A few years ago (after the last of our children left home) I began to find myself, quite often, on kitchen detail. I didn’t mind so much cleaning the kitchen after a meal because we have a “dish washer”. But I found myself on several occasions getting chewed out by the lady of the house because the dishes in the “dish washer” did not get clean (like that was my fault).
I was informed that before the dishes are put in the “dish washer” they must be “rinsed”. I was then given a demonstration of the procedure for “rinsing” dishes which consisted of taking a scrub brush and removing all food particles from the dish before placing it in the “dish washer”. To me, this process of “rinsing” the dishes looked very much like “washing” the dishes and I posed the question, “Why do we need a “dish washer” if we are going to “wash” the dishes before we put them in the “dish washer”? I have yet to receive a good answer to that question. So I have come to the conclusion that there is really no such thing as a “dish washer” and that appliance in our kitchen would be better named a “dish rinser”.
This concept of pre-cleaning has been brought into the religious realm. Some believe that before becoming a disciple of Christ one must cleanse himself of all unrighteousness. I have known of people who wanted to become a Christian but felt they were not “good enough” and that they must first get everything right in their lives. The problem with this concept is that we are not capable of “getting everything right in our lives” on our own.
While repentance is an imperative to becoming a disciple of Christ, we must understand that repentance is a change of one’s mind that will result in a change of one’s life. And while the change of one’s mind may come in an instant, the change of one’s life will be a life-long endeavor and will only come through an ever-increasing knowledge of God’s word, through the fellowship with those who share our faith and through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. But as disciples of Christ we have this promise in I John 1:7, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
In Acts 22:16, Saul of Tarsus, later the apostle, Paul, was told by Ananias, And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name. Jesus is not just a “sin rinser”, he is a “sin washer” and he promises to purify us from “all” sin. Have you been baptized into Christ? Have you had your sins washed away? If not, what are you waiting for? ©Wendell Ingram
I was informed that before the dishes are put in the “dish washer” they must be “rinsed”. I was then given a demonstration of the procedure for “rinsing” dishes which consisted of taking a scrub brush and removing all food particles from the dish before placing it in the “dish washer”. To me, this process of “rinsing” the dishes looked very much like “washing” the dishes and I posed the question, “Why do we need a “dish washer” if we are going to “wash” the dishes before we put them in the “dish washer”? I have yet to receive a good answer to that question. So I have come to the conclusion that there is really no such thing as a “dish washer” and that appliance in our kitchen would be better named a “dish rinser”.
This concept of pre-cleaning has been brought into the religious realm. Some believe that before becoming a disciple of Christ one must cleanse himself of all unrighteousness. I have known of people who wanted to become a Christian but felt they were not “good enough” and that they must first get everything right in their lives. The problem with this concept is that we are not capable of “getting everything right in our lives” on our own.
While repentance is an imperative to becoming a disciple of Christ, we must understand that repentance is a change of one’s mind that will result in a change of one’s life. And while the change of one’s mind may come in an instant, the change of one’s life will be a life-long endeavor and will only come through an ever-increasing knowledge of God’s word, through the fellowship with those who share our faith and through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. But as disciples of Christ we have this promise in I John 1:7, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
In Acts 22:16, Saul of Tarsus, later the apostle, Paul, was told by Ananias, And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name. Jesus is not just a “sin rinser”, he is a “sin washer” and he promises to purify us from “all” sin. Have you been baptized into Christ? Have you had your sins washed away? If not, what are you waiting for? ©Wendell Ingram
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