THE writer often finds persons more or less ignorant as to the righteous ground upon which the sins of the believer in Jesus are blotted out.
Calling one day upon a man, who was kept at home by ill-health, I found him cultivating his little vegetable garden. We entered into conversation, which soon turned upon matters spiritual. I learned that my friend was a member of what is termed “The Salvation Army.” Certainly, this man appeared bright and happy, and told me that his sins were gone; but as to how or where they were gone, he was not clear; but with a plainly marked pleasure, said, “All I know is, that my sins are gone.”
It is possible that at some time or other the question as to the ground of their removal will seriously occupy this believer, and surely it is for the blessing of every one that such a question should be clearly understood. Man has a heart and also a conscience — the heart needs to be recoiled, and the conscience needs peace with God. The relentless foe of man will at some time or another, perhaps at the hour of death, challenge the believer in Jesus. He may seek to attack the conscience about its misdeeds, and much distress may be occasioned in the soul of one who is practically unacquainted with the true ground upon which the Christian can say—
“What though the accuser roar
Of ills that I have done;
I know them all, and thousands more,
Jehovah findeth none.”
In the tenth chapter of Hebrews, the sacrifice or work of Christ is contrasted with the sacrifices offered under the law in the time of Moses. These sacrifices could never make the conscience perfect before God because of their imperfection: “In those sacrifices, there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.” Indeed, by being repeatedly offered, the sins of the offerer were rather brought to remembrance.
“Not all the blood of beasts
On Jewish altars slain,
Could give the guilty conscience peace,
Or wash away its stain.”
But in contrast to this, the one sacrifice of our Lord gives a perfect conscience to the believer: “For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified,” i.e., all that believe in Him, The Holy Spirit, too, points out the significance of the High Priest in Moses’ day not having any rest in the performance of his repeated offerings. It is said of him that he “standeth daily, offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.” This signifies that the work was not in any way a completed thing. On the other hand, stress is laid on the fact that Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of God, to show that His work is finished.
The sacrifices of old, being imperfect, could never give a perfect conscience, i.e., a conscience without a flaw before God, however conscious we may be of the many sins of which we have been guilty. On the other hand, Christ’s sacrifice being a perfect one, the result is a perfect conscience before God. The believer knowing that God has accepted the sacrifice for him, and consequently God’s holy claims having been met, it is on righteous grounds He can say, and does say, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more”; nay, further, the Christian has “boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way;” by the blood of Jesus, and by nothing else.
There is a striking metaphor used in the Book of Micah (ch. 7:19). The prophet says to Jehovah, regarding His people, “And Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” We are told by those “that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters,” that we are not to suppose that the whole mass of waters is disturbed in times of hurricane or tempest; below a certain depth is what is called the “cushion” of the sea; beneath this are the calm depths, into which let anything sink, and never in time will it rise again. Look once more at the sentence, “And Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea,” and observe, too, the comprehensive word “all.”
It is of great importance to be assured that the sins of the believer are put away consistently with the holiness and justice of God. “God is Love,” but also “God is Light.” This the third chapter of Romans unfolds, showing that since the accomplishment of redemption, God is declared to be “the justifier of the ungodly,” He is “just,” and not only merciful. Through the work of Christ, God sees righteousness upon all that believe, and it is available for everyone.
So we see that while those who believe in Jesus can rightly say their sins are gone, they are not left in darkness as to how and where they are gone. In consequence of God’s holy claims having been fully met in the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanseth from every sin, they are gone “into the depths of the sea,” by which is meant, as we have seen, that they will never rise again to be a ground of condemnation.
“Payment God will not twice demand,
First at my wounded Surety’s hand,
And then again at mine.”
Thus the heart of the believer is not only reconciled, but his conscience is at rest. It is true that his joy may fluctuate, even Paul was not always in the third heaven, nor always in an ecstasy, but his peace with God remains unruffled. The blood of Christ secures this.
To doubt is to dishonor God. To say, “I hope,” when God would have me say, “I have,” is simple unbelief. “Being justified by faith, we HAVE peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)). W. R. C.
THOSE who know heaven to be their home can look upon all things here as a stepping-stone helping them on up there. J. W.