The Stain of Sin
Be encouraged by today’s Scripture reflection and prayer.
Today's Scripture
Jeremiah 2:22-23 (KJV)
For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God.
How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after the Baals? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;
Reflection
One of the sayings that sticks with me is “caught with your hand in the cookie jar.” It usually refers to someone sneaking and being caught in the act. We have all seen it. A child with chocolate on their lips, crumbs on their shirt, and guilt written all over their face saying, “I did not eat the cookies.” The evidence is obvious, yet the denial is just as strong. It would almost be funny if it were not so familiar.
We expect a child to do that. But we do it too. We make excuses, deceive ourselves, and try to justify our sin. Sometimes it’s because we love the sin we are in or we do not want to let it go. Maybe we rationalize it as “not that serious.” Many of us did this before we believed in Jesus Christ, but even after, the temptation to deny or justify sin can remain.
That picture is exactly what the Lord describes in Jeremiah 2:22. Even if Israel washed with lye soap and used much cleanser, the stain of their sin remained before Him. They were covered in spiritual evidence, yet still claimed innocence. They were living in idolatry, running after other gods, trusting in what could not save them, and then walking into the temple as if religious activity could erase what their hearts were clinging to.
Jeremiah 7:9-10 shows the same thing. They would steal, lie, commit adultery, burn incense to false gods, and then stand in God’s house and say they were delivered. They tried to mix sin with worship. They tried to look clean while still loving what made them unclean.
Before we believed on Jesus Christ, we did this too. We minimized sin. We made excuses. We told ourselves it was not that serious. We compared ourselves to others and felt justified. The stain was there, but we kept pretending it was not.
Sin has a stain we cannot scrub away ourselves. No effort, no religious routine, no self-justifying thoughts can remove it. Only the Lord can truly cleanse. What Israel tried to do outwardly, God calls us to experience inwardly through repentance and faith. He does not just cover the stain. He washes it away.
This passage is a loving warning. Denial does not remove guilt. Pretending does not bring freedom. But turning to the Lord does. He sees the truth already, and He is the only One who can make us truly clean.
It takes a heart surrendered to Jesus, the one who cleanses completely, to remove the stain and make us pure.
Today's Prayer
LORD, forgive me for the times I have tried to justify or hide my sin. Help me to see the truth of my heart and turn fully to You. Cleanse me completely through Jesus Christ and teach me to walk in honesty, obedience, and trust. In Jesus name, Amen.
Before You Go
Sin has a way of hiding in plain sight. Like the crumbs on a child’s lips, it may be visible to God even when we try to ignore it. Israel’s idolatry shows us that loving sin while trying to appear clean on the outside does not work.
Jesus offers something entirely different. He does not just cover sin. He removes it. His work on the cross reaches into the heart, cleansing and restoring what sin has stained. Scripture tells us, “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” 1 John 1:7. What we could never wash away, He makes clean.
We may be tempted to rationalize or deny what is in us, but God sees clearly. Instead of covering, we come to Him sincerely and turn to Him in faith. He is the One who purifies. He is the One who restores. Through Him, the stain of sin is truly taken away.
Let this move us to walk in humility and truth, trusting the Lord who alone can make us clean.
When God Brings Sin to Light
Jeremiah shows us something sobering. We may try to cover sin, excuse it, or pretend it is not there, yet God sees clearly and lovingly calls us back to Himself. If today’s devotional stirred conviction or a desire to walk more closely with the Lord, these Scriptures and devotionals can help guide your next steps.
Feeling the weight of conviction?
This devotional looks honestly at the shame of sin while also pointing to the mercy of God who does not expose us to destroy us, but to restore us.
👉 The shame of sin
https://exhortationsfortoday.com/the-shame-of-sin/
Want to move from conviction to obedience?
God never calls us away from sin without also showing us how to walk with Him daily. This devotional offers encouragement for faithful, everyday obedience.
👉 Walking in obedience daily
https://exhortationsfortoday.com/walking-in-obedience-daily/
Need hope that your past does not define you?
Rahab’s story is a beautiful reminder that even a life marked by sin can be transformed by faith, and God delights to redeem and use those who turn to Him.
👉 Rahab in the Bible
https://exhortationsfortoday.com/rahab-in-the-bible/
Did you miss it? Don’t worry—you can still catch up.
Drawn Out of Many Waters
