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Thursday, August
6, 2009
A Clean Start
John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the
word which I have spoken unto you. (KJV)
A cleansing process began some two
thousand years ago and continues today, for all those that learn to stay
clean in the eyes of the Lord. A simple process Church; right now you are
clean; no, not by the works that you think you need to do or because of the
congregation you belong to, but rather our Lord’s cleansing process is a Spiritual
one, the only one He gives credence to.
Luke 11:37-40 And as he spake, a certain
Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to
meat. (38) And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first
washed before dinner. (39) And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make
clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full
of ravening and wickedness. (40) Ye fools, did not he that made that which
is without make that which is within also? (KJV)
Isn’t the above example fitting to what
we see going on today as well? Many still put more emphasis on the outward
and ignore the inward. Many today still hold to the fact that as soon as
someone commits their life to the Lord the first thing that needs to be
done is to take them to a water hole and get them dunked. Just like with
the Pharisees, we see in the above verses that they miss the meaning and
true intention of what our Lord was seeking to accomplish, an inward
cleansing.
Ezekiel 36:24-27 For I will take you from
among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you
into your own land. (25) Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye
shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I
cleanse you. (26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I
put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and
I will give you an heart of flesh. (27) And I will put my spirit within
you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments,
and do them. (KJV)
One of the first things that the Lord
will do in your walk is get you separated from any unhealthy influence in
your walk; basically, having you come out from among those that still hold
more to this outward fallen realm than the new inward one. Our new life is
one that is now Spiritual, putting the emphasis more on the inward by not
letting the outward have the greater influence. Oh but, how so many still
hold to outward rituals and carnal washings thinking they will produce
life.
Hebrews 9:8-10 The Holy Ghost this
signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest,
while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: (9) Which was a figure for
the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices,
that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the
conscience; (10) Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings,
and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. (KJV)
Hey I don’t know about you, but as far as
I am concerned I happen to believe the Lord did a complete job fulfilling
the old law, and that we are in the time of reformation and have been so for
some two thousand years now. The fact that our Lord said that in order to
worship God it must be done so in Spirit and in truth, I will take the
inward cleansing anytime over some outward dead ritual that is no longer in
play.
Acts 1:5 For John truly baptized with
water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (KJV)
Acts 1:5
[2.] "you shall be cleansed and
purified by the Holy Ghost," as the priests were baptized and washed
with water, when they were consecrated to the sacred function: "They
had the sign; you shall have the thing signified. You shall be sanctified
by the truth, as the Spirit shall lead you more and more into it, and have
your consciences purged by the witness of the Spirit, that you may serve
the living God in the apostleship." (from Matthew Henry's Commentary)
Come on Church! Isn’t it time we get
inside so that we won’t be left on the outside. In order to get a clean
start, let it be the inward man and not the outward any longer.
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