Cleansed By God

1 John 1:9, AMP

“If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].”

In Christ Jesus, we have the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). When we give in to temptation or sin of any kind, we fall back under our own righteousness, which, to God, is as disgusting, filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). That’s when the devil really comes in against us as “the accuser”.

The enemy is really experienced at trying to get us to buy into his accusations, and he wants us to start accusing ourselves. He uses feelings like shame, guilt, and embarrassment to harshly condemn us. Trying to convince us that “I have gone too far”, and “God couldn’t love me or forgive me”, he wants us too ashamed to repent and seek God’s cleansing.

We must choose to believe the Bible; and, listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit gently convicting us that we were wrong and encouraging us to go to the Father to repent and confess (see March 9 devotional). God is Faithful and True. Jesus has paid the price for our forgiveness, so the Father can justly assign our sin to Jesus and the work of the Cross, and thereby cleanse us of all unrighteousness.

Then we are immediately possessing again the righteousness of God in Christ!

TODAY’S CHALLENGE:

Talk to the Father about any unconfessed sin. Repent, turn from the sin, and follow the Holy Spirit’s leadership today, and every day, in Christ Jesus.

Dive Deeper: Study 1 John 1; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 64:6; 1 Corinthians 1:30.