Clean?

“Do I need to wash and be clean before I pick up the Bible?”

Her sincere question reveals requirements. Certain rituals governing her life before this.

Now she’s in the early days of following Christ. 

And eager to learn.

Unclean

For women in her former religion, there’s more to consider in this question. During the monthly period or season after giving birth, a woman is unclean. 

And no amount of soap allows her to participate in their prayers or open their book.

We talk about the difference between external cleansing and internal purity. 

I take her to the Word.

Jesus looks at the heart

We read how Jesus speaks to religious leaders in that day. Calling them out in forceful, graphic terms. 

“Whitewashed tombs.” Ritually clean on the outside. But dead and dark on the inside.

It’s clear. Jesus looks at the heart. He sees past any external efforts at righteousness.

So, ritual cleansing is not required to hold the Word of God in your hands. But a heart’s obedient response makes all the difference.

More darkness

Her pastor has asked her if black magic figures into her story. Has she ever consulted a shaman?

The underlying thread of so many in her former belief is this animistic practice. Dealing with evil spirits and darkness through more darkness.

She assures me. Her grandfather, the religious leader in their area, always warned her to never go to the shaman to consult spirits. “You should never pay to pray to God.”

I thank the Lord. One less confusion ordering her thoughts.

Search our hearts

Then we consider the ongoing need to grow in our faith. And the importance of asking God to search our hearts for any sin that trips us up, hindering our walk with Him.

She immediately confesses harboring hatred in her heart. Toward another woman.

“How do I stop hating?” 

We look at 1 John 1:9.

His Spirit

“Ask His forgiveness. And ask Him to give you His love for this woman.”

She does.

I share about a time I was so angry towards another for taking advantage of a friend. I didn’t want to love them. I was content to nurse my anger. Feed it.

“But the Lord convicted me, just as He convicted you today. I asked the Lord to help me, to love through me this person who is made in His image.

“I was weak, unable—but His Spirit flowed through me. And one day I realized, He’d changed my heart towards her.”

Clean through Christ

This leads us to Galatians 5 and the fruit of the Spirit. How it’s His work in us that is changing and growing us. We are fully dependent on Him.

Ritual cleansing outwardly is not necessary. But surrender to His work in our hearts is crucial.

We are clean through the work of Christ on the cross. And He is the One transforming us to be more and more like Him. Day by day.

What about you?

Have you ever thought good works lead to salvation? Or that ritual cleansing makes you pure? How did the Lord teach you the truth of the gospel?

Related

In flight – Open door – Matters of the heart – Earthen vessels – Be holy – 

Matthew 23:27 – 1 John 1:9 – Galatians 5:22-26 –