What a Beautiful NameSample

We know that for our hands to be clean and free of germs we must wash them often. We use soap and running water and rub our hands together for at least 20 seconds, so we know they're clean. Pretty soon, our hands get dirty again. We play outside, sneeze, touch surfaces and then we must wash our hands all over again. How many times a day do you think you wash your hands? 10 times, 20 times, 30 times?

The Bible talks a lot about being clean, especially in the Old Testament. Here we read that God’s presence dwelt in the temple. To come into the temple, you needed to be clean. This didn't mean just physically clean like taking a bath or washing your hands, but ritually clean by following the rules God had given. The book of Leviticus tells us about the rules God gave the Israelites to help them to know what was clean and what was unclean, what they could and couldn’t touch, and how they could become clean before entering His presence.

God also gave the Israelites a way that their sin could be covered, through the sacrifice of an animal. The symbol of the animal and its blood meant that their sin was forgiven, and they were purified or made clean. It wasn't just a one-time thing. The Israelites had to be made clean and bring sacrifices over and over again.

Now, when Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He became the sacrifice for sin. Through His blood, we are made clean. Jesus doesn’t have to die on the cross again and again. When Jesus died and rose again it was one act powerful enough to save every person on earth and every person who will ever live!

Through Jesus, we are made clean. We still mess up and make mistakes but because of Jesus we don't have to be 'clean' or perfect before we approach God. We can come to God no matter what mess we're in and He forgives us. Through Jesus our Christ we have been set free.