Washing
WRITER: Phil Bray POSTED: October 24, 2024
How important is it to regularly read, study, memorize, and meditate on the Word of God? How important is it to shower? The Scripture explains that Jesus’ love for His church is evidenced in His sacrificial death in her place for the purpose of sanctifying her, making her holy. He has done this “having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.” (Eph 5:26-27). Christ cleanses His church by means of the word of God. The Scripture is the soap and water by which the idolatrous thinking of this present evil age is purged from our minds.
Suppose you were to crawl under your house in order to fix a broken sewage line. Upon completing the repair you would haul yourself back out into the sunlight, only to discover yourself covered in slimy sewage mud. You need a shower to wash off the filth in order that you might present yourself clean and without spot to your spouse. There is no way she is letting you sit on the couch or crawl into bed without first washing. As we live out our lives in this world we are walking about in the sewage of idolatry, selfishness, and wickedness. Our minds and hearts are splattered with envy, pride, and foolishness all day long. We must immerse ourselves into the cleansing water of God’s word so that His thoughts purge away the evil and deceptive thoughts of the enemy.
Our hearts, motives, emotions, and wills must be regularly realigned with the will of God as presented in His word. This is the work of sanctification, of edification. We are sanctified by means of God’s Word (John 17:17). We are edified by means of pastors and teachers who explain and apply God’s Word to our lives (Eph 4:11-13). Our minds are renewed by exposure to the Word of God so that we are transformed into the image of Christ (Rom 12:1-2). We keep our way pure by keeping it according to God’s Word (Ps 119:9).
In the same way that you need to wash daily to keep your body clean, you must wash daily in the Scriptures to keep your heart and mind clean. I urge you to make time with God in His Word a daily priority. Set a time each day for yourself to read your Bible and take notes. Select a few verses to memorize and meditate on them as you get ready in the morning or as you drift off to sleep at night. Keep the Word of God ever before your mind so that your heart and life will be shaped and molded to His glory and your good.
Suppose you were to crawl under your house in order to fix a broken sewage line. Upon completing the repair you would haul yourself back out into the sunlight, only to discover yourself covered in slimy sewage mud. You need a shower to wash off the filth in order that you might present yourself clean and without spot to your spouse. There is no way she is letting you sit on the couch or crawl into bed without first washing. As we live out our lives in this world we are walking about in the sewage of idolatry, selfishness, and wickedness. Our minds and hearts are splattered with envy, pride, and foolishness all day long. We must immerse ourselves into the cleansing water of God’s word so that His thoughts purge away the evil and deceptive thoughts of the enemy.
Our hearts, motives, emotions, and wills must be regularly realigned with the will of God as presented in His word. This is the work of sanctification, of edification. We are sanctified by means of God’s Word (John 17:17). We are edified by means of pastors and teachers who explain and apply God’s Word to our lives (Eph 4:11-13). Our minds are renewed by exposure to the Word of God so that we are transformed into the image of Christ (Rom 12:1-2). We keep our way pure by keeping it according to God’s Word (Ps 119:9).
In the same way that you need to wash daily to keep your body clean, you must wash daily in the Scriptures to keep your heart and mind clean. I urge you to make time with God in His Word a daily priority. Set a time each day for yourself to read your Bible and take notes. Select a few verses to memorize and meditate on them as you get ready in the morning or as you drift off to sleep at night. Keep the Word of God ever before your mind so that your heart and life will be shaped and molded to His glory and your good.