Cleansed from Unrighteousness

Cleansed from Unrighteousness

The removal or cleansing of unrighteousness is stressed throughout the Scriptures.

One example is found in Numbers 5:1–3, which reads, “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Command the sons of Israel that they send away from the camp everyone with leprosy, everyone having a discharge, and everyone who is unclean because of contact with a dead person. You shall send away both male and female; you shall send them outside the camp so that they do not defile their camp where I dwell in their midst.’”

God lived among His people, inside the camp. That made the camp a holy place. The holiest place in the tabernacle (the mobile temple) was accessible only by the high priest, only once each year, and only after a lengthy cleansing process, because God met him there at the Mercy Seat.

Nothing unclean or unholy could enter God’s presence.

We who are not Hebrews see this idea echoed in our former state of alienation and separation. Ephesians 2:11–12. “Therefore remember that previously you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision” which is performed in the flesh by human hands—remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the people of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (NASB 2020)

We were outside the gate, separated from Christ Jesus. We were unclean and unholy. We could not enter the holy place. We could not live where God lives.

Like the Hebrew people put the unclean among them outside the gate, the Lord Jesus carried our sins, or unholiness, our uncleanness, outside the gate. He took away our sin.

Though we were far off, unclean, and outside the gate, God who is rich in mercy cleansed us so that we could come near, (see Ephesians 2:13, 17) inside the gate where God lives.

This is what the Spirit taught the Apostle Peter in a vision of a sheet filled with unclean food. “Eat,” he was told. When Peter refused, the Spirit told him this, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” (Acts 11:9 NASB2020)

Saint, when you changed your mind about your sin and your need for Jesus Christ the rescuer (see Acts 17:30, John 3:16) and agreed with God, you were cleansed of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). If you are cleansed of all unrighteousness all that’s left is righteousness. That is exactly what the Lord Jesus gave you.

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in [your] behalf, so that [you] might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NASB 2020)

That’s the reason Hebrews 4:16 can tell us that we can “approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need” (NASB 2020).

Grace and peace to you.
Larry