How can we apply the concept of purification in our spiritual lives today? The Setting: Blood on the Altar “Then he is to go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it; he shall take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on the horns of the altar all around.” (Leviticus 16:18) - On the Day of Atonement the high priest carried sacrificial blood outside the veil. - Even the altar, the place of offerings, required cleansing; sin contaminates everything it touches. - Blood—life poured out—was God’s chosen means to purify what sin had defiled (Hebrews 9:22). Purification Fulfilled in Christ - The altar finds its greater reality at the cross, where Jesus offered His own blood “once for all” (Hebrews 9:12). - Believers are “sprinkled clean” by that blood (1 Peter 1:2), receiving a full, legal cleansing before God. - Because Christ literally accomplished atonement, ongoing purification now flows from a completed sacrifice. Living the Principle Today • Acknowledge our continual need for cleansing – Sin’s residue clings to thoughts, motives, habits. – Psalm 51:2 “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” • Approach God through the blood, not self-effort – Hebrews 10:22 “Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience.” – Confidence comes from Christ’s sufficiency, not personal merit. • Practice daily confession and repentance – 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – Keep short accounts; bring specific failures into the light quickly. • Guard the “altar” of the heart – Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.” – What is entertained in thought life will soon occupy behavior; protect worship space within. • Remove spiritual contaminants decisively – 2 Corinthians 7:1 “Let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” – Evaluate media, relationships, attitudes; discard what dulls affection for Christ. • Embrace Spirit-led renewal – Titus 3:5 “He saved us… through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” – Invite the Spirit to apply Christ’s work freshly, shaping conduct and desires. Supporting Passages to Meditate On - Hebrews 9:13-14 – Christ’s blood purifies the conscience from dead works. - James 4:8 – “Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” - Ephesians 5:25-27 – The church is washed with water through the word. - Revelation 1:5 – Jesus “has freed us from our sins by His blood.” Practical Rhythm for Daily Purification 1. Begin each day with Scripture reading—let the Word expose hidden grime. 2. Respond immediately to conviction—confess, forsake, thank God for cleansing. 3. Speak the gospel to yourself—remind the soul of objective forgiveness. 4. Choose obedience in small decisions—purity compounds. 5. End the day with reflection—celebrate grace, note areas needing deeper surrender. The Fruit of a Purified Life - Clear conscience and joyful intimacy with God. - Credible witness before a watching world. - Increasing freedom from bondage to old patterns. - A heart that worships with freshness, echoing the cleansed altar in Leviticus 16:18. |
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