Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

July 23– Evening

by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

—1 John 1:7

The text here says “cleanses” in the present tense—not “will cleanse” at some future point in time. There are many people who think that as a dying hope they may look forward to receiving God’s pardon. Oh! how infinitely better to have cleansing now than to depend on the bare possibility of forgiveness when it is time to die.

Some imagine that a sense of pardon is only able to be obtained after many years of Christian experience and perfection. But forgiveness of sin is a present thing—a privilege for today, a joy for this very hour. The moment a sinner trusts Jesus he is fully forgiven. The present tense of our cleaning also communicates the idea of continuance. He “cleanses” yesterday; He “cleanses” today; and He “cleanses” tomorrow. This is how it will always be with you, Christian, until you cross the river. Every hour you may come to this fountain and know that He “cleanses.”

Notice, likewise, the completeness of the cleansing, “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin”–not only from some sin, but from “all.” Reader, I cannot tell you the exceeding sweetness of this word, but I pray that God the Holy Spirit gives you a taste of it. Our sins against God are many. Whether they are small or great, the same result is received. The blood of Jesus Christ is divine payment for both the severe transgression of Peter’s blaspheming as it is for the shortcomings of John’s love. Our iniquity at all levels is gone– all gone at once, and all gone forever.

O, blessed completeness! What a sweet theme to dwell upon as one lays down to sleep.

“Sins against a holy God; Sins against his righteous laws;

Sins against his love, his blood; sins against his name and cause;

Sins immense as is the sea– from them all he cleanses me.” [M&E]