Cleanliness Should Mark the Life of a Christian

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

Cleanliness Should Mark the Life of a Christian

Today's Text: And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. Exodus 19:10

The Message:      Incorrect personal habits are among the most prolific causes of disease. Order and cleanliness are laws of heaven. The directions given to Moses when the Lord was about to declare His law upon Mount Sinai were very strict in this respect.... They were directed to do this, lest there should be impurity about them as they should come before God. He is a God of order, and He requires order and cleanliness in His people.      On no occasion were the children of Israel to allow impurities to remain upon their clothing or their persons. Those who had any uncleanness were to be shut out of the camp until the evening and then were required to cleanse themselves and their clothing before they could return. They were also commanded to carry all their refuse to a distance from the camp....      The Lord requires no less of His people now than He did anciently. If cleanliness was so necessary to those journeying in the wilderness, who were in the open air nearly all the time, it is no less necessary to us, who live in close houses, where impurities are more observable and have a more unhealthful influence.      The moral law, spoken from Sinai, cannot have a place in the hearts of persons of disorderly, filthy habits. If the children of Israel could not so much as listen to the proclamation of that holy law without cleanliness of person and clothing, how can its pure precepts be written upon the hearts of those who are untidy in their persons and their homes? ...      Violent epidemics of fever have occurred in villages and cities that were considered perfectly healthful, and these have resulted in death or broken constitutions. In many instances the premises of the very ones who fell victims to these epidemics contained the agents of destruction, which sent forth deadly poison into the atmosphere to be inhaled by the family and the neighborhood....      When Lord Palmerston was premier of England, he was at one time petitioned by the Scottish clergy to appoint a day of fasting and prayer to avert the cholera. He replied, "Cleanse and disinfect your streets and houses, promote cleanliness and health among the poor, and see that they are plentifully supplied with good food and raiment, and employ right sanitary measures generally, and you will have no occasion to fast and pray. Nor will the Lord hear your prayers while these, His preventatives, remain unheeded."-Manuscript 58, 1890.

Commentary: My friend, as we draw nigh unto God there will also be a corresponding change in our physical habits.  As we cleanse our hearts from the defilement of sin through the indwelling of Christ within our lives, we will also be lead to develop habits of cleanliness and order.  Our outward appearance is an indication of our spiritual life. Many of the health problems that we have today are a direct result of our eating and the environment that we live in.  While we cannot do much of ourselves to change the environment of the world, but we can affect the environment of our homes.  By practicing good personal hygiene, and keeping our homes clean, we can affect much within our lives and the lives of our families. Cleanliness of spiritual habits is just as important as physical habits of cleanliness.  That which we allow to influence our minds has a direct affect upon our well being as a whole.  We should ever be watchful about the things that we allow to enter into our minds.  If we are to be sanctified by Christ, we must ever have Him before us, and we should not allow anything of a worldly nature to disconnect us from Jesus.  Therefore, what we watch, and what we read should bring us into a closer and even closer walk with Him. Too many today are corrupted by the subtle influences of the world.  By the influence of television, radio, the internet, worldly magazines and novels, many are lead away from Christ.  It may not be noticeable at first, but over time these influences take hold upon the mind and lead us to entertain worldly and improper thoughts.  These thoughts, if cherished and indulged in, will corrupt the heart and separate us from Jesus. My friend, it is good to be healthy and practice good habits of hygiene, but unless these practices lead us to purity of heart and soul, it will avail us nothing.  It is only by Christ dwelling within our hearts that we may be cleansed from the defilement of sin. May Christ live within your heart today. God bless,

Video of the Week The Final Protest - Who is the Comforter? This is the forth in a series of videos. The Final protest is dedicated to showing that the foundation for the Ecumenical Movement, the Trinity, is not the true God of the Bible. We invite everyone to come and see for themselves and discover the beautiful truth of a Father and a Son.