I esteemed Christian was observing to us, the other day, how that in ordinary religious society it is not only a matter of bad taste, but almost a cause for sensation to use the word “sin.” It is quite lawful to speak of failure, weakness, crime, but not sin. Why is this? Because the word “sin” brings before the mind man’s relation with God. Again, we were hearing from one, who knows of the fact, that the popular religious taste is opposed to such texts as deal with our lost estate, or Christ’s saving us through His blood. The accepted motto texts of the day relate chiefly to divine care or kindness. Why is this? The same cause as already mentioned indicates this “taste.” It was not so to the extent it now is even ten years ago. There is, alas, a growing tendency in many religious circles to deal as lightly as possible with sin, and to make as little as possible of Christ’s dying for our sins.
In the Scriptures, our sins are connected in the most absolute way with the name and the work of our Lord and Saviour, and, we may say, the contemplation of our sins is ever to the true believer a fresh occasion for praise and love to Jesus.
With the very first mention of His name our sins are connected. The heavenly messenger said: “Thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:2121And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)). What blessing is hound up in His name? We behold Him in His incarnation and worship Him in His humiliation and lowly path on earth, and rejoice in Him the Saviour who saves us from our sins.
The gospel which the apostle Paul received from God, and which he preached, as he tells us, had “first of all” this great truth in it: “Christ died for our sins.” (1 Cor. 15:33For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (1 Corinthians 15:3).) The apostle was the great witness to Christ in His heavenly glory. And as we consider the Lord in heaven, risen from among the dead, exalted and honored above, the good news of God to man respecting Him commences with the death of the incarnate One, and His death for our sins. How little, alas, does the religion of our day accord with this gospel. Really we seem to have around us the gospel of man’s development and progress, rather than the gospel by which we are saved, namely, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He rose.
The apostle Peter speaks in a most tender way of sacred love respecting our sins and our Saviour’s death. “His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree.” (1 Peter 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24).) These words fill the heart with Christ in His own person, and in His own body, enduring the sufferings of the cross on account of our sins. He was the Sin-bearer, and He bore the burden of our sins. He was the sin-offering, and He stood as our substitute, suffering for our sins. There cannot be true, holy love to Jesus unless He be known as the Sin-bearer.
“Ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins” (1 John 3:55And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. (1 John 3:5)) is another precious word of personal joy in the love of God and of His Son. The apostle John teaches us of Jesus as the Eternal Life. In His incarnation and walk on earth He manifested God the Father, He shone the Light in this dark world. “Ye know,” says the apostle―and a wonderful knowledge indeed it is―we know concerning Him that He was manifested to take away our sins! We fear a great many religious people know nothing of the kind, and more, they object even to speak of their sins; while to speak of Jesus taking their sins away would be completely to spoil their religion.
Again, this apostle gives us gracious and joyful words respecting the Lord Jesus and our sins. This time he fills our minds with thoughts of Christ in heaven―in His glory, and majesty, and coming judgment―and thus does he speak “Unto Him that... 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).) He is the first-begotten from the dead; He is supreme on high He is the Almighty and the Everlasting; and He, the Son of God and Son of Man, has washed us from our sins in His own blood.
There are very many gracious Scriptures which bring together, within the compass of a few short words, our sins and our Saviour’s name or work. Let the reader search them out and meditate upon them. They unfold to us the religion God gives us, and that which alone is true and holy. Let us rejoice in God’s truth, let man say what he will. The word of the Lord endureth forever, and in eternity the blessed will ever praise the Saviour that was slain, and has redeemed us to God by His blood. (Rev. 5:99And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (Revelation 5:9).)