Washed Clean

When teaching about the gospel of Jesus Christ, I sometimes use a metaphor I heard while I was still a high school seminary student:

When we're born, we are given a white jumpsuit to wear. As we move through life, we often slip and fall. Sometimes we even fall headfirst in the mud. Our white jumpsuits invariably get soiled.

At the end of our lives, we will arrive at our Father's house. It is a large, white mansnion. Everything on the outside is white and immaculate. The inside is white as well.

The walls are white.

The furniture is white.

There is nothing but the purest white to be seen.

Everyone is wearing white clothing, perfectly clean.

How will we feel, as we approach this heavenly home, soiled with dirt and grime and filthiness?
We would be more comfortable to stay out, in a dirtier place.

But the gospel, the "good news", is that there is a detergent available to everyone that can cleanse any stain and remove any spot.

That detergent is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He paid the price for our wrongs, and He has promised that we can be washed clean, if we will follow Him and live His gospel.

We must have Faith in Jesus Christ;

We must Repent of our sins;

We must be Baptized for the remission of sins by one having authority,

We must receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and follow It's promptings.

We must endure on the gospel track to the end of our lives.

This is the gospel plan.

Here is an incredible poem written by Boyd K. Packer, which speaks of the gift of cleansing that Christ offers all of us:

In ancient times the cry “Unclean!”

Would warn of lepers near.

“Unclean! Unclean!” the words rang out;

Then all drew back in fear,

Lest by the touch of lepers’ hands

They, too, would lepers be.

There was no cure in ancient times,

Just hopeless agony.
No soap, no balm, no medicine
Could stay disease or pain.

There was no salve, no cleansing bath,

To make them well again.

But there was One, the record shows,

Whose touch could make them pure;

Could ease their awful suffering,

Their rotting flesh restore.

His coming long had been foretold.

Signs would precede His birth.

A Son of God to woman born,

With power to cleanse the earth.

The day He made ten lepers whole,

The day He made them clean,

Well symbolized His ministry

And what His life would mean.

However great that miracle,

This was not why He came.

He came to rescue every soul

From death, from sin, from shame.

For greater miracles, He said,

His servants yet would do,

To rescue every living soul,

Not just heal up the few.

Though we’re redeemed from mortal death,

We still can’t enter in

Unless we’re clean,

cleansed every whit,

From every mortal sin.

What must be done to make us clean

We cannot do alone.

The law, to be a law, requires

A pure one must atone.

He taught that justice will be stayed

Till mercy’s claim be heard

If we repent and are baptized

And live by every word. …

If we could only understand

All we have heard and seen,

We’d know there is no greater gift

Than those two words—“Washed clean!”

(See Original Talk)


I know that this cleansing is real. I have felt it in my own life. It is not always easy to repent, but I know that it is always worth it. Imagine the feeling of walking up to your heavenly home, washed white and clean, as He takes you in His arms and welcomes you in.

To learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ, visit http://mormon.org/jesus-christ/