WASHED BY HIS WORD

Many Christians today want a blood covering for sin but not a cleansing! The ritual of the Old Testament Tabernacle provides a clear example of the kind of walk with God Christians should have.

The Tabernacle had an outer court where the sacrificial animal was slain. This provided the blood covering for sin. But outside, too, was a laver where cleansing took place. No priest could enter the Holy of Holies and commune with God face to face without being cleansed.

Some Christians believe they can bypass the laver which, for us, stands for the washing by the water of the Word. They believe they can push into the holy place with sin caked all over them and sinful habits deeply imbedded in their hearts. Just walk right in and boast, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.”

The perfect heart is after more than security or a covering for sin! It seeks to be in His presence to have communion! Communion is talking with the Lord, sharing sweet fellowship, seeking His face. And that is what you get in the Holy of Holies! It comes in this order: covering, cleansing, commitment, communion.

Many believers, however, want nothing more than to be covered—a quick ticket to glory! No pain, no cross, no cleansing! They go about crying, “I’m under the blood! I’m safe!”

Yet they quote only one-half of the verse: “And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Read all of it: “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light . . . the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:6-7). Jesus said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3).

We hear preaching that says, “You don’t need to be searched. All your sin is under the blood! All this digging and searching out of sin brings only condemnation and guilt.”

In Revelation 2:23, Jesus says, “All the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the [minds] and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.” Beloved, He was addressing the Church!