“When he had by himself purged our sins” -- Hebrews 1:3
The
Lord God our Savior promised that he would remove the iniquity of his people in
one day, by one tremendous act of grace (Zech. 3:9); and he has done it. The
Lord Jesus Christ has, by himself, completely purged away and removed forever
all the sins of all his people. His blood has not merely covered our sins, but
purged them. His blood has not only remitted the iniquities, transgressions,
and sins of his people, but removed them. This is forgiveness, pardon,
absolution. Sometimes God promises to “cover” our sins - “Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is
covered.” Truly, that man is blessed whose sin has been covered by God.
Sometimes the Lord speaks of “blotting out,” or “erasing” our sins. “I am he that blotteth out thy
transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” The Lord
God has blotted out our sins from the ledgers of justice.
Here, and in Zechariah’s
prophecy, the Lord describes this great work of redemption and grace as the
purging and removal of our sins. How I delight in this! The Lord Jesus Christ
has, by his precious blood, purged and graciously removed our sins. Our sins,
like a great, high mountain, stood between us and God. We could not climb over
it; and God could not cross it. So he said, “I will remove it!” Sin laid upon
us like a heavy, heavy burden on a man’s shoulders; and God said, “I will
remove the burden.” He took the burden off our shoulders, put it upon himself,
carried it up to Calvary’s hill and flung it into his tomb, where he left the
dead thing. Christ has finished the transgression, made an end of sin and
brought in an everlasting righteousness for his people (Psa. 103:12; Jer. 50:20; Num. 23:21). What is this removal of iniquity?
It is…
1.
The Removal Of Sin’s Punishment (Gal. 3:13) -- That person
whom God pardons cannot be punished for sin again. Christ was punished in our
stead. “Payment God cannot twice demand, First at my bleeding Surety’s hand,
And then again at mine!”
2.
The Removal Of Sin’s Guilt -- To be justified is to be declared, “Not
guilty!” In the court of heaven, we were declared not guilty when Christ died
(Rom. 4:25). And in the court of conscience, as soon as a sinner trusts Christ,
he is declared, “Not guilty!” (Heb. 9:14; John 16:8-11). Miracle of miracles,
Almighty God has removed from us the guilt of sin. He sees no sin in us, upon
us, or about us!
3.
The Removal Of Sin’s Defilement -- Though in ourselves we
are yet aware, increasingly aware, of sin’s defilement, before God through the
blood of Christ, we are pure and holy. Our Savior says, “Ye are clean!” (John 13:10).
4.
The Removal Of Sin’s Dominion
-- “The
position of sin in a natural man is that of a king on his throne, the position
of sin in a Christian is that of a bandit hiding in secret places trying to get
back its old usurped dominion, but failing in the attempt, for ‘sin shall not have dominion over you, for
ye are not under the law, but under grace’” (C. H. Spurgeon).
5.
The Removal Of Sin’s Being -- Soon we shall be delivered from this body
of sin (Rom. 7:25). When we have left this body of sin, we shall have left sin!
6.
The Removal Of Sin’s Sorrow -- It is written, “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” - In heaven’s glory
there shall be “no more sorrow,” not
even for sin!
7.
The Removal Of Sin’s Consequences -- God has removed from his
people all the consequences of sin. And soon, he shall remove the very slime of
the serpent’s trail from his creation.
Sin is the attempt of men and
devils to rob God of his glory. But he has foiled his enemies. He will get
glory to himself even by the wrath of man (Psa. 76:10), “The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” But the
righteous God makes even the wrath of man to praise him.