Wash Me and I Shall Be Whiter Than Snow Art
I am always struck by the purity of snow, particularly when it is covered past a layer of frost in the early morning sunlight. Everything appears innocent, cute, clean and new; in a sense reminiscent of the new-born babe in Christ. David said: "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be make clean: wash me and I shall be whiter than snowfall." (Psalm 51v7)
These days purity in the homo realm is virtually sneered at, while sadly, in Christian circles purity is rarely encouraged in the Christian. There seems to be a widespread culture of preaching by which we are told that 'we are all sinners' and that 'we sin in idea, discussion and human activity every day' – statements which are nowhere to be found in scripture. During the summertime I attended a Christian briefing where a speaker referred to 'saved sinners and lost sinners.' My heart sank at these words and afterward this I felt that the spirit was not in the coming together. Again, the term 'saved sinner' is nowhere to exist institute in the Bible and those who have been born once more past the grace of God are never referred to anywhere in His Discussion as 'sinners.' In Psalm 1v5 we learn that "the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous."
No, it is non incommunicable for usa to sin as Christians and we learn in 1John 2v1&2 that "If whatever human sin, we take an advocate with the Male parent, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." Note the employ of the give-and-take 'if' here – not 'when.'
In Psalm 51v10-thirteen nosotros learn that a pure middle is a prerequisite to reaching others with the gospel… "Create in me a clean centre, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me non away from thy presence; and have not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy gratuitous spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee."
Those who talk of 'saved sinners' volition often quote 1John 1v8: "If we say that we take no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
Yes, if nosotros know that we have sin in our lives, then it must be confessed and repented of. All the same, we cannot read 1John Chapter 1 in isolation, for Affiliate 2v1 emphasises: "My picayune children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not." Furthermore this chapter goes on to set the standard for the Christian, with verses like this one: "he that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (Verse 4) Finally, in this chapter we larn that: "If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. (Verse 29)
In Chapter 3v3 we read: "And every homo that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, fifty-fifty as he is pure," while Verse 3 carries a warning to those who could exist deceived past unsafe theology… "Little children, let no man deceive you lot: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous."
We must not let men deceive the states into thinking that the term 'saved sinner' is an acceptable definition for those who have been built-in again by the grace of God. Sin should exist regarded as a disease – something conflicting in the life of the Christian, and in one case found it must be confessed to the Great Physician and repented of immediately.
If there is something in our lives which needs to be dealt with, or if we feel that nosotros fall short of that "perfect dear" referred to in 1John 4v17&18, we take need of His touch.
Of form nosotros cannot live a life that is pleasing to God in our own forcefulness just surely with God all things are possible? If we can trust Him to do it, He tin can cleanse, fill up and empower united states of america… for the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ washes whiter than snow!
Link to the hymn: "Whiter than snowfall:" http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/west/h/i/whiterts.htm
Tags: make clean heart, david the psalmist, elizabeth shush, gospel, neat physician, ice, perfect love, set author publications, righteousness, sin, snow, white
Source: https://readywriterpublications.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/%E2%80%9Cwash-me-and-i-shall-be-whiter-than-snow%E2%80%9D/