Ephesians 5:26 English Standard Version (ESV) that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

The first thing Saul did after his conversion was to be baptized. He immersed himself in water.

We have already been baptized and now our temple needs to be cleansed by immersing ourselves in the Word. Jesus cleans His house by the washing of the word.

Everyone who cleans houses has a preferred method of cleaning. It is how they see the job is best done according to their own experience. If we hire someone to clean our house it is an insult to tell that professional how to do their job.

In our case what is needed is total immersion in the Word of God. But Jesus is the Word. John said He is in his gospel. Since Jesus abides in us, He applies Himself to clean His temple.

If one is going to clean this temple, perhaps the place to start is in the attic. A place where we store things in darkness which we do not use daily. That would be the highest point, our old brain. He will begin there by taking out the cobwebs and give it a good thorough washing.

Romans 12:2 English Standard Version (ESV) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Ephesians 5:8-10 English Standard Version

8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

We cannot discern what is good, right and true without some light shining in the dark places.

Acts 9:17-22 English Standard Version

17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.

Saul Proclaims Jesus in Synagogues

For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

The first thing that Saul did after his eyes were enlightened was to confound expectations by proclaiming Christ rather than jailing Christians as he had set out to do. He sounded different and he acted differently.

What did we expect when we first believed? In many ways the first expectations that had to be confounded were our own expectations.

A brother in the Lord came to me after my conversion and said, “I have prayed and prayed that the Lord should remove this sin from me and He has not. What am I to do?” My answer came to him from a place that was not in my mind since I was a new creation myself.

“Your body is His temple. Do not tell Him how to clean His house.”

My friend had an expectation that was not realized and that led to doubt and fear. He began doubting his own conversion. Unrealized expectations lead to disappointment. Placing our faith in Christ begins with the blissful ignorance of faith. Don’t expect how we will change. In that way we will not be disappointed.

So how does the Lord clean His house?