"‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’" (Isaiah 1:18 NIV).

Earlier in this introductory chapter to the book of Isaiah, God had systematically listed the main sins of Israel. He calls them "a sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption." Hardly a complement. Israel had persisted in sin and God was ticked! He’s so upset with these hypocrites that he says, (Isaiah 1:12-14 MSG)"Quit your worship charades. I can’t stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly sabbaths, special meetings – meetings, meetings, meetings – I can’t stand one more! Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning." . Sounds a little like some folks today does it not?

That is the bad news. In the middle of His scathing rebuke God says in effect, "Come on now, lets discuss this. We can fix it; actually I can fix it if you’ll let me. I can take your sins, as deep as their stains might be and make them pure as the freshly fallen snow! There is no stain of sin too deep that I can’t clean it up!"

What a marvelous message of hope! No matter who you are or what you’ve done, God can and will forgive you if you come to Him in faith through Jesus Christ. Isaiah wrote these marvelous words from the mouth of the Father looking forward to the day they would be a reality; you and I have the pleasure of living in that reality as we stand in the shadow of the cross. The Old Testament sacrifices covered over sin; Jesus Christ removes the sin!

Perhaps you are a believer and you have struggled with some hidden sin – hidden to others, known to God and painfully real to you. You’ve struggled with that sin and you’ve wondered how God views it. I’ll tell you: if you are in Christ, that sin has been paid for by Christ and removed from your record by His shed blood! In God’s eyes, His redeemed children are as pure as the driven snow!

Thank God for His provision and find release for your struggle. He’s forgiven you in Christ, ask Him to help you apply that forgiveness in your emotions.

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