p. 6 | Forgiveness by I. H. Evans

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 9, 1909

Forgiveness

By I. H. Evans

ONE of the most precious promises in the Word of God is that which the angel made concerning the birth of Christ: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

It is sin that has brought ruin and desolation and death to the inhabitants of the earth. This evil thing has filled the world with prison-houses, and filled the prisons with prisoners; filled cities with crime, and homes with misery. There is no spot in all this world where man has ever trod, that sin has not blighted. Sin has laid its foul hand on every country, city, and hamlet in all the world, and besmirched with its vileness all that is lovely and beautiful and artistic, until even sinners hide their heads in shame. There is no home on earth that sin has not entered. There is no soul in whom is the breath of life that sin has not stung with its deadly poison. The land is filled with the dead, whom sin has smitten. The eye can scarcely look into the face of a living being in whose breast is not hidden some deep, unspeakable sorrow that sin has caused.

With all this misery and mortal woe, with the dead and dying all about us because of sin, what word can ever come to man more desired than the promise, “For he shall save his people from their sins”?

Some one may inquire, “Can God save me?” and the answer must be, “Yes, if you are a sinner;” for we read, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Not a soul in all the world who comes to God in sincerity and repentance, for forgiveness, but will find pardon. Every lost soul, who in the desolation of his wretchedness feels that there is no hope for him, needs only to turn to Christ and look to him for pardon and mercy, and he will find forgiveness of sin, “for he shall save his people from their sins.”

This forgiveness is a most wonderful blessing to man. It is a cover for all his shame and unspeakable guilt; it lifts that awful weight and burden from the heart, relief from which can only be obtained by a taste of the goodness of the Lord. For a poor, vile sinner, who feels his guilt and is suffering the shame or punishment of his wrongdoing, to come to God and find pardon for all his sins in the name of Jesus, is the greatest blessing, and gives the most unspeakable joy, of anything that has ever come into the life of man.

With such glorious promises, how strange that all the world does not come to Christ to receive this cleansing and forgiveness! Were there a costly price demanded, beyond the possibility to pay, there might be some show of an excuse for the poor to stay away, but the invitation is, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” None need be so poor that he may not receive this forgiveness of sin. The millionaire and the pauper receive forgiveness from the same God, on the same terms.

No amount of money can buy pardon from sin. Nothing of which we know in heaven or on earth can buy this pardon for a single soul. Forgiveness of sin comes as a gift from God, in the goodness of his loving heart, through Jesus Christ. Every poor soul who has a desire for pardon, can get it from God by prayer and faith. Nor is any sin, save one, not to be washed away in the blood of Calvary. The record says, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” So there is cleansing from all our guilt in the blood of Jesus. None need think that his guilt is of that peculiar type which can not find forgiveness in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.

Forgiveness of sin, what a wonderful thing for God to give a poor, worthless sinner! He asks no merit, he exacts no promise, he demands no forfeit if we fail again. He says, “Come . . . without money and without price,” “for he shall save his people from their sins.” The invitation is given for all sinners to come. With God there is no favored, special class, save poor, guilty sinners. The sinner is the one whom God invites to come and receive pardon.

The whole Word of God is filled with promises to the sinner. Everywhere the invitation is: Come, sinner, come; “come now, and let us reason together;” you who have been bitten by the deceitfulness of sin, come. Those who are ready to die because of sin, are invited to come. Heaven hangs out the invitation everywhere, Come, sinner, come. “And the Spirit and the bride

say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

The forgiveness offered is for sins committed. The pardon extended is to sinners, and the invitation to come is to those who are guilty of sin. Whosoever will, let him come without money and without price—come to God through Jesus Christ and find pardon and cleansing from all sin.

I. H. EVANS.