Articles
Divine Cleaning
My mom kept the house clean while I was growing up. Looking back, I suspect that I was difficult to deal with in that regard. I was not a particularly clean child, nor was I very good at cleaning up my own mess. For example, whenever I was asked to clean my room, I would shove my toys and clothes under my bed or pile it on the closet floor. If I could close the door or if a bedspread fell low enough, then the mess was out of sight. My room was clean, right? Mom didn’t see things that way. I’ve come to learn that she was right. I had not cleaned my room; I only hid my mess.
I once saw a cleaning van with a logo advertising their services with just two words and a phone number. “Divine Cleaning.” No more description was needed. Everyone who read that knew they were advertising exceptional cleaning. Dirt would be gone. Trash disposed of. They’d do the job right (or at least, that was their claim). Because, that’s what we understand a divine cleaning to be.
Isn’t that exactly what we need? Not for our houses, but for our souls. Sin has defiled us. We’re a mess. Shoving our sins into the closet or under the bed, hiding them from the world, won’t suffice. We need a cleansing that comes from above. Divine cleaning.
“How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14)
“Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled {clean} from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb. 10:22)
“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.” (I John 1:7)
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)
Cleansed by God. We have literally been offered a divine cleaning and that makes us truly clean. All of our sins and guilt are not hidden; they are eliminated. It only took two words to convey this idea on a van. Why is it so hard for us to accept this concept when it is found in the Bible?
However, do not think that the burden of cleaning our lives falls entirely on God. Jesus’ blood removes the guilt of our past, but He expects us to remove any wickedness from our present lives.
“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (II Cor. 7:1)
“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these {things}, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.” (II Tim. 2:21)
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (Jam. 4:8)
This does not mean that we should hide our sinful ways and be satisfied as long as no one knows what we are thinking or doing. That wasn’t sufficient for my mom and it certainly is not sufficient for God.
If we are Christians, then let us rejoice at the divine cleaning we have received. And let us also be devoted to keeping our mind and life clean.
