II Corinthians 7:1 “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Most households in America know what trash day means. You have to gather the trash in your house together, put it in the trash bin, and take it to the curb so it can be picked up. All the trash needs to be removed from the house.
Once we believe on Jesus Christ and are saved, believers are the house of God. I Corinthians 3:16 tells us: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?“ God is looking for clean vessels (houses) to live in. Those are the ones that He will use and bless.
We are warned not to leave trash (sins) in our lives that “defile” us and cause Him to look elsewhere when He wants to use someone. The very next verse after the one that reveals that we are God’s temple, He warns us against defiling it – by not taking out the trash regularly. Verse 17 says: “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”
By God’s grace, every believer can quickly get cleansed (having the trash removed) by going to God and confessing their sin to Him. It is our responsibility to “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.”
It can be done at anytime and anywhere in prayer. It is not necessary to continue to have broken fellowship with God (which is not a loss of salvation). He has promised, in I John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
All that is needed to do is confess it and He will forgive, cleanse, and restore the sweet fellowship with Him that we know is possible. Christian, today, right now, is a good time to get the trash out. Why not do it right now?