There Is a Fountain
Sin is the worst kind of filth there is and yet how few there are who are serious about this serious thing.
What is sin? It is failure to conform to the laws of God. It is the creature thumbing his or her nose as the Creator and saying, “I will not walk in your way! I will go my own way.”
Sin is refusing to do those things that God has explicitly commanded, choosing rather to do those things that God has plainly forbidden.
Why is sin so serious? Because it insults the God who has made us and blessed us, and this God is both holy and mighty. His holiness means that He must pronounce judgment upon sin, and His mightiness means that He has the power to bring upon us the judgment that He pronounces.
What is the judgment that the Holy God has pronounced upon our sin? It is nothing less that eternal separation from Himself and all that is good and glorious (2 Thessalonians 1:9)
Sin is defilement of the deepest dye. No soap can remove it. No launderer can expunge it. It requires special cleaning, and, wonder of wonders, the very God who is so profoundly offended by our sin has provided cleansing for it.
….. The testimony of Scripture is that Jesus’ Blood cleanses from sin.
in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:14
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:17
It seems to be indescribably ridiculous and absurd to suggest that the blood Jesus shed on the cross actually cleanses from sin. What is there about His blood that makes it effective in the cleansing of sin? It has nothing to do with the chemical make-up of the blood itself. Jesus’ blood has cleansing power because it was poured out on the cross, and blood poured out means life has been laid down……
The penalty God has pronounced upon sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). That penalty is the expression of God’s holy justice. God Himself cannot set it aside without compromising His holy character. That penalty has to be paid either by the sinner personally or by someone in his or her stead.
The Lord Jesus came to pay that penalty on behalf of His people. He had no sins of His own, so He was able to pay for the sins of others. The cross was the place where He made that payment. There He endured the wrath of God in the place of sinners. The blood poured out from Him there, and He died. But His death was more than physical in nature. His physical sufferings and death were certainly horrific beyond description, but the sharpest part of His suffering lay in being abandoned by His Father so that those who believe in Him will never have to be so abandoned. He went to hell on the cross so that His people will never have to go there themselves. His shed blood meant that His life had been poured out in this special kind of death. It meant that the greatest life that had ever been lived had ended in the greatest death ever died. It signified the fact that He had accomplished His mission and had completely satisfied the justice of God.
Sinners laden with the burden and guilt of their sin can see in the cross a fountain of blood. They can see in the blood that Jesus shed sufficient payment for their own sins, and, trusting in the same, can find the relief and joy of forgiveness
An extract from:
They Echoed The Voice of God
ISBN 978-1-84625-101-6
By Roger Ellsworth
© Day One Publications
Used with permission
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