The Lord Jesus cleanses us by grace, until we are like him. We hate false religion, discern the lies, and now we speak the truth. This is God’s gift of grace to sinners that’s necessary: it is called cleansing, indeed.

First, God has opened a fountain for us. Zechariah 13:1 - ""On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the residents of Jerusalem, to wash away sin and impurity." This is the Lord Jesus Christ, and his wounds will plead. He is the mediator between God and man, the Redeemer, and his blood washes away sin [1 John 1:7]. He delivers us from religious sin, just like he saves us from licentiousness, pornography, and drunkenness. He saves us because he’s a loving God.

In the dawn of mercy, he makes us see our sin. He stains our pride, and reveals our guilt. Isaiah 23:9 - "The LORD of hosts has purposed it, to defile the pompous pride of all glory, to dishonor all the honored of the earth." The false teacher is convicted that what he's promised has not come to pass. The pastor’s wife is alarmed by her hatefulness, and she stands ashamed before her Maker. The secret sinner, the religious hypocrite, and the openly immoral all meet together at the foot of the cross. The best and the worst all come to the cleansing fountain daily, because there’s no other way to be right with God, except for him to cleanse and to forgive. Therefore, come to him daily with open arms to receive the mercies of the covenant. He will receive you. The fountain is opened for this reason: sinners need cleansing, and God provides it freely!

Secondly, God will cut off the idols. Zechariah 13:2 - ""On that day" ​-- ​this is the declaration of the LORD of Armies ​-- ​"I will remove the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will banish the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land." He’ll get the nasty taste of false prophecies out of our mouth. He’ll make us discern between good and evil. No longer will we be led astray. False teachers, who shout, “God will give you money,” will no longer hear, “Amen.” No, the love of money will be rooted out, and people will want the true gospel, whether they are rich or poor. They will suffer for Christ, because they love him, whether it be sickness, poverty, or death. This gospel liberates the mind, and sets the captives free. No longer are we deceived by the Christ concealing tactics of men. We know he’s everything, and we look for him in Scriptures. Increasingly, God trains us to fix our eyes on the Beloved, before looking anywhere else.

Thirdly, we’ll rid ourselves of false teachers. Zechariah 13:3 - ""If a man still prophesies, his father and his mother who bore him will say to him, 'You cannot remain alive because you have spoken a lie in the name of the LORD.' When he prophesies, his father and his mother who bore him will pierce him through." The evidence we’ve learned the truth is willingness to suffer for it. We pluck out our right eye, and cut off our right hand. We value mother and father, but not more than Christ. We love our children, but if my son preaches a false gospel, I tell him, and refuse to support his ministry. 2 John 11, “Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.”

We are men and women of the true gospel, and we sacrifice to hear it. We are not the lazy sit at home type, but we labor with two or three, if necessary, passing out tracts and witnessing for Christ. No, we won’t go to the church nearest to us, but we find places where God is worshiped, even if it costs us greatly. We have nothing to do with Arminianism, fake miracles, and false promises of money. We value Christ above all, so we forsake all and follow him.

Fourthly, the prophets will be ashamed when converted. Zechariah 13:4-5 - ""On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive. "He will say, 'I am not a prophet; I work the land, for a man purchased me as a servant since my youth.'" Oh, how wonderful this is, when a child of God springs from a faulty preacher! How merciful is God to let us ADMIT OUR FAULTS, turn, and return. How gracious he is to receive us.

This is the wonder of wonders: the most evil blasphemers on earth are converted and changed. Paul went from Christian killer to an Apostle, and we turn from speaking lies to the truth. We’re ashamed at what we preached, but now testifying of Christ fills our tongues. Preachers are converted. Some sit down, never to preach again, while others learn to declare faithfully. Nevertheless, the common denominator is repentance! Everyone who bathes is made clean, and our feet are washed daily. John Newton went from drunken slave trader to a sober preacher of, “Amazing Grace.” Like Paul, people go from butchering believers to dying for Christ, and loving those they hated. The transformation is dramatic and real.

Suddenly, perhaps, as if by one sermon, we change and preach lies no more. We fear God now, and rightly divide the Scriptures. We puffed out our chests, but now we bow to truth in the deep humility of the gospel. Let the Lord do this to you. Do not resist it. Be changed.

Finally, we’re so connected to Christ that his wounds are our own. Zechariah 13:6 - ""If someone asks him, 'What are these wounds on your hands?' ​-- ​then he will answer, 'I received the wounds in the house of my friends.' " The Holy Spirit speaks of our identification with Christ. We’ve left the false prophesies, and now people hear and see Christ from us. The change is cleansing’s ultimate end goal, which is to be like Christ, and to point others to him. The greatest honor of our life is for someone to see Jesus through our prayers, speak, and character. This blessing shall be perfected in heaven, when we see him as he is, because we are like him [1 John 3:2].

Let this happen, dear saints. Let it come. Keep changing more and more, until Christ is all in all. Do not refuse this cleansing for any area in your life. Don’t say, “I’m clean over here, so I don’t need it over there.” No, deal with all of it, and you deal wisely. Cleansing is the best thing for us, and for the others around us. Being like Jesus and testifying of him is the highest privilege of grace. We are accepted, but much more, we bear the likeness of the One who saves the world!