Healthy & Clean

       You’ve no doubt heard the phrase, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” many times.  A lot of people, in fact, believe this statement comes from the Bible (which it doesn’t).  What this saying teaches, though, is that cleanliness is important.  Everyone understands our need to be clean in order to present ourselves in a good light as well as promoting good health.

Many of God’s instructions in the Old Testament dealt with the concept of cleanliness.  But they didn’t refer to the physical as much as being a visible way of enforcing the idea of being spiritually clean.  The clean and unclean rules were used for food to be eaten or avoided, diseases that might have been infectious, thoughts that led to sin or idolatrous practices, attitudes that influenced hatred and rebellion towards God; it’s a very lengthy list. 

God’s instructions in these cases weren’t meant to test obedience as much as they were designed to teach the difference between being sinful (dirty) and holy (clean).  He wanted to ensure that His people were different from the surrounding cultures; different in a spiritual as well as physical way. 

The principles behind these lessons were carried over into the New Testament and given a spiritual application as being filled with God’s goodness and being cleansed from our sin through the blood of Jesus Christ which was shed on the cross.  This is what I think He is referring to when He discusses “living” water (John 4:10, 14). As water is necessary to sustain your physical life and health, so Jesus is the necessary substance for sustaining your spiritual life (soul) and health. Notice too how John mentions that the River of Life flows from the throne of God (Revelation 22:1-5). Jesus is that life-giving, life-sustaining element that both nourishes and cleanses/purifies.

There are many passages from Jesus and the Apostles that speak of His atoning sacrifice as being a washing, or cleansing, or purifying of the soul.  What began with 3000 faithful on the Day of Pentecost (following Jesus’ resurrection) continues to the present day whenever a person’s faith in God / Christ leads them to be buried with Him in baptism (Romans 6:3-5).  Their sins are washed away and they stand before God holy and clean.  And from that moment on, the blood of Christ continues to cleanse from sins and continues to nourish as His disciple grows in faith and becomes more and more like Him. 

By remaining faithful in our hearts and minds and by striving daily to be rid of sin, God Himself helps us to “clean up” the mess and stains that sin leaves behind. Jesus says that God’s word has made us clean (John 15:3) through our faith which motivates us to obey Him and live in holiness. 

So, are you thirsty? Do you need some cleansing?  Come to God and allow Him to fill you with Himself. He promises to help you clean up the mess of sin and live every day in joy and gladness for being His beloved child.

Doug