“The Blood Of Christ Cleanses Our Consciences…!”

“The Blood Of Christ Cleanses Our Consciences…!”(Heb.9:11-14).
Ceremonial cleansing is common to many religions, including Judaism and African Traditional Religions. Ceremonial cleansing always entails the use of blood and water. In Africa the animals in ceremonial cleansing include fowls, goats and sheep.
There are many taboos that require cleansing, like viewing a corpse. I remember when I was a teenager my late mother advised me to always take a bath after viewing a corpse; talk less of touching one.
Ceremonial cleansing played an important role in Judaism. The priests were the ones to perform ceremonial cleansing of people who were ceremonially unclean. A priest too could be ceremonially unclean; like after performing a ceremonial cleansing. After such a cleansing, he was unclean until evening(Num.19).
As important as ceremonial cleansing may be, it has a weakness. Ceremonial cleansing makes you clean outwardly, but it doesn’t affect the innerman. It is in the same way that we bathe, apply make-up and put on gorgeous attires to the admiration of others. But such glowing attractiveness does not take away the stain of sin within. It is as my people say,“Boñ mandzi, mbù’ ndab” – presentable to the public but full of filth in the home.
Jesus Christ makes the difference, both as an unblemished animal for cleansing and as the officiating high priest who performs the ceremony.Jesus Christ “through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, to cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”
Having offered himself for our sake all he expects of us is to serve the living God in word and in action; in truth and in righteousness, complemented by sacrificial love.
Prayer: Holy Spirit keep us in grace so that we serve the living God with the totality of our beings. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.