p. 2 | THE SIN-BEARER by Student

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 26, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 26.

THE SIN-BEARER.

By Student

(See Sabbath-school Lesson, page 14.)

THE blood of bulls and goats can not take away sin. Heb. 10:4. All the offerings that man can make, all the services he can perform, can not wash white his sin-stained garments of character, nor change the nature he has received from his fathers. God gave no ceremonies or ordinances, He enjoined no offerings, to teach man that poor mortals could perform works of merit.

All the sacrifices ordained of God, all the services of the ancient sanctuary and temple, were and are to teach man that his salvation is wholly of God and His goodness. When man brought his lamb to the sanctuary, he was by faith to see in that lamb the slain Lamb of God. When the life of that lamb was taken, he was to see in that the life of the Son of God poured out for guilty man.

When the sinner brought his offering to the door of the sanctuary and placed his hand upon its head, confessing his sin, that offering stood for his sin. Sometimes the blood was borne into the sanctuary, sometimes the priests ate of the flesh; and it was borne in in their persons; but in one way or another the sin was remembered before God, in His very presence. The sinner must come in his representation into that presence. The offering, the substitute, must be a whole-hearted one, acceptable to and accepted by the great Judge.

All this ancient service was but an object-lesson of Christ and His service for the penitent in all ages. For “Him who knew no sin He [the Father] made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Cor. 5:21. We were sinners in ourselves, so identified with sin that we must suffer its finished product—death. He took our place. He died for our

sins, because He could die for us no other way, we were so identified with sin. He became sin for us, yet never knew sin in His own life or purpose. Becoming our sin, He became our death, and we died with Him.

But He lives again, because He is righteous. “It was not possible that He should be holden of” the grave. Acts 2:24. Righteousness is life; and He who became personified sin and death for us, became personified righteousness and life for us. He therefore enters into the holy place, in the presence of God, pleading His own life in our behalf. He stands in His own person for us before the throne. His death stands for our death. His life of righteousness for our life, and in the very presence of God we stand acquitted, “accepted in the Beloved.”

In the presence of God that remembrance of sin goes on continually, and has since the first sin and the first sinner came in penitent faith before the Merciful One. So it will go on till the last sinner is separated from his sins, or chooses to eternity the sin. Then sin will be forever banished; it will be cleansed from the records in heaven and earth, and the universe will be free from its curse forever. It rests with us whether we shall share in that glorious fruition. The Lord is willing and able. STUDENT.