The Blood of Christ Cleansing from all Sin.
THERE is a very beautiful figure in the prophecies of Zechariah, which will explain how our Lord takes away our sins, and cleanses us from all sin. "In that day," says the prophet, "there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleanness." Christ is here represented as a pure stream, which flows, as it were, through the conscience and heart of all who obey him, taking away all spiritual defilement, and purifying the whole inner man. Our Lord does not merely take away, or cleanse us from the guilt of sin, for this he does as the proclaimer of Divine mercy which freely forgives every repenting sinner. Christ does more than this—he destroys the very existence of sin as a principle within us, as a fountain of pure water washes away all material defilement. Thus the apostle Paul says that Christ "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." But it may be asked, "How does Christ cleanse us inwardly from all sin, in his own blood?" This is capable of a very simple and natural explanation. One great purpose of our Lord's coming into our world, was to effect our personal reformation—to create within us new hearts and right spirits. This he did by bidding us banish all sense of guilt and fear of punishment, because he had "power on earth to forgive sins," where there is sincere repentance; also by teaching us what we should do, and be; and further, by setting us, in his own life, a perfect example of spiritual excellence and beauty. In fulfilling this holy and merciful work he lost his life, being put to a violent and ignominious death. As therefore to cleanse us from sin cost him the shedding of his own blood, it can be said with the greatest propriety, that Christ hath cleansed us from all sin in his own blood. There is also another and very natural sense in which we may understand this and kindred figures of speech. Christ having shed his blood in this work of mercy in our behalf, his blood-shedding, or death, or cross on which he suffered, excites our deepest sense of gratitude, and stimulates us to love and obey him. His blood thus becomes a grand impulsive motive to the entire dedication of ourselves to him; for we feel that "herein is love," because "greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." In these two senses the propriety of those expressions of Scripture is evident, and we can understand what the elder meant when he said to John, concerning the vision of the gathered and glorified Church—"These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb;" for the white robes, so washed, is "the righteousness of saints." Rev. xix, 8. In such a view of the mission of Christ, we can unite with intelligent gratitude in giving glory "unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood."—English Christian Examiner.