A period of several months had now passed since the potter dug the clay. It was time for him to begin another cycle of pottery making. Shortly before beginning production the potter started removing quantities of the now well aged clay from the storage pile. He placed the clay in large, wooden tubs which had been filled with water. There, immersed in water, the clay slowly began to dissolve into a thick soupy goo called "slurry".
Each day the slurry tubs were carefully stirred and more water added. As the the soupy mix was patiently stirred, undesirable pieces of grit, pebbles and vegetation began slowly sinking to the bottom of the tubs.
It was crucial that the clay body contain no debris or contaminants when it was thrown on the wheel. The smallest piece of grit, the tiniest rock, the merest speck of dirt, would mar the perfectly smooth and pliable surface of the clay as it spun on the wheel. The most insignificant foreign object or impurity striking the potter's hand during that process, would mar and ruin the soft, delicate wall of the vessel.
After several days of soaking and stirring, the creamy slurry was carefully ladled from the tubs, through a finely woven, durable mesh fabric, into another large wooden vat where it was allowed to thicken as the excess moisture slowly evaporated. The water; stirring and screening all had completed their work and now only a pure clay slurry remained.
Getting Rid of the Grit and Dirt
"And, having received food, [Saul] got strength. And he was with the disciples who were in Damascus certain days... But Saul increased the more in power, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ" (Acts 9:19, 22, 2319And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. (Acts 9:19)
22But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. 23And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: (Acts 9:22‑23), JND trans.).
Annanias came to Saul with the Word of the Lord; "arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins" (Acts 22:1616And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. (Acts 22:16)).The grit and impurities of Saul the Jew—though a Hebrew of Hebrews (Phil. 3:55Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; (Philippians 3:5))—must be discarded through baptism. Saul had asked; Lord, what wilt thou have me to do. The first thing he had to do was to publicly leave the ground of Judaism which had already been set aside by God. There was no longer any possibility of gaining blessing through the works of the law (Rom. 3:2020Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)).The cross of Christ was the result of God's final test of man providing the solemn conclusive proof that, by nature, man is beyond remedy. Because of the awful impurities of sin and sins—the clay body would never be formable in its natural state to become a vessel pleasing to God.
Thus, through baptism, Saul publicly confessed that he was done with the grit and impurities of the first man, done with human righteousness, and done with a religion which sought to gain God's favor through the efforts of the flesh.
As a young man, Saul had set at the feet of Gamaliel. Though well acquainted with the Old Testament Scriptures, it was not until Saul was saved, that the wonderful water of the Word which he had been acquainted with all his life began to separate the impurities of the flesh (religious though it may have been) from the new man he had become in Christ.
How was that accomplished? First, of course, through the redeeming, cleansing value of the precious blood of Christ shed at the cross On. 19:34).Then the Spirit of God applied the water of the Word of God into which the newly dug and aged clay was completely immersed beginning the vital daily work of practical sanctification—separating clay from the grit and dirt which the flesh ever produces in each believer's life.
As the water began softening, the Spirit continually stirred the clay. What a spiritual stirring must have gone on in Saul's soul—especially during those first three days of his blindness! Soaking and stirring is vitally important for each believer to experience daily—practical separation from all that is of the flesh in order to leave a body formable to His will.
The Spirit's stirring was not an instantaneous or one time work in Paul's life—nor will it be so in ours. Notice that in 1 Cor. 15:99For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (1 Corinthians 15:9) Paul refers to himself as the least of the apostles. Later on, in Eph. 3:88Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; (Ephesians 3:8), he calls himself less than the least of all saints. The water is having its wonderful cleansing and humbling effect in His life, filtering out the grit of pride that had been his as Saul of Tarsus. But he undergoes yet more stirring for shortly before the end of his life the beloved Apostle refers to himself as chief of sinners (1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)).This beautiful humility shows the importance and necessity of daily, practical purifying.
May the words of John Baptist be found true of each believer: "He must increase, but I must decrease" On. 3:30).
Purifying by Water
Each Christian who is a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:1717Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)), still has (as did Paul) a fallen, sinful nature which we received from our father, Adam. That nature is full of grit, pieces of dirt, and impurities. The only One who walked here without such impurities was our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. He, as perfect Man was like fine flour with no hint or spot of contaminant On. 8:29)—perfectly submitted in every respect to the will of God (Heb. 10:7, 97Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. (Hebrews 10:7)
9Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. (Hebrews 10:9)).
But for a believer to have a clay body that is usable—transformable (Rom. 12:22And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)) into that which is pleasing to God—the impurities of the corrupt flesh must be separated. The blood of Christ forever cleanses the believer from all stain of sin. The Word of God, when applied daily to heart and conscience causes the grit and dirt of the flesh to be practically separated from—(sometimes referred to as practical sanctification). How important that each day we soak in that cleansing water of the Word, allowing the Spirit stir our hearts and consciences while separating the precious from the vile Gen. 15:1919The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, (Genesis 15:19)) in our daily, practical lives.
It must be emphasized again that reading the Bible does not wash a person's sins away. That only happens through personal faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood" (Rev. 1:55And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (Revelation 1:5). See also 1 Peter 1:1919But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:19)). However, daily, prayerful reading of the Bible will do for each individual believer, what the Lord Jesus does for His beloved church collectively: "Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word"(Eph. 5:2525Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Ephesians 5:25))
"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word". Later in the same Psalm we read "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee". Oh! How much we need daily washing with the precious Word of God as applied by the His Spirit to separate the grit which is inconsistent with God's holy nature. Where it is done, washing of water by the word will result in a usable, pliable clay body for the use of the Master Potter.