"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." -1 John 1:9
"Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." - Psalm 51:7
"but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin". - 1 John 1:7
"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit," - Titus 3:5
"Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."- 1 Corinthians 6:11As believers we know that when God saves us we become new creations, pure and righteous through the shed blood of Christ on the cross - there is no other way. The Bible teaches that God cleanses us, first and foremost, through a washing with blood - a first and final cleansing.
But it is important to understand that there are two types of cleansing.
- The cleansing of the blood that saves us once, completely, and without need of any other work. This is the rebirth.
- The continual cleansing, renewal and washing of the Word that enables us to operate in a sinful world.
Jesus references the two types of cleansing in John 13:7-10
"Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” 8 Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus said to him,“He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean..." - John 13:7-10
We are washed completely clean and yet still need to wash our feet. Believers are washed clean through the blood of Christ, and yet as we walk in this world we accumulate sin from the world around us that needs to be cleansed.
Too many believers stop at the first cleansing. They believe that because Christ has washed up from every sin and imputed His righteousness on our behalf that our work is done. Here's the confusion, THE WORK, (of salvation) is completed, no one can add or supplement the work of Christ with their own filthy rags and be saved. But this does not mean that our work is done, and it does not mean that God does all the work in our lives with or without our active involvement.
Too many believers stop at the first cleansing. They believe that because Christ has washed up from every sin and imputed His righteousness on our behalf that our work is done. Here's the confusion, THE WORK, (of salvation) is completed, no one can add or supplement the work of Christ with their own filthy rags and be saved. But this does not mean that our work is done, and it does not mean that God does all the work in our lives with or without our active involvement.
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