Lesson 20 Washing at the Cross: Intimacy with Christ
Questions 7 and 8
Finally, in telling Gomer that she “must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man,” God is instructing us to turn completely away from all impurity and find intimacy only in Him (and our spouse, if married).
Friend, Jesus is calling you right now to turn away from false intimacy and come to Him and live in real love and affection. He wants to teach you how to be intimate with Him, how to be in Him, how to abide and remain in Him. If you learn how to stay in Him, it will be a protection for you. The Holy Spirit will so fill your heart with love (Ephesians 3:19) that it will protect you against the allurement of pornography and fake intimacy.
John 15 describes true intimacy as “abiding in Christ” or “remaining in Christ.” In this chapter, Jesus tells us to 1) remain in Him, 2) shows us what happens if we don’t, 3) gives us a promise if we do, and 4) shows us the result of remaining in Him:
Jesus tells us to remain in Him: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:4).
Jesus tells us what happens if we don’t remain in Him: “If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”
Jesus gives us a promise if we remain in Him: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7).
Jesus shows us the result of remaining in Him: “This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8).
Question 7. What can you see is the value of remaining in Jesus, as it relates to freedom from impurity?
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Summary: Jesus gave Himself to die, to sanctify you, to wash and cleanse you at the cross, and to take you to Himself to be part of the universal church--the bride of Christ. He bought you; He cleansed you. He intends to love you in intimate union forever.
Oh, Jesus, thank you for loving me when I was adulterous, thank you for the purchase price of your precious blood, and thank you for calling me out of impurity to live with you in an intimate union for eternity!
Question 8. Are you seeing and believing the cross as the means of changing your heart? Are you beginning to have hope that you can be free from the power and control of sin? Please share your thoughts with your mentor, and they will pray for you and encourage you with their own story from God’s Word.
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