HOW may I have my sins removed? This is a question that has found an echo in many an anxious heart, and while, thank God, many have received the answer which brings peace and gladness, many are, alas! as yet without it.
As one in whose breast this soul-torturing question was unsolved for many a weary year, I desire, by God’s help, having received, through the grace of God, the answer, to say a word to any who may be anxious about this matter, praying that God will make it plain to them.
The idea is very common among men today, and desperately clung to, that it is something they must do that will give them a title to glory.
So they set about reforming their lives in the earnest hope that what they are doing will cause God to pass over their history of guilt and sin, and forget all that has passed. But God is nothing if He is not righteous. He could not wink at one solitary sin, and retain His character as a righteous God. I say it reverently—He could not.
Oh, but is He not merciful? Yes, indeed He is—ever blessed be His name!—and one great feature of His mercy, my friend, is that you, with all your guilt and sin unpardoned, are graciously permitted another opportunity of having your sins (perhaps enough to damn a whole city) completely removed.
God is merciful, yes, but He is more, He is righteous; and He cannot be merciful at the expense of righteousness; in other words, He could not admit you into heaven with one single trace of sin on your soul. To do so would be to contaminate the spotless purity of heaven. God and sin could never dwell together. So that for you to go to heaven—and I feel confident you dearly wish to—every spot of sin must be got rid of. How is this to be done? Well, certainly not by turning over a new leaf and endeavoring to lead a moral, religious life. For could you succeed so well as never more to fail, it would not remove one sin of the past.
There is only one way, my friend, whereby sin can ever be removed from your soul, and it is my joy to direct your gaze to that blessed One. It is Jesus who alone can cleanse you from your sins. Oh, let me implore you not to slight His gracious call, but accept Him and be saved forever. God wants you to be with Him; but unforgiven sin would shut you out. So He sent Jesus, the Son of His bosom, in whom is His delight, to satisfy the claims of His righteousness in removing the sin. He bore our sins on Calvary’s cross of shame in order that the blessing may be ours.
Will you not trust Him? Have you no room in your heart for love like this? Listen! If you refuse to accept Jesus, and in one hour from now you found yourself forever too late, how great would be your damnation!
Are you anxious to have your sins removed? If so, then cease striving, and in simple, childlike trust look up to Jesus. He will hear and understand, and eternal blessing will be yours. He has given His assuring promise, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)), and if you put all your faith in Him God has said that your sins and iniquities He will remember no more (Heb. 8:1212For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 8:12)). It is so graciously, wonderfully simple.
E. H. D.