Jesus' Power To Cleanse: Washing Away All Sins

The Bible states that Jesus washes away all sins, and that once a person is forgiven, their sins are forgotten by God. This is reflected in Psalm 103:12, where God says he has removed [sins] as far as the east is from the west. In the New Testament, Ananias tells Paul, be baptised and wash away your sins, calling on his name (Acts 22:16). This is a recurring theme in the Bible, where the blood of Christ washes away sin (1 John 1:7; 1 Peter 1:19).

Jesus' sacrifice forgives all sin

Jesus's sacrifice washes away all sin. This is a central tenet of Christianity and is mentioned in several Bible verses.

In the Old Testament, God commanded people to purify themselves by following rigorous instructions about sacrifices, ritualistic bathing, and types of clothing to wear. These were physical illustrations to help people understand spiritual truths.

However, in the New Testament, Jesus established a new way of being made right with God. Hebrews 9:13-14 says:

> "The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"

Jesus's sacrifice is seen as the ultimate purification, cleansing people from their sins and making them worthy to enter the presence of God. This is further emphasized in 1 John 1:7 and 1 Peter 1:19, which state that the blood of Christ washes away sins.

Additionally, Hebrews 10:14 states, "For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified." This verse highlights that Jesus's sacrifice is a "once-for-all forgiveness," covering all sins, past, present, and future.

While Christians still struggle with their sinful nature and must continually repent, the sacrifice of Jesus has washed away the stain of sin, and God has chosen to forget and remove it. This is the essence of God's grace and forgiveness through Christ.

The need for repentance

The Bible makes it clear that every human being is born into this world as a sinner. Sin makes us dirty, and dirty people are unworthy to enter into the presence of the Lord.

Repentance is meaningless unless we are willing to acknowledge who we are: sinners needing mercy. We must come to the unavoidable conclusion that we have a problem that we can’t remedy. We can't buy God's kindness through sufficient repenting.

The degree to which we downplay our sin is the degree to which we will diminish the power of God’s forgiving grace. Repentance isn’t the key to unlocking God’s forgiving heart. Rather, it’s the response to the good news of God’s forgiving heart being perfectly demonstrated in his Son’s death.

The root of all sin is man thinking that he can be God. By taking what is not ours, putting our needs before the needs of others, and putting ourselves in the centre of everything we do, think and say, we are carrying on the legacy that we can be like God.

Jesus came to earth to establish a new way of being made right with God. The blood of Christ is what washes our sins away. When we, through faith, apply the blood of Jesus to our unclean souls, God pronounces us clean.

Jesus paid it all. Hebrews calls this "once for all forgiveness". If you are a new creation in Christ, you don't need week-by-week, or mass-by-mass, or church service-by-church service forgiveness. Jesus takes away sin, not little by little, in portions, it's not in instalments.

However, the redeemed and justified still have a sin nature to deal with. We still have sins that we must repent of. We should always repent and always try to be aware of our sins so that bit by bit, we can become more and more like Christ Jesus Himself.

The power of God's forgiveness

God's Forgiveness is Merciful

The Bible teaches that all humans are born into sin and are therefore unworthy to enter the presence of God. However, through the grace of God and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our sins can be washed away and we can be forgiven. This concept of sin being washed away is introduced in the Old Testament, where God commanded people to purify themselves through sacrifices, ritualistic bathing, and specific clothing (Exodus 30:20; Numbers 19:21; Joel 1:13).

God's Forgiveness is Transformative

When we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, our sins are washed away, and we are made righteous in God's sight. This is not a gradual process but a "one-time" forgiveness, as stated in Hebrews 10:14, "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified." Through Christ's sacrifice, we are no longer spiritually corrupt but are justified before God.

God's Forgiveness is Complete

The Bible assures us that God chooses to forget our sins and remove them from us (Psalm 103:12). Our sins are not only forgiven but also forgotten by God. We are made clean through the blood of Jesus, which washes away our sins (1 John 1:7; 1 Peter 1:19). This is a powerful demonstration of God's love and mercy towards us.

God's Forgiveness is Available to All

Anyone can receive God's forgiveness by acknowledging their sinfulness and repenting. King David, despite his great sins, was able to find forgiveness and be known as "a man after God's own heart" (Acts 13:22). No matter how deep-stained our past may be, God's forgiveness is available to us through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

God's Forgiveness is a Source of Confidence

Knowing that our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus gives us confidence in our relationship with God. We can live every moment with the assurance that we have been pronounced "clean" by the final Judge (Genesis 18:25; Romans 8:33). This confidence is not based on our own righteousness but on the finished work of Christ.

In conclusion, the power of God's forgiveness is a testament to His mercy, transformative nature, and love for humanity. Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our sins are washed away, and we are made right with God. This forgiveness is available to all who repent and believe, and it gives us the confidence to live as children of God.

The concept of sin in the Old Testament

Firstly, it is important to note some of the outstanding characteristics of sin in the Old Testament. Sin is described as a transgression of the law of God (1 John 3:4) and rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 9:7; Joshua 1:18). It is also described using three Hebrew words in Exodus 34:5-6, Psalm 32:1-2: "transgression" (pesha'h), "sin" (chata'ah), and "iniquity" ('avon). These words convey the idea of falling away from God, missing the mark or duty, and turning away from the straight path, respectively.

Secondly, the Old Testament describes various classes of sin. One type of sin is inherited sin, where humans inherit a sinful nature from Adam, the first man who sinned (Romans 5:12). King David laments this condition in Psalm 51:5, acknowledging his sinfulness from birth. Another type is imputed sin, where humans are credited with the guilt of Adam's sin (Romans 5:18). This results in all humans being counted as sinners and deserving of punishment (Romans 3:23). The third type is personal sin, which is committed daily by every human being due to their inherited sinful nature.

Lastly, the Old Testament addresses the cause of sin and its effect on human life. Sin entered the world through Lucifer, the most beautiful and powerful angel, who desired to be higher than God (Isaiah 14:12-15). Renamed Satan, he brought sin to humanity in the Garden of Eden by tempting Adam and Eve. As a result, sin has been passed down through the generations, and humans have become sinners by nature. The effect of sin is seen in the tyrannical power it holds over mankind, corrupting their nature and separating them from God.

In conclusion, the Old Testament provides a comprehensive understanding of sin by describing its characteristics, classes, cause, and impact on human life.

The New Testament's continuation of the theme

The New Testament continues the theme of washing away sins, with Ananias telling Paul to "be baptised and wash away your sins, calling on his name" (Acts 22:16). This is a reference to the new covenant that came through Jesus Christ, as described in Hebrews 9:

> "The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"

This new covenant, established by Jesus, is a new way of being made right with God. It is through faith that the blood of Jesus is applied to our unclean souls, and God pronounces us clean (Titus 2:14; 3:5).

The Bible makes it clear that all humans are born into sin (Romans 3:23) and that only through Jesus can we be washed clean. This is achieved through faith and trust in Jesus and his saving work (Acts 2:21). Over time, as we grow in our Christian faith and get to know God, we become in practice what we have already been declared to be in position (2 Peter 3:18; 1 John 3:3).

The concept of Jesus washing away our sins is also reflected in the traditional American hymn, "Nothing But The Blood of Jesus", composed by Baptist minister Robert Lowry in 1876:

> "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the Blood of Jesus

> What can make me whole again? Nothing but the Blood of Jesus."

While the New Testament affirms that Jesus' sacrifice washes away the sins of those who believe, it also identifies one sin that will not be forgiven by God—blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This is specified in several passages, including Matthew 12:31–32, Mark 3:28–29, Luke 12:10, Hebrews 6:4–6, Hebrews 10:26–31, and 1 John 5:16.

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