Cleansed Changed and Enabled

7/12/2009

Hebrews 9:14 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

New American Standard Bible

Sin turned the minds of men away from God and to themselves. Sin sullies the hearts of people so that they are incapable of knowing God and doing what pleases Him. A dirty mind only serves a dirty self, and that service only ends in death. That’s why the apostle Paul said, “And you were (past tense) dead in your trespasses and sins…” Here the writer of Hebrews gives us another piece of the solvable puzzle that shows why the sacrificial death of Jesus is so important and so vital – it cleanses our minds from dead works – or serving self – to serving the Living God and His infinitely good purposes in the world. Wow!

It’s not that I won’t ever again make a selfish decision and suffer the consequences for such an action; it’s now that my mind has been cleansed, changed, and enabled to do what is righteous and good to please God and accomplish His will for my life.

Father in Heaven,

Your salvation is more than just mentally accepting Who You are and what You do – Your salvation results in the outworking of righteousness that without the cleansing blood of Jesus’ sacrifice, will not happen. You made a way for me to serve You in holiness, purity, and power when that first tiny drop of His precious blood splattered upon that dry Palestinian pavement. Through His blood You cleansed me and made me worthy to be called Your child – thank You. I can now serve You with a conscience that’s been made alive! In His precious Name, amen.