Clean

1 John 1:9 (ESV) — 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

____

Jesus death on the cross is like a multifaceted diamond. Each side represents another accomplishment from the cross. Today let's talk about it's cleansing power.

I think one of the hardest things about life is that you carry your mistakes with you. It is hard to not let your mistakes define who you are, because in truth they often do.

We do lots of things to escape our past, new clothes, new haircut, new apartment/house, new friends, new car, new job. 

Our past can make us feel like we are caged, unable to surpass the limits of our mistakes. And it's not even just our mistakes that we are trying to escape. It's not just that you sin, but people have sinned against you.

People lie to us, cheat on us, abuse us physically, emotionally, verbally, etc. Even though you may be innocent, being sinned against can make you feel just as dirty as if the fault were yours. Sometimes this is even worse because we can feel "tainted" by the event and we are unable to repent of it since it's not something we did but rather something that was done to us.

The cross......

Imagine you're a kid again and Mom has a house rule, anyone that tracks mud into the house gets a spanking. Then let's say that you come into the house covered in mud. Some of the mud you got on yourself while you were throwing it at others, some of the mud is from where others have thrown it on you. When it comes time to get the spanking, Jesus is the one that takes the spanking (this is what was talked about in "The Cup" post). But that's not it, if he only took the punishment, that means you're still covered in mud and the problem isn't really solved. You're still filthy...

Jesus atonement on the cross also cleans all of the mud off of you. Mud that you got on yourself, and mud that others threw at you. It's all gone. Not only was your sin placed on Jesus on the cross, he also bore the shame that you feel for your past, the regret that you have for your past. If you've been cheated on, Jesus bore that, if you've been abused, Jesus bore that, if you've been raped, Jesus took that shame on the cross and paid for it.

You don't have to carry your past around with you anymore! Any shame, regret, negative experiences of your past, they were taken care of on calvary. Now, I'm not saying that there aren't consequences, because there are. But I am saying that the emotional weight, the psychological burden that you've been carrying, you don't need to carry it any longer. Jesus paid for that on the cross too so that you can be cleansed of all your sins, those you've committed and those that were committed against you. 

Isaiah 1:18 (NLT) — 18 “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.

1 John 1:7 (NLT) — 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

Ezekiel 36:25a (ESV) — 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses...

1 John 1:9 (ESV) — 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.