Friday, March 23, 2018
Revelation 7:14 These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB
Speakers' Corner is a part of London's famed Hyde Park. In 1872, Parliament declared it a place for free speech. Since that time, people can be seen there every Sunday afternoon preaching, selling, and entertaining. The story is told of a speaker who once drew a large crowd as he preached against numerous sins and then proclaimed, "There will be no Catholics in heaven ... There will be no Methodists in heaven ... There will be no Anglicans in heaven ... There will be no Baptists in heaven..." etc. He named nearly every denomination before he paused and concluded, "Unless they are washed in the blood of the Lamb."
Based on the picture of the Old Testament sacrifices like the Passover Lamb, to be "Washed in the blood of the Lamb" means to have your sins forgiven by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. When He laid down His life Jesus made payment for mankind's sins once and for all, so that all that believe in him might have free forgiveness of their sins. It is this writer's prayer that this message is not new to you this Lenten season, but has long been your heart's confidence.
But whether new or old this graphic presentation of the Gospel is one we need to remember well. The Christian's right-standing with God, our holiness, comes only through faith in Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf. We are not acceptable to God because of our goodness, even though the Spirit of God does lead Christ's people to live like their Lord. Nor are we acceptable to God because we attend or belong to a church where the good news of Jesus' atoning sacrifice is truly proclaimed. When all is said and done, our eternal salvation depends only on what Christ has done. The sacrifice He made to wash away our sin and guilt is the where we rest our heart's confidence.
Jesus, your blood and righteousness my beauty are, my glorious dress;
Mid flaming worlds, in these arrayed, with joy shall I lift up my head.
Bold shall I stand in that great day, cleansed and redeemed, no debt to pay;
For by your cross absolved I am from sin and guilt, from fear and shame.
When from the dust of death I rise to claim my mansion in the skies,
This then shall be my only plea: Christ Jesus lived and died for me.
(Lutheran Worship, 362)
