Forgiven and Clean

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify -cleanse - us from all unrighteousness. 1John 1:9

Sisters, if we confess our sins we are forgiven AND made clean. I'm thinking that we pretty much know that God forgives us. I'm also thinking that we pretty much don't know that we are made clean - that we are purified by God as well.

So, we confess and know that we're forgiven, but we still go along feeling guilty as hell afterwards. Did I say that? Yes... I mean it. My usage of the word "hell" here is not to be crass, but to make a point. The guilt and condemnation are not God's deal. It's not something that even we ourselves make up. It's the enemy's tactic to bring defeat to us. It's a lie from the pit of hell.

We have been forgiven and made clean. That's a fact - a done deal in the spiritual and even physical realm. But if the enemy can at least get us to think that we're somehow still tainted by that sin, we start to live - or continue to live - like we're not forgiven and right with God. Do you hear what I'm saying? And this can go on for decades after we have confessed and repented of our sin. We're fully forgiven and yet we continue to live with guilt and shame.

I understand that there are sometimes natural consequences that are extremely painful or humiliating that follow our sin. (I ache for all of us who have suffered tough consequences and I pray that we may find the peace of God and the strength and courage that He provides through these circumstances.) These consequences, however, do not mean that God hasn't completely forgiven and completely cleansed us, because He has.

According to Strong's G2513 - the Greek word katharos means:
1) clean, pure
a) physically -purified by fire
- in a similitude, like a vine cleansed by pruning and so fitted to bear fruit
b) in a levitical sense - clean, the use of which is not forbidden, imparts no uncleanness
c) ethically - free from corrupt desire, from sin and guilt
- free from every admixture of what is false, sincere genuine

-blameless, innocent

-unstained with the guilt of anything

I think this is amazing. You are clean. I am clean. God says so. We don't have any business saying we aren't, believing we aren't, or acting like we aren't clean. No one else has any business either, saying you aren't forgiven and clean. That is the devil's business, though. Let's know that this is what he's up to and not join him in his business. Let's know the truth and agree with God in our head and have it go all the way down to our hearts so we live free, blameless, unstained with the guilt of anything.

Do you know...

The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven. Hebrews 1:3

God provided purification for sins through Jesus, and then Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father. Christ completed all the righteous requirements and now is sitting at the right hand of the Father. We are clean because of His work - not ours. We simply confess and turn to God. Then we receive forgiveness and cleansing.

Hebrews talks about what it was like before Christ came, when sacrifices were offered by the priests on behalf of the people . These "gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper." Hebrews 9:9

Get this. Those sacrifices couldn't clear the conscience because...

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming-not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. Hebrews 10:1&2

But the shadows disappeared when The Reality came. Jesus, the perfect spotless lamb of God, came and gave His life for mankind - for the world - so we might have life.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest(Jesus) over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:19-23

Dear Sisters, we ourselves are just beginning to enjoy this great reality in our lives; this freedom from guilt. We pray that you too, will come to know the joy that comes from having your conscience cleansed. You are forgiven. You are clean. Say it out loud. I am clean. Jesus has made me clean. I'm clean! Pure. I am free to be used by God for noble purposes for His glory.