”PURGE ME with hys- sop, and I shall be clean: WASH ME, and I shall be whiter than snow. MAKE ME TO HEAR JOY AND GLADNESS...Hide thy face from my sins, and BLOT OUT ALL mine iniquities.” Sin must be dealt with. Unless you die to sin. you will die in YOUR SINS. Come now, and be made clean. The blood of Jesus Christ. God’s son. cleanseth US from ALL sin. 1 John: 1:7

I John 1: 8-10

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