Devotional - week of November 30, 2008

CLEANSE THE INSIDE

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. Matthew 23:25-26

Believers are just as guilty of having “inside” sins as the scribes and Pharisees. Consider the following verses.

Therefore put to death … passion, evil desire, and covetousness … put off all these: anger, wrath, malice… Colossians 3:5; 3:8

Jesus’ statement to the scribes and Pharisees that they have cleansed the outside implies that a person can of his own will and determination cease committing sins of the body. Seemingly, a few have had success with this approach to freeing themselves from addictions that are destroying their lives.

However, more than strength of the will is needed to cleanse the inside of the cup. It takes more than a strong will for a person, for example, to free himself from such things as covetousness, anger, wrath, and malice.

There is good news for those in need of cleansing the inside and for those in need of cleansing the outside.

A believer can have victory over such things as covetousness, anger, wrath, and malice through experiencing his union with Christ. And according to the words of Jesus, those who experience the cleansing of the inside may also experience the cleansing of the outside. His words are:

… first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

The good news of Jesus’ words for those experiencing some life devastating addiction is that there is hope in Christ. First, he must receive Jesus as his personal Savior and Lord. In doing that, he becomes one with Christ, and may experience his oneness with Him.

It is that experience that cleanses both the inside and outside.

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