Scrubbing clean

Hebrews 10:1-10

          They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Perhaps humanity was a bit insane then, offering burnt bulls, shedding blood and all kinds of offerings in hopes that we would please God and cleanse ourselves. This passage says this is not pleasing to God, no more than throwing a virgin in a volcano to please him. 

          As an example from something that is very serious, it is said that a rape victim often winds up taking repeated showers, often scrubbing themselves raw in the process of trying to cleanse themselves of what has happened. The cleansing they need and that we all need as victims and sinners, is not something that can be accomplished by scrubbing or retribution (an eye for an eye), or a sacrifice in the name of justice or righteousness. We are past the point in time where humanity can argue or make sense of cleansing through sacrifice, revenge or an eye for an eye.*

            

            The best example I can give is the symbol that is used in the Catholic church of wearing white. In sacramental style, white is worn as a symbol of purity (no, not necessarily virginity) and a donning of Christ's purity and a cleansing from sin. Christ was the one and final sacrifice for our redemption. The donning of a white Christening dress, a white suit for communion or a white wedding dress is symbolic of the purifying salvation of Christ. No amount of sacrifice on our part will purify us. Purity and salvation come only through the supreme sacrifice and act of love by God to us in the life and death of Jesus Christ. This is given by God freely, all we need do is accept.

            Our attempts at justice by capital punishment, revenge are so impotent and never truly cleanse the acts of sin of us or others. Killing for justice or killing for peace are acts that must be repeated over and over for whatever theoretical good they do, it does not last because it is false from the get go.  Trying to scrub clean society in this manner is a fallacy.  

            True introspection, self awareness, acceptance of our own faults, realizing self worth, respecting others and knowing our value as children of God are all means to accomplish our own purity.  

* As I have drawn on such a horrific subject as rape, I feel obliged to add that justice in this case must be served. While a victim trying to 'scrub' themselves clean is sad, prayer and faith alone will also not be the answer for the victim. Counseling and professional care are needed to overcome the trauma from this crime.  Googling "resources for rape victims" will yeild  myriad resources. And first and foremost, this crime must be reported to authorities.

Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who approach. Otherwise, would they not have ceased being offered, since the worshippers, cleansed once for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sin? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin year after year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
   but a body you have prepared for me;
in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings
   you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, “See, God, I have come to do your will, O God”
   (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).’
When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings and sin-offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added, ‘See, I have come to do your will.’ He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.