Cleansing Means Empowering
The speaker argues that the traditional definition of 'cleansing' is misleading and proposes a new definition of 'empowering' as a more accurate translation of the biblical concept.
Daniel Steele discusses the dangers of redefining biblical terms to fit modern ideologies, using the example of changing 'cleansing' to 'empowering' to avoid the true meaning of sin removal through Jesus Christ. By altering key biblical concepts, Steele highlights the risk of misleading interpretations and the importance of preserving the original intent of Scripture to avoid doctrinal errors and confusion.
Text
ANOTHER evil effect of letting the dust gather on his dictionary is found in his invention of an unheard-of definition of the word "cleansing." He says: "We would suggest that 'empowering' is a much better term to use, and one less liable to mislead." He says it translates into modern thought the Jewish meaning of cleansing.
Let us read the new definition or translation in a few passages: "The blood of Jesus Christ empowers us from all sin;" "Let us empower ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit;" "Empower your hands, ye sinners;" "That he might sanctify and empower it [the Church] with the washing of water;" "Empower first that which is within the cup;" "Heal the sick, empower lepers;" "Immediately his leprosy was empowered."
Having denied that there was "something brought into or added to man's nature at the fall of Adam which divine grace can instantaneously remove," and having said that depravity "is a disarrangement, that is all -- a change in the relative order of strength," he was forced to invent this absurd definition.
But he should have gone on and read some new meaning into "destroy," that the body of sin might be destroyed; into "crucify," that the old man is crucified; into "mortify" or kill, when applied to uncleanness and covetousness ; and into "circumcise" in its spiritual meaning, in putting off (and laying aside) "the body of the flesh" by the circumcision of [procured by] Christ." You see that this opens a large field for a writer's powers of invention.
Sermon Outline
- The Misleading Definition of Cleansing
- The Bible's Use of Empowering
- The Implications of Empowering
- The removal of sin and filthiness
- The empowerment of believers for service
Key Quotes
“The blood of Jesus Christ empowers us from all sin;” — Daniel Steele
“Let us empower ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit;” — Daniel Steele
“Heal the sick, empower lepers;” — Daniel Steele
Application Points
- Believers are empowered by the blood of Jesus Christ to live a life free from sin.
- We should empower ourselves to live a life of holiness and service to others.
- The empowering of believers has significant implications for the removal of sin and filthiness.