So what does this story teach us? That if we are desperate enough, we will do whatever it takes to be clean? Yes. The need for humbling ourselves and becoming obedient to the Word of God to be cleansed? Certainly. That it was grace given to an enemy of God and His people to heal Naaman in this way? Yes!
But more than this! We, like Naaman, are lepers. We have a spiritually wasting disease called sin—it defiles us, makes us unclean and will eventually destroy us. It shows up in ways like pride, greed, self-reliance, self-importance, sexual impurity in all its forms, and many other ways. With this sin disease, we are doomed, despairing and eventually desperate.
But Jesus died to cleanse us from all sin, even though we, like the Syrians to the Israelites, were His enemies (Colossians 1:21). “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Romans 5:10 ESV). What grace God has shown us, friend, in dying for us, His enemies!
The cross doesn’t seem like a place where someone would go to be healed and cleansed, right? That’s where criminals die! Going to a cross to be washed of sin is like Naaman having to dunk in the Jordan; it doesn’t make sense to the natural mind. We think: “Let me do something, let me go to groups and take steps, let me obey the Law and work the program, something, anything but going to a cursed cross!” And the Bible tells us: "Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles" (1 Corinthians 1:22-23).
The cross, though a stumbling block to some, is a cleansing fountain for all who come and wash:
“On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness” (Zechariah 13:1 ESV). Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14 ESV). An old hymn puts it this way “The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day. And there may I though vile as he, wash all my sins away.” What amazing grace God has shown us, to cleanse us from all defilement, to purify us for Himself!
And, wow, are we ever clean! Naaman’s flesh was like that of a little child: his leprosy was entirely removed. Even so, we are “a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:27 NIV). We’ve been washed at the cross, cleansed, purified and made spotless!
Question 5. Why do we need to develop the habit of washing at the cross?
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