But You Were Washed – Blog 18

There’s a story in Kings about Naaman the leper who was cleansed from his leprosy and his flesh became like the flesh of a child. That caused me, especially at this age, to think about how lovely that would be – and how complete that cleansing healing was.

Then I thought about the verse (Ps. 51:7) that said we are cleansed and made whiter than snow.

And then the verses in I Cor. 6:9-11 that lists some of our sins and then says: And such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified . . .

And 2 Cor. 11:2 – I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

So these same people whose sins he listed, were washed and cleansed and experienced a spiritual miracle that made them pure -as if they had never sinned .- spiritual virgins.

And that’s just the beginning of all God gives us in salvation.

For years and years, I tried so hard to be good that I was devastated every time I realized I wasn’t.

Now I see that when I know how much I am loved and accepted, I am able to see how much sin is still working in me. I can repent and be restored! I see that righteousness is a gift. I am not just declared righteous; I am given the gift of righteous.

It was easy for me to understand that being in Adam I was a sinner. That was reality. But being in Christ and having His righteousness seemed like a legality. It was true because God said it was true. God counted me as righteous, but I missed the fact that He had made me righteous. I tried to be righteous. The exact same way being in Adam made me a sinner; being in Christ made me righteous. They are both legality and reality!

It’s the best news ever – The works already been done.

Knowing that not only have we been forgiven, but we have been made pure and holy sets us up for all the rest. We have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. We have been given the righteousness of Christ. Then we can approach Him boldly; we can trust Him to change us and to enable us to be conformed to the image of Christ.

It’s not devastating when He reveals our sin to us; it’s liberating. It’s chain-breaking.

These are huge promises, and we need to meditate on them. We need to pray them.

I have known these things for years. But I keep seeing them more clearly and they keep changing me more deeply. That is such amazing grace. And it is so thrilling. The very first promise God spoke to my heart was that He would make Himself real to me (John 14:21). And He keeps doing it! So grateful for God’s love and perseverance!!!!

And more good news: He will keep revealing Himself throughout eternity – our infinite God!