Dear Pastor Jackson,
It
is raining this morning. All 13 lambs are staying close to their
mother's side to keep dry. I noticed how white my lambs are even in
rainy weather. This reminded me of Isaiah 1:18:
"Come
now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like
crimson, they shall be as wool."
God promises to forgive our sins.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:8
Christ is the lamb of God who takes all our sins upon Himself.
"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world." John 1:29
God our heavenly Father laid all our sins on Jesus.
"Surely
he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem
him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of
our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like
sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and
the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6
God our heavenly Father is merciful and gracious to us.
"The
LORD executeth righteousness and judgement for all that are oppressed.
He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in
mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for
ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us
according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth,
so geat is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is
from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like
as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear
him. " Psalm 103:6-13
In our baptism, God our
heavenly Father clothed us in the righteousness of Christ and made us
His dear children and heirs of eternal life.
"Not
by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his
mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the
Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our
Savior; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs
according to the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:5-7
We are justified by faith in Christ.
"For
ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of
you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians
3:26-27
Christ promises to raise us up from the dead on the last day.
"And
this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the
Son, and believeth on him, may have eternal life: and I will raise him
up on the last day." John 6:40
"Thus saith the
Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to
come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And
ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my
people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit
in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then
shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith
the LORD." Ezekiel 37:12-14
In Christ
Tom Fisher
