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May 23, 2025 06:00am

From Filthy to Blameless: The Cleansing Power of Christ

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I was 5 or 6, and Mom said to load up in the car—we were headed to town. So, I dropped what I was doing and jumped in.

When we arrived at Wal-Mart, I started to get out of the car.

My mother sucked in a breath of air and let it out quickly with a huff.

I knew she was upset.

“You’re filthy!”

I looked down at my baby blue sweatpants and my white Mickey Mouse sweatshirt, and sure enough, I had spots, dirt, and smears all over it.

I hadn’t noticed it before. I was oblivious to it. I was just playing and never seemed to think about what might be left behind.

Shame filled me. I was so embarrassed. How could I have not noticed how dirty I was? Now, it’s all I could see. I didn’t even want to get out of the car.

Mom ran in and bought me a new pair of sweats, and I changed real quick. I was no longer covered in filth, but it was hard for me to shake off the shame I had felt before. But Mom reassured me all was fine.

I was careful not to get these dirty. And when it was time to go to town again, I’d be ready.

1 Corinthians 1:7-9
“Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for He is faithful to do what He says, and He has invited you into partnership with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Paul wrote this letter to the believers in Corinth. He had shared the gospel with them, instructed them on how to live a life pleasing to the Lord, and how to minister to others. But after he left, the new church allowed societal pressures and the Corinthian culture to infiltrate the church. Paul received reports of this and wrote this letter to rebuke, instruct, and encourage the believers.

They hadn’t known their ways were sinful until Paul pointed them to the truth. They were filthy, covered in sin. But they were willing to change in light of the Gospel. However, little by little, they had allowed things to come back into their lives that were not of Christ.

As Paul wrote to them, he reminded them of what Christ had done for them. Jesus had taken their sin and shame to the cross. He gave His life to pay the debt of sin they owed. Because they had believed in Him, they were saved. They had been cleansed. They had been made blameless.

And because of the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives, giving them gifts, they had all they needed to accomplish His work.

Can you imagine? The idea that we were once covered in filth, dirty from the inside out, and in one moment, we could be made new? Completely cleansed!

Blameless.

Before a Holy God.

Sin and shame have no place here. No power. We are made new by the blood of Jesus. I don’t know about you, but because of that, I don’t want to go back to the old. I want to take hold of this beautiful and new robe of righteousness! Because of Jesus, we have forgiveness of our sins. And when He returns with vengeance, those who have put their trust in Him will be found blameless.

Where are you today? Do you need the cleansing that Jesus offers? Or maybe you’ve been saved, but you’ve allowed the things of this world to infiltrate your life. Or perhaps, you’re following the Lord, but you know you need to share that and show others to do the same. Let me help. Go to follow.lifeword.org to learn more about the love of Christ, the forgiveness He offers, and how to follow Him every day with our lives.