Who Is Mr. Clean

Proverbs 20:9
“Who can say, ‘I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin?’”

Sin is a plague that has infected every man. As Paul explained to the Romans, it was by one man (Adam) that sin entered the world, but that sin spread to all men because all have sinned (Romans 5:12). David, looking out at the world, and looking in at his own heart, declared, there were none righteous, not even one (Psalm 53:3). Most of us are familiar with the story of the woman who was caught in an adulterous relationship and brought before Jesus. After hearing the charges brought against her by her accusers, Jesus responded by inviting those in the crowd who were without sin, to throw the first stone. One by one her accusers dropped the rocks and departed, for they were all sinners (John 8:3-4). The truth that we have all sinned, makes Solomon’s question all the more striking. Is it possible for anyone to proclaim that their heart is clean, and they are pure of all sin? Scripture boldly declares that it is.

When Jesus hung on that rugged cross, He bore the penalty for all sin, and shed His blood to provide atonement. It is at the cross where the sinner can be cleansed of all sin. No matter how deeply we may have been submerged under the weight of sin, it is at the cross where the weight is removed and we are washed and forgiven. David rejoiced over the blessedness that comes with the forgiveness of sin when he declared,

Psalms 32:1-2
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

Forgiveness and cleansing from all sin, can be found at the cross. No matter who we are, or what sin we are bound by, when we come to the cross, the blood of Jesus washes us white as snow, and we are forgiven. It is then, and only then, that we can proclaim, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure of all sin.” Sadly, many make the mistake of ignoring, justifying or explaining away sin, rather than coming to the source of cleansing. We are not made clean by our own declaration, but by receiving the One who washes sin away.

Will you come to the cross today? Will you confess your sin, and allow His blood to wash you clean? If so, then you can declare, “I am pure from my sin.”

Pastor Jim