I committed fornication today. How do I cleanse myself?

Answer:

As Paul once said, I'm sorry that you are sad, but I'm glad that your sadness made you realize you have done wrong. "Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter" (II Corinthians 7:9-11).

If all you do is be miserable about the fact that you sinned, then nothing will change. What needs to happen is that you change your attitude about fornication and change your behavior to make it less likely to happen again. You have to go to war against sin and the battleground is you.

I don't know if you are a Christian or not. If you are not, then it is past time for you to give your heart to the Lord. See How to Become a Christian. If you are a Christian, then you need to go to God the Father in prayer and admit your sins. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).

So many want to forget their guilt, but guilt serves a purpose. It reminds you that certain actions are wrong. That reminder should keep you from repeating your mistake. It isn't that guilt should eat you up inside because if you truly resolve to change yourself then you can look at your past and say that is how I used to be -- but no longer. Guilt over the past also keeps you humble. It sometimes takes a big shake-up to get us to realize that each of us really is susceptible to sin. "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all" (Psalms 34:18-19).