Lesson 7 The Cross Cleanses Us

Questions 3 and 4

I hope and pray that God is changing your heart as you seek Him.
So, back to our question: how do we go from being lured in by Satan with the glitz of food and the thrill of indulging our flesh, to hating overeating so much that we are willing to put it to death?
We must seek the Lord for this change. We can see this in King David's life, whose sins tripped him up just as ours do us. Notice how many different ways David cried out for cleansing:
"Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin" (Psalm 51:2).
"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:7).
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).
David knew his heart was dirty when pursuing sin as he did, and he needed it to be washed clean.
Just as we might launder our clothes after getting them dirty so, too, our hearts and minds must be washed clean from the stains of years of overeating and abusing our bodies. Possibly you want to be washed like this, cleansed from the inside out and the top down. It can happen! And when this washing happens, the whole world changes for us!
Good news! The cross of Jesus Christ is the place of cleansing! It's a washing machine of the soul, soap for the heart (Malachi 3:2) used to wash us and make us clean. It is needed to remove guilt, cleanse our defiled conscience, and remove all the spots and stains that sin leaves in our souls.
Let's notice a passage where we find this to be true:
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:25-27 (NIV)

Question 3. According to Ephesians 5:25-27, what is the evidence of Christ’s love for you?

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This passage of Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ loved the church (and each member in her), the evidence of which is that He gave Himself up for her.
If you look at Jesus hanging on the cross right now what you see is selfless love poured out to undeserving people, a passion that has pursued you and me, God’s enemies, clear to death and back, a love that would rather hang on a tree than live in heaven without you. Just think of it! Jesus purposefully chose to suffer and die, as the expression of His love for you. Now that’s love! “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16).

Question 4. According to Ephesians 5:26, what is the stated purpose that Jesus gave Himself for us? Please fill in the blanks: Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, her by the with water through the word.

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