2-6-12

GOD’S DESIRE FOR A PURIFIED AND RADIANT CHURCH

There is a cleansing that happens when we present ourselves to the Lord in repentance. There is the symbolic cleansing in baptism as we die to our old nature, and rise to new life. But also God accomplishes a supernatural work in our lives with spiritual water.

I love this verse in Ezekiel 36:25-26. 

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.”

In Hebrews 10:22, we are told, 

“let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

The picture that comes to my mind is of a little child who has been outside playing in the mud and is so filthy.

But how wonderful to be able to bring that child in and lovingly bath it with clean water and see the transformation of the child from one covered with dirt to one who is made clean.

Our loving heavenly Father desires to wash away from us the filth of this world and make us clean. I imagine him washing away profanity, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, sexual immorality, selfish ambition, anger, bitterness, slander, greed, pride, lust….

Paul expresses the heart of God for His church in Ephesians 5:25-27 

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”  

Church, arise as a radiant church!