Is Your Heart Clean

[00:00:00] This audio sermon is provided by AnabaptistSermons.com and may be freely copied and distributed. You may not sell or edit this sermon. Our prayer is that you would be blessed by this ministry. Greetings to each one in Jesus' name this morning. The one who loved us and gave himself for us. I've been reading in Proverbs these last few days, and there's a verse that caught my attention. [00:00:34] Proverbs 20, verse 9. Proverbs 20, verse 9. It says, Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? I guess I always thought about it, you know. Yes, we can say that. But then as I looked at the question there a little closer, it says, who can say I have done it? [00:01:10] It says, I have made my heart clean. Who can say that? I have made my heart clean. I trust that each one this morning here, our hearts are clean, or they have been cleansed, but no one here can say I have done it, I did it, even God talking through Jeremiah, he says, Jeremiah chapter 2, [00:01:49] And verse 22, we could look for the best soaps, or maybe even disinfectants, or whatever we would need. But it says here, For do thou wash thee with niter, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God. So who can say I have washed myself, I have made myself clean, I have, how is it that it says, I have made my heart clean, because even if we would take and wash ourselves with a lot of soap, or use a lot of bleach, [00:02:38] It says here that the mark of our sin will still be there. How do we get cleansed then? How do we, or how did we get cleansed? Because I trust that each one of us this morning is cleansed. But how did we get cleansed? Through good works, the good works cleanse us. [00:03:14] Sometimes, I don't know if that much here as in Central America, but there's people that think that they can balance evil works with good works. If they have more good works, then they feel that they're pretty good before God. But 2 Timothy 1, verse 9 says that it's not according to our works that we are cleansed. [00:03:50] Or you should turn to that 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verse 9. It says, Who has saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. It's not because of our works, our good works that we have done, that we can be cleansed before God. [00:04:29] Also, Galatians 2.16, it says that a man is not justified by the works of the law, even by keeping the law, doing everything that the law says. We cannot be justified, we cannot be cleansed. And also Ephesians 2, verse 9, it says that not of works, lest any man should boast. If we could clean ourselves or be cleansed by our own works or by what we do, then we could boast. [00:05:10] And maybe even compare ourselves among ourselves to see who is cleaner. But it's not of works, lest any man should boast. Is it through sacrifices that we are cleansed? There are people, at least in Central America, I don't know if they do it here, I want to share that in Holy Week or Easter, they go a certain distance, not walking, but on their knees, on their knees till they get to a certain image, certain virgin, to ask her for forgiveness for sins. [00:06:05] And they think that because they do it that way, they go on their knees, and many times by the time they get there, their knees have cuts or they're bloody. They think that because of that sacrifice, then they can be cleansed from their sins. And they probably do it because they feel the weight of sin in them. [00:06:41] And they want to be cleansed. But do we get cleansed that way? By going a certain distance on our knees? That would be again by works, I think. You know, certain work. And if we get there on our knees, then we'll be okay. But not by sacrifices either. Hebrews chapter 10, you want to notice some verses there in Hebrews chapter 10. [00:07:20] What about the sacrifices of the Old Testament? That was something that God had commanded not, or that God had ordered, That the people of Israel would do. And that through those sacrifices, not by going a certain distance on your knees, but by killing a lamb, a goat, or bulls, God had said that they were supposed to do that for their sins. [00:07:57] But Hebrews 10 verse 4 it says For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins So why did God have them do it? All those sacrifices All those sacrifices But it says here Remember that all the blood of bulls and goats couldn't take away sins. [00:08:30] Also verse 6, it says, In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. And verse 8, above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not. Neither hadst pleasure therein. which are offered by the law. Did God ask them to do something that he didn't even like? [00:09:01] That he didn't have pleasure in? Also verse 11, And every priest standeth daily, ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. Those sacrifices could never take away sins. Why did God tell them to do that? I think it was these sacrifices point to Jesus. [00:09:34] And that's what makes it meaningful. The sacrifice that Jesus was going to do of his own self, his own life. Not all that blood of bulls and goats, all those sacrifices that God didn't even, from what we read here, He didn't, it wasn't something that He liked, but that was pointing to what Jesus would do. [00:10:10] And that's what we want to notice today. The sacrifice of Jesus, that is what cleanses us. We'll read here in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 12 through 18. But this man, talking about Jesus, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, Remember, sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. [00:10:45] For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified, whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us. For after that he had said before, this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord. I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin [00:11:21] Sacrifices But it only took one sacrifice The sacrifice of Jesus. As it says here, he offered one sacrifice for sins forever. And also in verse 17, their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. [00:11:58] Remember, who can say I have made my heart clean? It is not of ourselves, but God, through Jesus, has cleansed us. One sacrifice of this one man, the Lamb of God, through his sacrifice, the sins and iniquities are remembered no more. They are taken away. And where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. [00:12:32] There is no more need for sacrifices. Only one sacrifice. And I notice here also, it says that we are perfected forever. Forever. In verse 14. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Perfected forever. Made perfect forever. [00:13:05] When God made man, he was perfect. No fault, no sin, no mistake. He was perfect. And that's the way God makes us through the sacrifice. of Jesus on the cross, perfected forever through one offering, through one sacrifice. He makes us without fault, without sin, without mistake. [00:13:41] Turn with me to 1 John chapter 1 Tells us there that the blood of Jesus Cleanses us from all sin 1 John chapter 1 verse 7 Reading through verse 10 It says, but if we walk in the light As he is in the light We have fellowship one with another And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. [00:14:18] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. I think we would all agree that we have all sinned. [00:14:52] The Bible tells us that also in Romans 3, 23, all have sinned. We have all sinned. But, as we read here, the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. And also in verse 9 it says almost the same [00:15:29] that our part is to confess our sins and then He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Talks here of cleansing. Cleanse us from all sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Not just cover them or blot them out, although that too, but cleanse. [00:16:14] They're there no more if we confess our sins. Turn with me to Romans chapter 3. In verse 23 we read that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But in verse 24 it says, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Justified, made just, made good, made righteous [00:16:51] No sin through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Verse 25 says Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God. To declare, I say at this time, his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. [00:17:29] Do you notice our part here? Our part is faith, believing. To believe in what Jesus did, to believe that the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin As it says in verse 25, through faith in his blood Faith in his blood And down in verse 26, the last part it says [00:18:05] of him which believeth in Jesus. Faith and believing. I think it's the same thing. Faith and believing. To believe. To have faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. And then we are justified. Where is boasting then? It says, verse 27, It is excluded. By what law? of works, nay, but by the law of faith. [00:18:42] So, can we boast about being cleansed? If all that we did is just believe? All that we did is just have faith? Can we boast about that? That God has cleansed us? It is excluded, it says. Verse 28, Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. [00:19:15] And here we see what we were asking before, through works, not through works, without those, without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also. Seeing it is one God which shall justify the circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? [00:19:49] God forbid. Yea, we establish the law. I had to notice how much emphasis it puts here on faith Faith and believing that it's through faith It mentions it several times That, well, even the Jews, it says They need to be justified through faith [00:20:20] And not faith in that they are descendants of Abraham, but faith in Jesus, in the blood, as it says in verse 25, faith in his blood. So it is through faith. God will justify the Jews through faith in his blood, and he will justify us, if we are Jews or Gentiles, whatever we are, by the blood also. [00:20:58] Seeing it is one God, we shall justify the circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith. It is through faith, not by works, that God cleanses us. We can't say, I have made my heart clean. It is God that has done it in us. But our part is to have faith, faith in his blood. Also in Romans here, just turning to next chapter in chapter 5, Romans 5, verse 8, it says, [00:21:39] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. It's because of His love. Verse 9 Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. There it is again. Being justified by His blood. Not through works that we have done. All that we had to do was believe, repent. [00:22:13] But it is because of what he did, because he loved us. Through his blood we can be justified. Also in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 7 it says, it talks about redemption through his blood. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 7 [00:22:43] In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. The riches of his grace. The riches of his love. And He made that possible for us to have redemption through His blood, through the blood of Jesus. Also, in 1 Peter chapter 1, it again points out to us that it's not because of something that we have done or that we have paid. [00:23:26] Because it says there that it's not by money. It's not by gold or silver, but through His blood. 1 Peter 1, 18 and 19 For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, and of a lamb without blemish, [00:24:00] and without spot, the Lamb of God, through His blood, the blood, the precious blood of Christ. And here we can see that it's even more precious than silver and gold. We could gather up all the silver, all the gold, all the wealth of the earth To give to God for our cleansing, but that wouldn't cleanse us. [00:24:32] It is through the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. In closing, I would like to notice a few verses in Revelations. Revelations chapter 1. I'll read the whole verse, but I want to notice especially the last part. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth, unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. [00:25:11] Not with the blood of bulls and goats or sheep, but with His own blood. He washed us, made us clean through His own blood, washed us from our sins in His own blood. And in Revelations chapter 7 verse 13, John saw all those people in heaven praising God, giving blessing and glory to God. [00:25:50] And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. So if we want to be there too, We must be of those that are washed in the blood of the Lamb. [00:26:25] It doesn't say here those that did good works or that did a sacrifice, like people call it, of going a certain distance on their knees, making their knees bleed. But it's those that are washed in the blood of the Lamb Have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb And that's the only way that we can be in heaven also [00:27:01] If we are cleansed, washed in the blood of the Lamb Not through trying to cleanse ourselves through what we can do because who can say