Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 21:1-9.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2021&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“If a slain person is found lying in the open country in the land which the LORD your God gives you to possess, and it is not known who has struck him, …  All the elders of that city which is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;  and they shall answer and say, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it.  Forgive Your people Israel whom You have redeemed, O LORD, and do not place the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of Your people Israel.’  And the bloodguiltiness shall be forgiven them.  So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of the LORD.” Deuteronomy 21:1 and 6-9.

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There are sins that we intentionally commit and we know that they are sins when we commit them, and we can specifically confess those sins.  

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9. 

But, today’s Scripture leads us to meditate on those sins that we innocently commit, so to speak, that we do not know that we committed a sin when we did an action that was a sin and thus cannot specifically confess those sins.

“23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.” Psalm 139:23-24.

Today’s Scripture provides the hope that when we “do what is right in the eyes of the LORD”, then we will “remove the guilt of innocent blood” from our midst.  See verse 9.

In that sense, here is how the context of the above 1 John 1:9 verse puts it.   

“but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”  1 John 1:7.

Also, in that sense, consider the following verses.

“Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”  Jesus *said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean;  and you are clean, …”  John 13:9-10. 

“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.  …

…

Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”  Hebrews 10:14 and 18-22.