A Mark of True Christianity

...Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you,

you have no part with Me."...He who has

bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is

completely clean...

John 13:8,10

You are already clean because of the 

word which I have spoken to you.

John 15:3

It has happened to them according to the 

true proverb, "A dog returns to its own

vomit," and, "A sow, after washing, returns

to wallowing in the mire."

II Peter 2:22

These verses in John, and the context of the verse in II Peter are dealing with moral cleanness and moral purity.  A mark of the true Christian is that once they have been morally cleansed, they no longer desire to be morally filthy.  Their new reality is not only do they not want to be morally filthy, but when they defile themselves with sin of even the least amount it bothers them, a feeling in the conscience much like the physical feeling of getting slimy mud on freshly washed hands.

Our reality is that we have been made clean in Christ (I Peter 3:21, Zechariah 3:3-5), washed from the inside out by the washing of the water by the word (Ephesians 5:2), and having our consciences cleansed by His blood (Hebrews 9:14).  We are filthy no longer, and have no desire to return to the mire of our former life, but practice cleanliness (II Corinthians 7:1).  However, when we defile ourselves with sin, we are quick to wash ourselves by the confession of that sin so that we can be clean again before our God (I John 1:9).

So, my friends, is this your reality?  Have you been cleansed from the inside out?  Is your desire to remain clean?  Does it bother you to defile yourself with sin, and when you do sin, are you quick to confess it so that you can be cleansed from that sin?

One more note.  If you truly confess your sins, He will always forgive you, and you will be made clean...no matter how filthy you made yourself before.  Come to the Healer and Cleanser of your soul today.  Ask Him to make you clean, and you will be clean indeed.