If you owned a school, would you graduate a student who never read a book? So, allow us to spend another post on the need to study the Bible. Studying the Bible is critical if, like Jabez, we want to see our requests granted. In other words, we must receive instructions from God. We saw how the word was food and seed. Now, we want to consider how the Bible is the original cleanser.
Jesus Himself said so in John 17.17. Sanctify (cleanse) them with your word; your word is truth. For you Bible scholars, we know that the word sanctify properly means set apart for God’s use. But those who interpret the word to mean cleanse acknowledge that no dirty thing or person can come near God. That means before a man is set apart for God’s use, he must be cleansed. So, we keep “the original cleanser” as our topic for this post, hopefully, without offending you.
Paul seems to agree with that position as he counseled believers in Ephesus on the qualities of a Christian family. “Just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.” Jesus would sanctify us and cleanse us by the word. The word of God is not only the water in which we wash, it is also the original cleanser.
Have I been To The Original Cleanser?
I am not sure that anyone can claim perfection in sanctification and cleansing. And this is not to disqualify the faith giants. However, we have witnessed too many giants falling for us to beat our chests and say we are perfect. Always, I need to return to the original cleanser for more washing. I do not know about you. Only you can know that. Of course, God also knows your need to return to the original cleanser.
In 2 Timothy 2.19, our Father asks us to depart from evil because God knows those who are His. So, only you and God know how much of the original cleanser you have applied to your soul. No pastor has the right to judge you or me. We can only encourage one another to delve into the Bible as often as possible. Is it possible for one to be too clean?
You may be wondering what all that has to do with God granting your request. What do cleanliness and the original cleanser have to do with answered prayers? Let us look at it this way. How do you enjoy giving alms to a smelly beggar? That is how it is with God. Do you think He will come close enough to a dirty person to give a gift?
The Promises Of God And The Original Cleaner
You recall that even the Savior experienced God turning His back on Hom on the cross. Jesus carried the sin of the world to the cross, and the resulting filth caused God to turn His face away. Jesus cried and asked why God abandoned Him. It is therefore safe to conclude that God would turn His back on the believer who has not gone to the original cleanser. A (popular) hymn asks this thought as a question: “Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?”
God’s back is all we will get unless we go to the original cleanser. Only then can we hope to see God’s face and receive answers to our requests. David understood this connection. King David prayed in Psalm 27.8-9 that He would seek God’s face. “When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, ‘Your face, Lord, I will seek.’ Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger. You have been my help; do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.”
This should be our daily or even hourly prayer. But many of us come to God to seek his hand. “Give me, give me.” In a previous post, we saw how unless you become God’s friend, you should not expect a gift from Him. In the same way, until you go to the original cleanser, do not expect to see God’s face. Start by coming to the original cleanser so God will turn His face toward you. Then, you will be better positioned to present your request.
Maranatha!
