SPIRITUAL CLEANSING IS NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR YOUR BLESSING
By Rev. Michael Benson
Ajayi
Luke
8:46-47 NKJV” But Jesus
said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me."
Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling
down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the
reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.’
This woman was suffering from hemorrhage
for twelve years and had exhausted all her earnings on medical bills. Upon hearing
that Jesus was in her neighborhood, she did the unthinkable: under the laws of Moses
she wasn’t allowed to
make contact with anybody. The scriptures say in Lev 15:7 NKJV “And he who touches the body of him
who has the discharge shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean
until evening.” She was
considered to be ceremonially unclean, cursed and whoever she made contact with
would be deemed unclean also.
This woman must have been motivated by
love and perfect love drives away fear; faith for the miraculous works by love
(Ga.5:6 ). Faith places a demand on us as a proof of our commitment and hers was
to touch the helm of Jesus’ garment, this required breaking through religious and
traditional barriers and was instantly healed by so doing; an indication that
God is more interested in saving human lives than promoting a religion .Jesus
does not belong to any religious organization. Religion exists in Christendom in
the form of formalism and other creeds instituted by man in the similitude of
divine wisdom but they lack any value in delivering anyone from the fangs of
sin and death (Col2:19-23). Only Jesus Christ can truly save.
Religion says it is possible for a Christian to be spiritually ‘unclean’ and they recommend rituals that
must be carried out by the devotee, some of which are quite bizarre including
special baths, animal sacrifice, flagellation, fasting, isolation and payment
of atonement and sin offerings. These activities are of no effect but designed
to gratify the sensual desires of the sponsors of these erroneous theologies.
The scriptures teach that there
cannot be any forgiveness of sins until there is the shedding of blood. Prior
to the advent of the dispensation of grace, the priesthood was declared unfit
to atone for the sins of anyone. Any form of cleansing that did not exonerate
the conscience was unacceptable. There was no guarantee that offerings were
accepted by God, He said in Ps 50:13 NIV
“Do I eat the
flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?” Animal sacrifice cannot take away sins; if they did,
we shouldn’t feel any
sense of guilt after engaging in such sacrifices (Heb9:12-14). It is the lack
of relevant information and pride that hinders progress.
The born again Christian has been
sanctified once and for all in Christ, we are perpetually cleansed in Him. We
are one with Him in spirit and to say we are ‘unclean’ is tantamount to saying that the blood of Jesus is polluted.
Therefore, no cleansing ritual is required any longer. The scriptures say in
Heb 10:10 AMP “ And in
accordance with this will [of God], we have been made holy (consecrated
and sanctified) through the offering made once for all of the body of Jesus
Christ (the Anointed One)The word ‘sanctified’ comes from the Greek word ‘hagios’ which means to be sacred, physically, pure, morally
blameless, ceremonially consecrated. This is how God views us and it began the very
day we received Jesus as lord and saviour; it is irreversible as long as we
trust in Him for our salvation just like the woman with the issue of blood.
Instead of being cursed according to the laws of Moses, she received her healing;
you too can receive your marriage, finances, peace, if you have faith in
Christ. Through Christ, we are accepted in the house of God (Eph 1:6).You are acceptable and dearly loved.
prayer/counseling +234 809 853 6911, +234 803 553 6911,
email :michaelbensonajayi@gmail.com
Amen
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