WASHED FROM OUR SINS

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Jan 4, 1905

WASHED FROM OUR SINS.

If there is one thing above another which the conscientious soul desires, it is to be free from sin. If there is one thing above another that men have put forth mighty efforts to obtain, it is freedom from sin.

Through all the ages the world has groaned under sin's curse. Through all the ages men have striven in their own strength, have endeavored to purchase cleansing by money, have sacrificed to obtain pardon, have prayed and fasted, and fasted and prayed, till heart and flesh were starved, have worn hair shirts, stones in their shoes, have made long journeys on hands and knees, have separated from human kind, have lashed and wounded and maimed themselves, and in various ingenious ways have tortured the flesh that the sin might be eliminated; but from all these endeavors, these agonies, these self-imposed tasks and self-inflicted sufferings, the seeker has returned heart-heavy and miserable, the sin still with him. There is no cleansing of self in self, save in death and utter extinction.

"Not all the blood of beasts By Jewish altars slain" can wash away a single stain of sin. Nay, more, if man were to give his first-born for the sin of his soul, it avails nothing. The slave of sin can not purchase his own freedom, and "none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." Ps. 49:7.

Sick with Sin.

Man is not only stained with sin; he is deeply dyed, all through and through. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is desperately sick." Jer. 17:9. The sin is crimson, the iniquity is scarlet; and no chemical of earthly compounding can bleach our souls.

A Cleansing Fountain.

But, dear soul, tho hopeless in ourselves, we are not without hope. There is a Fountain open in Israel for sin and uncleanness, to which the deepest-dyed and vilest sinner can come and wash and be clean.

Not in Vain.

God taught not the prayer in vain, "Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." He did not leave it on record to tantalize us. He did not leave us to hope that we could pray the prayer with assurance, and then listen and leave us unwashed, uncleansed. No, the very prayer is a promise.

More Promises.

But more than this, God has left us these positive promises: "If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanseth us from all sin." "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:7, 9.

Not the Mere Outward.

It is no mere outward cleansing that the great Alchemist performs. It is not a mere cleansing of minor sins, leaving the poor soul to work out by some form of penance, some theological formula, the deeper, darker sins. He knows our condition; listen to Him: "Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah; tho your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; tho they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isa. 1:18. Look upon the pure white wool, as shown in the beautiful, soft white flannel for sale in large stores. Look at the newly-fallen snow, covering the broad landscape, covering the imperfections of old earth in a mantle of lustrous whiteness. Even so shall your sinful self be, if you will yield it to the Master.

How and Why?

Do not ask us how it is done; we do not know, save this: our God is infinite, and "there is nothing too hard" for Him. Then never mind if we do not understand the creative process by which God does the wonderful work. We get men to do a thousand and one things we do not understand. Why not trust God? But we may know, and do know the why. It is because He loves poor sinners, and hates the sin. He longs to separate the two. He longs to do it in you. He knows that sin must inevitably perish; He does not want you to perish with the sin. And, therefore, for love's sake—not that we are lovely, but that He would make us so—He cleanses us from the sin, all sin, if we wish to be free from sin's bondage.

Why not, dear soul, go free in this the very