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The Cleansing Of Our Soul
There are many passages in the Bible which speak of a cleansing. Sometimes this is referring to things like washing dishes, clothes, the altar, and other things. Sometimes it means to just take a bath to wash the dirt off the outside. But mostly, in the Bible, it has reference to cleaning the inside.
What needs to be cleansed? Our filthiness, our dirty little secrets, our potty mouth, and just about everything that defiles the person. Sin, is what we are talking about. It does not matter how dirty our life has been, with the help of Jesus, we can be cleansed, and God will fellowship us when we are clean. In 1 John 1:7 reads: "but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin". But God will not fellowship anyone who has not been cleansed. In 1 John 1:9, it reads: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". David prayed to God in Psalm 51:2 "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin". This is something God does.
In Acts 22:16, Ananias told Paul to not delay any longer but to arise, be baptized, and wash away your sin. While many might object to the idea that one can wash away their sin, we have to realize that God only goes so far in this process. God made it possible through His Son that people could have their sins forgiven, remitted, or cleansed. In the end, we have to make the choice ourselves if we are going to be cleansed.
Sometimes the word cleanse is used and sometimes the term wash is used. The New Testament speaks of being washed in water, the regeneration of washing, appealing to God from a good conscience through baptism, being cleansed from past sins, etc. In Titus 3:5 we read: "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit",
It would do us all good to look up these words and see how the Bible offers them to us. After all, God speaks to us through His word, and His word offers the words of eternal life. So it is in our best interest that we learn from the Bible. As we study these words, we learn that this is the work that God gives us to do. It is a good work, and really not anything we do on our own. We just do what God tells us to do, and we can be saved by our obedience to God's grace.
We know that we cannot have fellowship with God if we have sins. Our sins separate us from God. But if we can be cleansed from our sins, we can have a relationship with God. In 1 Corinthians 6:11 we read: "And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God". The Bible tells us that baptism is how our sins are washed away (Acts 22:16). Now baptism alone does not save, but baptism working through faith is just one step in the salvation process. Baptism is the most important thing we can do for our own salvation. God has already done His part, by providing the way. That way is Jesus, (John 14:6).
By Carey Scott

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