08/30/18 GOD'S MIRACULOUS GIFT OF NEWNESS AND CLEANNESS
Nasty people are changed into godly people by the Divine miracle of new birth.
But people love sin and reject righteousness.
Being clean is better than being filthy, but filthy people sometimes refuse to bathe. Usually, a filthy person likes the feeling of being clean after they are washed.
We cannot wash our inner man. Any attempt at self cleansing fails because we use filthiness to wash away filthiness. God's word says that our personal righteousness is like a filthy rag. Only God can cleanse us from sins corruption, because only God is inherently and absolutely clean.
The sinful human nature refuses Divine intervention (cleansing) because human pride denies inability to cleanse itself or save itself. Also, sinful human nature denies that it is in need of cleansing and deliverance from sin.
When unconverted (unsaved) people try to cleanse themselves, it is like washing with filthy waste, and like trying to cover garbage with garbage.
As a result, the unconvinced sinner continues to be the unconverted sinner and never knows the joy of freedom from rebellion, never knows the joy of forgiveness, never knows the joy of faith and a faultless conscience.
But is is not by human effort, it is by Divine intervention. God will enliven, transform and cleanse the person who recognizes his sin and his need for salvation and then calls on Jesus to be his Lord and Savior.
But, as I said, those who love their sin will not seek God's salvation.
John 3:19-21
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
