WRITTEN BY MICHELE HANSEN
Based on Revelation 19:6-8, this year we are exploring how the Believer’s righteous acts cover us in Christ’s righteousness and represent our Savior to the world.
Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. (Psalm 51:9)
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)
The Hymn, “Nothing but the Blood of Jesus” comes to mind when we talk about the stain of sin. Jesus’ very own life blood, is the only stain remover that will work on sin. Not only does it remove our sin, but it restores us to wholeness spiritually, and restores the right relationship between us and the Father, our Creator.
Why blood? Let’s be real here, that’s kinda gruesome. Let’s go back…way back to when we as human beings began. In the Genesis account, God made them man and woman. He placed them in the garden. There was no sin, no defilement. It was a perfect relationship between the Creator and the created. Then they listened to the serpent, Satan, and that one choice became the monkey wrench in the gears of life. It broke the connection between the Creator and the created. What once was smooth and delightful, was now broken and shameful. Death through sin had entered the world. Only death could be the payment for that sin.
The very first sacrifice for sin was the innocent animal that gave its little life to cover the shame and nakedness of the man and woman. It’s hard to imagine, I don’t like to think about it, that animal, whatever it was, had no reason to fear God. It had been one with the Creator in perfect relationship. Then God, who the innocent little creature trusted, had to spill its blood and use its skin to cover the very ones who had caused the brokenness.
Does that make you uncomfortable? I’m uncomfortable writing it; thinking it…but that’s how serious sin is. It is the absolute ruin of innocence and purity.
Life is in the blood. You can’t live without it. Through the ages, innocent animals were used for sacrifice to cover the sin of man. They were the substitution for the penalty of the crime of sin against our Maker. Because we deserved death for breaking communion with God, He made an allotment for an innocent animal to be killed in their place. God knew that the death of an animal would never be good enough to remove the stain of sin…it could only cover it up…and then had to be repeated every time a sin was committed. That is A LOT of spilled blood.
God also knew what He was going to do to remedy the sin sickness in His people. He would spill His own blood through His Son’s sacrifice. Sin had kidnapped God’s creation and Christ paid the ransom with His life. Not only was it paid, but that sacrifice paved the way for God’s creation to come back into eternal relationship with Him.
God is on the throne. Jesus is alive and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Holy Spirit was sent to us as our guide, teacher, comforter and Brother-Friend. Because the Believer has repented and surrendered their life to the Father through the Son, the Believer is cleansed through and through. The Last Sacrifice paid the final ransom for the penalty of sin. The righteousness of Christ was imputed to us. Nothing else is needed…nothing else is accepted.
The depth of the reality of the cost for our ransom from sin is beyond the words we can use to describe it. What God did to save His creation from their own choices and every future choice is beyond fathomable. That is the love of God…
🎶 The love of God is greater far.
Than tongue or pen can ever tell.
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin.
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song. 🎶
As for the picture on the front of this focus, it is a work of art that was done by one of Side by Side’s Ministry Partners using coffee stains. As the artist removed specific areas of the stain, the beautiful image of his wife came forth. Just like the artist did with the stains on the canvas, Jesus removes our sin stains to reveal His beautiful Bride and present Her in His righteousness.
Dear Gracious God,
We are so thankful for the gift of your Son who bled and died and rose again that we may be made white as snow by the redeeming power of His perfect sacrifice. We never deserved it and yet You bestowed that grace upon grace so that we would be able to live in relationship with You for eternity.
Help us to glorify Your name as we live in the wonder of Your power and love.
In Jesus Name
