Year of Exposure Day 11: The blood of the cross sets us free to reject deception.

“But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9‬:‭11‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We conclude our consideration of the lesson on deception the Lord gave me in 2008 (“Deception is for the Brethren”). [Text in bold print is from that lesson.]

“Walking fully in the light will inoculate you against the disease of deception. This is not by using small amounts of deception to train you to detect and respond but rather by providing that blood that is pure and above reproach; that blood that speaks of better things than that of Abel; that saving flow that delivers you from the oppressor and cleanses you from all unrighteousness.  That same blood will detect deception and make it flee.”

Paul, in Romans 7, gives an explanation of the conundrum of wanting to serve God, yet having a fallen nature that makes keeping the Law impossible.

We know that the Old Covenant attached the concept of righteousness to the keeping of the Law. Yet, we also know that because of man’s fallen nature, there was no way to perfectly keep the Law. That is to say, even for a person who was able to keep all points of the Law in terms of their behavior, they certainly could not keep sinful thoughts from entering in.

However, through the blood of Jesus Christ, the perfect blood of Jesus Christ, we can now have fellowship with Him through the complete cleansing of our sins.

As Paul expresses in Romans 8, the blood of the cross, having cleansed our sins, enables us to receive the Spirit of God, and be led by His spirit. Before this, the flesh nature, the fallen nature, was dominated, and ultimately controlled, by sin.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Now, through Jesus Christ, we, being led by the Holy Spirit, can avoid the inescapable pull of sin.

In today’s portion of the “Deception is for the Brethren” lesson, we see that the blood of Jesus Christ, having cleansed us from all our sins, now becomes that line of defense, capable of keeping sin from ever ruling over us again. So, how do we reconcile this truth with the greater discussion about deception being for those who know Christ (taking into account that those who are in the world are walking in darkness and have no need to be deceived)?

Well, the fact is, although the Lord has given us a way to be free from the law of sin and death, if we allow areas of our lives to be controlled by the world, the flesh and the devil, those areas become access points where deception can still operate. Deception then can lead astray those who have been given the authority to reject the pull of sin.

In our opening scripture we see that the blood of Christ can “cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God.”

Indeed, the stain of sin (shame) leads to sin consciousness, leading to more sin. Through the blood of Jesus, the stain of sin (shame) is removed leading to the ability to be free from sin’s dominion.

“In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭11‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Child of God, let’s allow the Spirit of God to control our total being. The precious blood of Jesus Christ has given us the ability to say “no” to sin, and “yes” to righteousness. God forbid that we invite sin back into our lives through deception.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!