Christ’s power to cleanse from sin – Part 1

Sin disqualifies man from fellowship with God. It brings defilement and reproach. The sins that the Lord mentioned in this text can be classified into four categories such as inward sins, outward sins, secret sins and common sins. The inward sins are those that other people may not see. They are sins that only you know about. They include evil thoughts, wrong motives, passion and pride, hatred and prejudice. Outward sins are sins that almost everybody can notice when you commit them. They are sins like murder, theft, blasphemy (malicious speeches meant to belittle the majesty, glory, persons, attributes and honour of God).

Secret sins are sins done under the cover of darkness, away from the prying eyes of people. They include such sins as adultery and fornication. Common sins are sins that almost everybody commits. They are sins that people don’t seem to see as a big deal when they commit them. These include false witness, lying, deception, suppression of the truth, and such like. But “these are the things which defile a man.”

Involvement in any of these sins defiles a man and necessitates cleansing by the blood of Jesus. There is wonder-working power in the precious blood of the Lamb to cleanse, purge and purify a sinner from the guilt and burden of sins. To be cleansed from the defilements of inward, outward, secret or common sin, you need to repent of your sins and surrender your life totally to the Lord Jesus. To be kept from going back to the sin repented of and confessed, you need the constant application and obedience to the word of God. The blood washes you clean; the word keeps you clean.

There is no cleverness or ingenuity of man that can take a sinner, defiled by sin into heaven. The seed of corruption is from within. The very source of evil is the heart of man. If your heart is evil, your actions will be sinful. If your language is corrupt, your heart was first corrupt.  If your behaviour is bad, it is an evidence that your heart is rotten. Thoughts precede action. Evil thoughts are the fountain of all other evils.

Those who appear innocent and righteous outwardly, and like the Pharisees, dress, talk and behave like Christians, may still be inwardly dirty and defiled in God’s sight. When a person is corrupt, his thoughts, words and actions will not be normal. The propensity to do evil will be the driving force of his life. Nothing can stop him from going downhill.

Sinners go down the slope of conflict and trouble because that’s what they are used to. Sin defiles, corrupts and makes a sinner guilty in the sight of God. Defilement is referred to, in many Old Testament passages as abomination. To have fellowship or remain in fellowship with God, we must turn away from things that defile or corrupt, such as envy/jealousy, malice, bitterness – anger, wrath/hatred, covetousness, pride, murmuring/gossiping, lust – evil desire, evil passion between men and women, evil thoughts, unbelief, evil imagination, evil association, wickedness, injustice, and attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to Satan. Whatever the nature of defilement, there is cleansing in the blood of Jesus. But there must first, be a realisation of one’s sinfulness before there can be redemption and reconciliation.

• Further Reading (King James Version): Matthew 15:16-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Mark 7:20-23; Revelation 21:27; Matthew 23:27,28; Isaiah 59:3-8; Deuteronomy 18:9-14; Hebrews 12:15; James 3:5,6.