February 14, 2006
Happy Valentine's Day to all of you! Traditionally, we use this day to express our love to our sweethearts and to others we love. Where does that love come from? We are made in God's image, and God is love. We would not be able to love, if He had not given us that ability. In fact, the only way we can love completely is to have Christ living in us, so we can love others with His unselfish love. I pray that you have experienced the pure love of Christ, and I pray that you are sharing that love with others.
Leviticus 15 and 16 show us two vital aspects of God's love for us. He loves us enough to provide for cleansing and for atonement. He wants us to be clean physically and spiritually. He wants us to be right with Him, so we can enjoy that love relationship with Him each day. Did you notice a distinction between the cleansing and the atonement? God created water for cleansing. It has marvelous qualities for washing things clean. Man does not even fully understand all of the ways that water cleanses. The Bible tells us that the Word of God itself acts like water to wash our minds and to renew them. However, water can cleanse us in many ways, but it can't cleanse us from sin. It is only by the blood that sin can be washed away and our relationship restored. What did you think about the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16? God set aside one day a year for atonement. People were to concentrate on their relationship with God, and the High Priest was to offer the blood of the sacrifices on the mercy seat in the Most Holy place in the Tabernacle. God was showing His people forever that sin was serious, and it must be purged by blood. Now, we can see how Jesus took care of sin on the Cross by shedding His perfect blood. Through Christ we can have atonement once and for all. What a blessing! I pray that all of us are clean and right with God today. If we are not, it is our fault, because God has provided all we need for cleansing and atonement.
Matthew 27 reminds me of these same truths. Judas betrayed Jesus. Then, He was remorseful. (v.3) However, he did not come to Christ in repentance and faith to seek forgiveness and atonement. In his anguish and grief over his sin, he killed himself in frustration. Why? Because he did not have faith in Christ, he only had anguish over sin. A lot of people are sorry for their sins, but they don't get cleansed. They don't have the atonement, so that their relationship is restored. Judas was one of them. Pilate was one of them, too. He tried to wash his hands in water to absolve himself from the killing of Jesus, whom he knew was innocent. That water could not wash away his guilt. It would only be by the blood of Christ that he could be washed and made right. We have no evidence in history that he accepted Christ. However, there is a tradition that he went crazy and kept washing his hands in an effort to be cleansed. This may not be true, but it shows how people try many other ways to be cleansed and forgiven. However, Jesus is the only Way.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Leviticus 17-18 and Matthew 27:27-50.
Leviticus 15 and 16 show us two vital aspects of God's love for us. He loves us enough to provide for cleansing and for atonement. He wants us to be clean physically and spiritually. He wants us to be right with Him, so we can enjoy that love relationship with Him each day. Did you notice a distinction between the cleansing and the atonement? God created water for cleansing. It has marvelous qualities for washing things clean. Man does not even fully understand all of the ways that water cleanses. The Bible tells us that the Word of God itself acts like water to wash our minds and to renew them. However, water can cleanse us in many ways, but it can't cleanse us from sin. It is only by the blood that sin can be washed away and our relationship restored. What did you think about the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16? God set aside one day a year for atonement. People were to concentrate on their relationship with God, and the High Priest was to offer the blood of the sacrifices on the mercy seat in the Most Holy place in the Tabernacle. God was showing His people forever that sin was serious, and it must be purged by blood. Now, we can see how Jesus took care of sin on the Cross by shedding His perfect blood. Through Christ we can have atonement once and for all. What a blessing! I pray that all of us are clean and right with God today. If we are not, it is our fault, because God has provided all we need for cleansing and atonement.
Matthew 27 reminds me of these same truths. Judas betrayed Jesus. Then, He was remorseful. (v.3) However, he did not come to Christ in repentance and faith to seek forgiveness and atonement. In his anguish and grief over his sin, he killed himself in frustration. Why? Because he did not have faith in Christ, he only had anguish over sin. A lot of people are sorry for their sins, but they don't get cleansed. They don't have the atonement, so that their relationship is restored. Judas was one of them. Pilate was one of them, too. He tried to wash his hands in water to absolve himself from the killing of Jesus, whom he knew was innocent. That water could not wash away his guilt. It would only be by the blood of Christ that he could be washed and made right. We have no evidence in history that he accepted Christ. However, there is a tradition that he went crazy and kept washing his hands in an effort to be cleansed. This may not be true, but it shows how people try many other ways to be cleansed and forgiven. However, Jesus is the only Way.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Leviticus 17-18 and Matthew 27:27-50.