Coming Clean

Today's Three-minute Bible Study
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Title: Coming Clean ------------------- Date: 1/4/2002
Keywords: "cleansing " "confession"
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Passage: Nehemiah 9:1-3*

1. Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dirt upon them.

2. And the descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

3. While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God.

Questions

1. Have you ever been wronged by someone else? (most of us have been!) Did that person who wronged you ever apologize?

 

2. If they did, what did the apology do to your relationship? If they did not apologize, what is the status of your relationship with that person now?

 

Practical help

The Jewish people of Nehemiah’s day recognized that they had sinned against God in a number of ways. Their sins had not been violations of God’s suggestions or preferences, but of His commands. And their sins affected the way in which God related to them. They did not cease to be His people. However, He was willing to withhold blessing from them until they acknowledged their guilt and sought cleansing from Him. When they confessed, their relationship with God was restored, much the way your relationship with a friend who has wronged you is restored after they apologize.

Similarly, today, we Christians are told to "confess our sins" (1 John 1:9) to God for cleansing. Our confession is an apology to a God who loves us for having violated His commands that we love, be holy, serve — and more.

If you have been lusting at the uncleanness of Internet porn, you owe God an apology. Come clean with Him and He’ll clean you up. He’ll even give you the strength to stay clean!

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*"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."