Is Cleanliness Next To Godliness?

My mother used to remind me that “cleanliness is next to godliness” in order to get me to wash my hands before eating.

The religious leaders criticized Jesus’ disciples for breaking the rules and not washing their hands before eating.

Such keeping of the rules was essential to their religious faith. It set boundaries for their lives. They were upset when Jesus did not respect the rules.

Jesus rejects such religious rule keeping. It disguises the real problem in our hearts: sin.

Jesus is against religion that assumes that cleanliness is next to godliness.

In the name of God Jesus exposes our hypocrisy and sinful hearts. We crucify him for it.

When God raises Jesus from the dead, we are in trouble. Jesus was right. We were wrong . . . about cleanliness.

But surprise! That is good news for sinners like us.

Because Christ has made us clean, we don’t have to try to be. Instead, we can get our hands dirty serving others.