NOTHING is more clearly taught in Scripture than the need of the sinner being cleansed from sin in order to be fitted for the presence of God. We read of one under a sense of guilt crying out, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." (Psa. 51) Again we find an inspired prophet calling on sinful people to hear the word of the Lord, saying, " Come now, and let us reason together, with the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow; though they be red like , crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isa. 1.) Thus we learn not only the necessity of man being cleansed from sin in order to stand in blessing before God, but that a remedy, an all-cleansing remedy, is alluded to, which in God's estimate so perfectly cleanses the sinner as to make him spotless in His sight, or, as Scripture so forcibly puts it, justifies "from all things." No marvel then that God could say of some, "I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins," and should again assure us of the perfect efficacy of the work by such a precious announcement as—"Their sins and their iniquities will I remember, no more." Hence it is that the cleansed sinner can say with one of old, "Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back." Surely no words could more plainly convey to our minds that there is a way of thoroughly and forever putting away sin.
The question is, How is this effected? Scripture from one end to the other ascribes it to the blood. Moses wrote—"It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul" (Lev. 17:1111For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. (Leviticus 17:11)); and elsewhere we are told, that "without the shedding of blood is no remission." (Heb. 9:2222And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22).) It was "the blood" that gave the Israelites perfect shelter from the destroying angel when executing the judgment of God throughout the land of Egypt. Again we find that it was by blood that the high priest entered into the holiest of all, "that he die not." But while the blood of lambs or of bulls and goats were typical of a great reality, we are told that ".it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats could take away sins." (Heb. 10:44For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. (Hebrews 10:4).) Those sacrifices, however often repeated, could not give remission, could not blot out or take away sins from the eye of God. They pointed to that one sacrifice which should be once offered, which should put away sin—the crucified Son of God. The blood of these many sacrifices often offered set forth in type the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, the one effectual sacrifice which was once offered. Hence He said at the supper, "This is my blood of the New Testament, which was shed for many for the remission of sins;" and an apostle afterwards tells us, that "when He had by Himself purged our sins, He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Heb. 1:33Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3).) Precious statements! Again, to show the unlimited efficacy and the cleansing virtue of this precious blood, we read that "the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).) And further, that we might understand and enjoy the perpetual title this blood gives us to stand in God's infinitely holy presence, we are not only told that we now have "liberty, or boldness, to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus," but that when we are actually in the glory we shall gaze upon that precious Lamb, and sing, "Thou art worthy; for thou wart slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every nation, and people, and kindred, and tongue." (Heb. 10:1919Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (Hebrews 10:19); 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).)
Observe then, dear reader, that the blood of Christ is the true ground of peace. Not prayers, but the blood; not feelings, but the blood; not good desires, but the blood; not reformation, oh no! but the blood; as we are plainly told in another Scripture that Jesus, the Son of God, "made peace through the blood of His cross." (Col. 1:2020And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:20).) Thus peace is made, redemption is accomplished, a new and living way into the holiest of all has been opened, the work of atonement is finished, and, believing God's Word about this, we have peace with God, a present blessing, through our Lord Jesus Christ. This is why you find so many young converts finding comfort and rest for their souls in that precious text we have just quoted—"The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin." It is the sense of pardon, and that too on the ground of righteousness established and atonement made which so fills the heart with peace and confidence in God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“God who gave the blood to screen us,
God looks down in perfect love;
Clouds may seem to pass between us,
There 's no change in Him above.
“Though the restless foe accuses,
Sins recounting like a flood;
Every charge our God refuses:
Christ has answered with His blood.”
Some years ago a poor woman, who was well known as a person of loose and careless habits, was asked by a friend to accompany her to the preaching of the gospel. She consented. The preacher that evening was expounding the touching narrative of the paschal lamb set forth in the twelfth chapter of Exodus. He earnestly called attention to the 'value of the blood, and showed that those only were sheltered from judgment who availed themselves of the blood according to God's word. He dwelt on the precious words of God—"When I see the blood I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt." So that all now whom God sees trusting in the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, are perfectly safe. In this way the vilest and worst of sinners may be happy, and at peace with God, the moment they are really under the shelter of the blood. Divine light flashed upon her soul, and divine love was shed abroad in her heart, so that from that time her whole conduct was changed; the Lord was the great object of her life; and she at once sought to bring others to taste the same grace, and to know the same shelter from the wrath to come which she had found in the blood of Jesus. Her purpose from that hour seemed to be—
“Now will I tell to those around
What a dear Savior I have found;
I'll point to His redeeming blood,
And say, Behold the way to God.”
But there is nothing uncommon in such a case. Multitudes have found peace and joy, and delight too, in serving God, through the power of the blood of Jesus.
Dear reader, what say you about the blood of Jesus? Is it precious, most precious to you? Can you say that you are cleansed from all sin by it? Why not? Is it not because you have not submitted to it as God's only way of justifying the ungodly? Oh beware of despising this sin-atoning, sinner-cleansing remedy, this only way of approach to God, this only title to stand in His holy presence in peace?
Let me call your attention to another case of a needy, guilty soul finding peace through the blood of the Lamb. The writer has lately read it, and would conclude this paper by quoting it.
“A visitor among the poor was one day climbing the broken staircase which led to a garret in one of the worst parts of London, when his attention was arrested by a man of peculiarly ferocious and repulsive countenance, who stood upon the landing-place, leaning with folded arms against the wall. There was something about the man's appearance which made the visitor shudder, and his first impulse was to go back. He made an effort, however, to get into conversation with him, and told him that he came there with the desire to do him good, and to see him happy, and that the book he had in his hand contained the secret of all happiness. The ruffian shook him off as if he had been a viper, and bade him be gone with his nonsense, or he would kick him down stairs. While the visitor was endeavoring with gentleness and patience to argue the point with him, he was startled by hearing a feeble voice, which appeared to come from behind one of the broken doors which opened upon the landing, saying, “Does your book tell of the blood which cleanseth from all sin?'
“For the moment, the visitor was too much absorbed in the case of the hardened sinner before him to answer the inquiry; and it was repeated in earnest and thrilling tones: “'Tell me, O tell me, does your book tell of the blood which cleanseth from all sin?'
“The visitor pushed open the door and entered the room. It was a wretched place, wholly destitute of furniture, except a three-legged stool and a bundle of straw in a corner, upon which were stretched the wasted limbs of an aged woman. When the visitor entered, she raised herself upon one elbow, fixed her eye& eagerly upon him, and repeated her former questions, ' Does your book tell of the blood which cleanseth from all sin?' He sat down upon the stool beside her, and inquired, My poor friend, what do you want to know of the blood which cleanseth from all sin?' There was something fearful in the energy of her voice and manner as she replied, What do I want to know of it? Man, I am dying! I am going to stand naked before God. I have been a wicked woman, a very wicked woman, all my life. I shall have to answer for everything I have done;' and she groaned bitterly as the thought of a lifetime's iniquity seemed to cross her 'soul. ‘But once,' she continued, once, years ago, I came by the door of a church, and I went in—I don't know what for. I was soon out again, but one word I heard I could never forget. It was something about blood which cleanseth from all 'sin. Oh, if I could but hear of it now! tell me, tell, me, if there is anything about that blood in your hook? The visitor answered by reading the first chapter of the first epistle of John. The poor creature seemed to devour the words, and when he paused, she exclaimed, Read more, read more.' He read the second chapter—a slight noise made him look round; the savage ruffian had followed him into his mother's room, and though his face was partly turned away, the motor could perceive tears rolling down his cheeks. The visitor read the third, fourth, and fifth, chapters, before he could get the poor listener to consent that he should stop, and then she would not let him go till he "Remised to come again the next day. He never from that time missed a day reading to her until she died, six weeks afterwards; and very blessed it was to see how almost from the first she seemed to find peace by believing in Jesus. Every day the son followed the visitor into his mother's room, and listened in silence, but not indifference. On the day of her funeral he beckoned him to one side as they were filling up her grave, and said, ' Sir, I have been thinking there is nothing I should so much like as to spend the rest of my life in telling others of the blood which cleanseth from all sin.”