A Colossal Cleaning

It’s not the most pleasant subject, but when a job has to be done, it has to be done. So—what’s the best toilet bowl cleaner on the market? Instead of providing a list of products, here is what many people say they want from a cleanser: It cleans with a single flush; it tackles the toughest stains; it prevents the build-up of toilet rings; it kills most germs; it eliminates odors; it has no harsh fumes; and it’s safe for plumbing and septic systems. Is all that too much to ask?

There’s a much bigger cleaning job that will take place at the end of the millennium, when God tackles the work of removing all sin from the universe. The apostle Peter explains that the cleaning agent used by the Lord is fire: “The elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10).

Every impurity of sin will be eliminated by the fire that destroys the wicked. From the ashes of what is left over, God will create “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” (Revelation 21:1). Even better still, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (verse 4).

For those who desire to walk in the New Jerusalem, a cleansing work must include asking Christ to remove sin from the heart. In light of the coming judgment, Peter concludes, “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?” (2 Peter 3:11).

Apply It:

What does your favorite household cleaner teach you about getting rid of sin?

Dig Deeper:

1 John 1:9; 2 Peter 3:10–13; Revelation 21:1–8

Key Bible Texts

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10 KJV)