Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: November 12th

And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. - 1 John 1:7.

HERE we have an assurance of pardon. Observe the Procurer,-“ The Son of God.” However this term may be explained, it always in Scripture means dignity. It does so when he is called the Son of man, as having taken upon him human nature; but especially when he is called the Son of God. “Unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?” But could he as the Son of God have blood to shed? Could he suffer and die? Here the matter is explained:-”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” For, though the divine nature could not suffer, the human nature can; and so we read, “Because the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Thus, by partaking of our nature, he could suffer and die; and in consequence of this his blood is called “the blood of God.” Feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Let us notice, Secondly, The efficacy of his death. “His blood cleanseth us from all sin.” It delivers us from the heinousness of it, however offensive it is in the eyes of a holy God. The application of this blood to our souls will deliver us from the love of sin, and make us “dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto righteousness.”

Thirdly, Let us mark the extent of it. It cleanseth from all sin:-from actual sin, and original sin; from all sin, however aggravated. And his blood cleanseth perfectly and completely from every transgression. Jesus by his one offering hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. As saith the poet,-

“And his one offering takes away

Forever all our guilt.”

For if sin were to be unpardoned and unatoned for, it would be sufficient to plunge the sinner into endless perdition.

Fourthly, The personal reference:-it “cleanseth us from all sin.” Yes, it cleanseth those who walk in the light as he is in the light, “and who have fellowship with him.” What! do they need pardon? Certainly: we know that “in many things we offend all,” and that in regard to our most holy things, our performance of them calls for condemnation rather than recompense. We are taught by the Saviour to pray for daily forgiveness as well as for daily bread.

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. - Romans 6:11.

HERE the Apostle not only reminds us that Christians are “dead indeed unto sin,” and “alive unto God,” but that it is “through Jesus Christ our Lord.” And these results will be found to be through him in four ways.

First, Through him as their Example. In his principles, in his temper, in his practice, in his life, believers see all this fully embodied. “In him was no sin; in him there were no irregular appetites, no improper passions. He never once in his life preferred his own gratification to the glory of God; he denied himself the refreshment of sleep to engage in the duties of devotion; and he denied himself the pleasures of solitude and retirement, in order that he might attend to the claims of those who often very unreasonably addressed him. “He pleased not himself.” He always did the things that pleased the Father. He was our religion incarnate.

Secondly, Through him as their Teacher. He has set before us those arguments and motives which have the greatest tendency to turn us away from sin, and to turn us towards the blessed God; so that we may be dead unto the one and alive unto the other. What threatenings, what promises, has he given! What addresses to our hopes and fears, to every passion in our bosom, and every principle in our nature! He has drawn back the veil that concealed the future, and has showed us a world inflames-a descending Judge-the judgment fixed-the wicked going away “into everlasting punishment, and the righteous into life eternal.”

Thirdly, Through him as their dying Friend. We know that he “loved us, and gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour;” and can I refuse to live according to his pleasure, who has laid me under such infinite obligation? “who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Is it possible for me to love, is it possible for me to live in, that which crucified the Lord of Glory?

“No, my Redeemer, they shall die,

My heart has so decreed;

Nor will I spare the guilty things

That made my Saviour bleed.”

Thus do we see in his cross the evil of sin; and thus, as the Apostle says, we become “dead” and thus “alive;” our “old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

Fourthly, Through him as their Mediator. That is, that he not only died to atone for our sins, but he at the same time obtained for us that grace which we require in every time of need, for the purpose of trial, of duty, and of conflict. The whole dispensation of the supplies of grace which we need is lodged in his possession; and that the administration of it to the end of the world is annexed to his office. Therefore it is so often called the “Spirit of Christ;” not only the Spirit he possessed, but the Spirit he procured for us, and which he communicates to us. It is thus we live; it is thus we walk; and it is thus we mortify the deeds of the body; as, says the Apostle, “If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” We therefore see the importance of the Lord Jesus; that he is the “daysman” between God and us, laying his hand upon both; that “he gave his life a ransom for us;” that “he was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification;” that he vanquished sin, death, and hell; that he is the “resurrection and the life;” and that he is made unto us wisdom, sanctification, and redemption: as it is written, “He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord,” and thus may we “reckon ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”