"Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates."
— Revelation 22:14 (BSB)
Have you ever tried to scrub a deep, dark stain out of a piece of clothing, only to find that the harder you rub, the worse it gets?
Many of us have had to learn this the hard way in our spiritual lives. We look at the perfect holiness of God's eternal city, and we desperately want to make sure we have a right to enter. So, we roll up our sleeves and try to wash away our own sins. We try and try to be good enough, to do all the right things, and to cover up our past mistakes with religious performance.
But no matter how hard we scrub, we quickly realize that our own hands are dirty, and self-effort can never wash away the stain of sin.
When we try to save ourselves, we miss the entire message of the cross. The prophet Isaiah reminds us in Isaiah 53:5 that Jesus was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. Only Jesus and His perfect sacrifice are acceptable to God. You cannot wash your own robe; you must allow Jesus to wash it for you.
The moment you place your faith in Jesus Christ alone, His blood cleanses you from every sin. He takes away your stained garments and wraps you in His own perfect robe of righteousness.
Today, let go of the exhausting struggle to make yourself clean. Rest in His finished work, trust in His sacrifice, and walk in the beautiful security of being fully forgiven and welcomed by your Savior.
And if you have found true forgiveness at the cross of Jesus, then rejoice. No matter what happens today, God is with you.
That's it for this podcast. Remember, Jesus loves you and is just a prayer away.