“The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin”
(1 John 1:7)
Reflection:
No one deserves to be forgiven by God – we only deserve punishment. However punishment by itself does not cleanse us of the guilt and stain of sin. The fact of our sin remains with us. Something more is needed if we are to be set free and cleansed from sin – and cleansed so thoroughly that no trace or mark of the sin remains in us or remains as a shadow in our relationship with God.
This ‘something more’ is the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Spiritually we become cleansed by His blood shed for us.
- God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood” (Romans 3:25)
- “Since we have now been justified by his blood” (Romans 5:9)
- “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7)
- “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19)
- “and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7)
- “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” (Revelation 1:5)
Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary to take upon Himself the punishment that we deserved for our sins. More than that He took into Himself the sins of which we were guilty. He took them with Him to the grave and rose again without them.
- “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
It is not possible for us as fallen humanity to understand or grasp the full implications of this great sacrifice or to fathom the mystery of the process of salvation. It is sufficient for us to know the truth of it and to believe in the God and Saviour through whom it came about.
Through faith in Jesus Christ we receive the forgiveness of sin and are washed clean from its guilt and stain. As we stand before the Lord He no longer sees the sin of which we were guilty before our salvation. It no longer exists in His eyes, having been taken away and dealt with by His Son. And where we have sinned since then and confessed and repented then those sins also are taken and extinguished before Him through that same great sacrifice. And it is only because of this awesome and gracious act that we have a future and a hope at all.
- “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9)
Response:
Repent, confess, believe and receive – every day
Prayer:
Forgive me Lord when I take sin lightly – and remind me what it cost to bring about my forgiveness and salvation. Thank You so very much. Amen.
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Softly, Spoke the River 