Scripture: Hebrews 9:11-14 (ESV)
"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God."
Imagine you have a fancy old-school ball to go to. The dress code is white-tie, which after many years of marriage to a period drama afficionado, I now know means you need to wear a very fancy outfit. White tie is the most formal of all the dress codes and so your outfit need to be perfect. But here is the thing, for whatever reason your suit or your dress is stained with lots of different blemishes. It is dirty and beyond repaid. No amount of washing powder is ever going to get it clean, so you resign yourself to the fact that you will never be able to attend.
That is us because of sin. Spiritually we need to be spotless and completely without blemish. We need to be perfectly arrayed to enter into the presence of our host: God himself. But actually we can’t go, because we have been eternally blemished by our sin.
As we have said over the last few days, Jesus fixes that blemish, he washes us clean in his blood and now we can enter into God’s presence without fear and with great joy. But what I find interesting about this passage is that last clause. You see Jesus’ sacrifice doesn’t just purify our spiritual clothes. No his sacrifice also purifies our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God!
Have you ever considered that Jesus’ sacrifice doesn’t just change your spiritual status, but it changes how you think about your choices and your actions in this world. Your salvation changes your works from dead works to living works in service to a living God. You will start to do things for God, things that align with his will, simply because you have been washed by Jesus.
And that’s pretty special.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for shedding your blood for me, and in doing so purifying my conscience. Help me now to live accordingly. Help me to leave the dead works of the flesh behind, and serve the living God with living works instead. In Jesus name, amen.
Spiritual Challenge:
Think back over the last two years. How has your life changed? Thank God for the purification of your conscience in these areas.
Purifying Conscience