The Blessing of Turning Away From Iniquity by T. E. Bowen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 15, 1911

The Blessing of Turning Away From Iniquity

By T. E. Bowen

T. E. BOWEN

PETER, in pressing home to the elders and chief priests, after Jesus’ ascension, their sin in having chosen Barabbas for release and Jesus for crucifixion, used this expression in appealing to them to turn to God: “Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” Acts 3:26.

The silence of Jesus when abused by the mob was a wonder to all who beheld. Pilate marveled. Herod could not understand how Jesus could endure such treatment without a word of complaint. Over and over Pilate pronounced him innocent, and said he was a just person. When he heard the Jews state that Jesus had claimed to be the Son of God, he was all the more troubled; for he knew this man was different from any he had ever met. But because of the terrible, demon-like howling of the Jewish mob, which prevailed in the crisis, he permitted Jesus to be led away and crucified.

Marvelous love of God the Father for the murderers of his Son! Notwithstanding all they had done in so cruelly treating his beloved Son, through Peter this message was sent to the very men who led the cry, “Crucify him:” “Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”

We still pray for God to bless us, and we repeat the prayer over and over. But do we always sense what we are asking? God desires to bless us. He is more anxious to bless us than we are that he should. But in the text quoted it is pointed out that he sought to bless his people on this occasion by turning them away from their iniquities. Actually, this was the greatest blessing he could send them. To bestow this blessing, he sent his own Son; but somehow his chosen people so loved their iniquities that they “killed the Prince of Life,” “denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer.” All this they did while Jesus was gently yet earnestly trying to turn them away from their iniquities.

Is God less anxious to bless us to-day with this same blessing? Shall we likewise refuse it? At that time God desired to bless “every one,” by turning him from sin; and he desires to do the same thing for “every one” to-day.

To be delivered from bondage—what a blessing! Suppose, after the war of the rebellion, when thousands shed their life-blood to free a nation of slaves, they had refused the freedom from bondage purchased at such tremendous cost! It has cost Heaven much to prepare the way to free us from bondage. Shall we refuse the terms of release? There is but one Name given under heaven by which this release can be obtained. The name “Jesus” implies all this: “And thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” For this purpose was he born; for this purpose was he raised up; and this is the one purpose before him as he ministers on high,—to bless us by turning every one of us away from our iniquities. Shall we, or shall we not, let him thus bless us?

Takoma Park, D. C.