彻底的清理之二：洁净自己
雅各也嘱咐每个人洁净自己。（创三五2。）我们不但必须除掉外邦神，也必须洁净我们的全人。换句话说，我们的全人、生活方式和表现，都必须改变。这不仅仅是重生，或生命里的一些改变；这乃是完全的变化。
在圣经中，洁净自己的意思，就是洁除所有的玷污。我们的全人必须洁除在神眼中污秽的事物。林后七章一节保罗说，“所以亲爱的，我们既有这些应许，就当洁净自己，除去肉身和灵一切的玷污，敬畏神，以成全圣别。”保罗在林后六、七章的观念，和雅各在创世记三十五章的观念相同。因为哥林多人是神的殿，所以保罗叫他们洁净自己。神的殿和偶像没有一致。（林后六16。）偶像是偶像，神的殿是神的殿。你站在那一边？如果要偶像，就到偶像那边去；如果要神的殿，就除掉偶像到殿这边来。
当你进入教会生活，没有人告诉你甚么，但你里面深处有个东西会说服你，为着正当的教会生活，有一些东西必须除去。我们每个人进入教会时，都有过这样的清理。那时，我们清理了许多（即使不是全部）外邦神，弃绝了许多我们赖以得着福乐的东西、事物、甚至人。在教会生活中，没有一寸地方可以交于外邦神。再者，当我们进入教会生活，我们就得了洁净。至少，我们渴望纯洁，我们说，“为着教会生活的缘故，我愿意我的全人，我的心思、情感和意志，都是纯洁的。”
虽然在创世记三十五章雅各还未成熟，但他无疑的已经从已往的他改变了。在下篇信息中我们要看见，雅各事实上怎样有了根本的变化。神再次把他的名字从雅各改为以色列。教会生活是最有效的洁净。教会是个大浴室，我们在那里都被冲洗洁净。只要教会是教会，就有这样的功用。常常一到赴教会聚会的时间，里面有个东西就开始洁净我们，告诉我们要洗净自己。在赴会途中，我们常常祷告：“主，我正去聚会，赦免我这件事，洗净我那件事，把那个从我身上挪去。”这就是为着上伯特利而有的洁净。让我们都洁净自己，因为我们必须起来，上伯特利去会见我们的神。我们不能老旧、受玷污的会见祂，我们必须被洁净。这种洁净不是我们的工作，乃是那神圣的手在我们身上的工作。
信息重点：为着神的家，我们不仅要除掉偶像，更需要洁净自己，除去全人和生活中一切的玷污，成为圣别归神的人。
应用祷告：主耶稣，求你洁净我的心思、情感、意志和生活，除去一切不合乎你的事物，使我的全人单纯、圣别归你，为着你的家。阿们。
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Jacob’s Response to God (2) — Gen. 35:3
The Second Aspect of the Thorough Clearance: Cleansing Themselves
Jacob also told everyone to cleanse themselves (Gen. 35:2). We must not only put away foreign gods, but also cleanse our entire being. In other words, our whole person, our way of life and our expression must all change. This is not merely regeneration, or some small change in our life; it is a total transformation.
In the Bible, to cleanse oneself means to remove all defilement. Our whole being must be cleared of anything unclean in God’s eyes. In 2 Cor. 7:1 Paul says, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. “ Paul’s thought in 2 Corinthians chapter 6 and 7 is the same as Jacob’s thought in Genesis chapter 35. Because the Corinthians were the temple of God, Paul told them to cleanse themselves. God’s temple and idols have nothing in common (2 Cor. 6:16). Idols are idols; God’s temple is God’s temple. Which side are you standing on? If you want idols, go to the side of idols; if you want God’s temple, put away the idols and come to the side of the temple.
When you enter the church life, no one tells you anything, but deep within you something persuades you that for the sake of a proper church life, certain things must be put away. Every one of us, upon entering the church, has gone through this kind of clearance. At that time, we cleared away many, if not all, of our foreign gods, forsaking many things, matters and even people on which we had relied for blessing. In the church life, not one inch of ground can be given to a foreign god. Furthermore, when we enter the church life, we are cleansed. At the very least, we long for purity; we say, “For the sake of the church life, I am willing for my whole being — my mind, emotion, and will — to be pure”.
Although Jacob had not yet matured by Genesis 35, he had undoubtedly changed from what he was before. In the next message we will see how Jacob actually underwent a fundamental change — God once again changed his name from Jacob to Israel. The church life is the most effective cleansing. The church is a great bathhouse, where we are all washed and cleansed. As long as the church is truly the church, it has this function. Often, as soon as it is time to go to a church meeting, something within us begins to cleanse us, telling us to wash ourselves. On the way to the meeting we often pray, “Lord, I am on my way to the meeting — forgive me for this matter, wash me of that matter, take that thing away from me.” This is the cleansing that takes place for the sake of going up to Bethel. Let us all cleanse ourselves, for we must arise and go up to Bethel to meet our God. We cannot meet Him while old and defiled; we must be cleansed. This cleansing is not our own work, but the work of that holy hand upon us.
Message Main Points: For the house of God, we must not only put away idols, but also cleanse ourselves, removing all defilement from our whole being and life, becoming holy and set apart to God.
Today’s Prayer: Lord Jesus, cleanse my mind, emotion, will and life; remove everything that does not match You, that my whole being may be simple and holy, set apart to You. Amen.