The Stain of Sin

Alone, empty and in a dark place both physically, mentally and spiritually is often the life-space the people of God find themselves. The “seed of Jacob” were oppressed and discouraged and God encouraged them by reminding them that He never said that their seeking comfort and relief in their suffering was in vain:

“I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.” (Isa 45:19)

God had not whispered or hidden His desire to reward the children of Israel when they sought Him even though they had sinned and damaged their relationship with Him. God had given Israel this promise:

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Ch 7:14)

In the same way that God encouraged the descendants of Jacob to seek Him in their despair; God encourages you to seek Him in your distress. The word of God reminds us that no one lives above the effects of sin in this world. This fact is confirmed with these words:

“If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 Jn 1:10)

When we sin we often do not seek after God; fearing we will be rejected by Him. When we live our lives believing that seeking after God would be a “vain” effort and we find ourselves in a state of spiritual depression that will affect everything in our lives. Family, work, church and even our physical and mental well-being would be affected.

When you choose to live your life in spiritual oppression and believe, seeking after God and His restoration will be rejected, this is to live your life in a self-imposed prison of despair. The gospel message that brought you to the Saviour did not relieve you of your past sin but all your sin has been placed under the blood of Jesus.

The same grace and mercy that was directed towards you while you were a lost sinner is directed toward you as a saved sinner. If you are living in the darkness of a perceived rejection by God, I have a message of hope for you.

God word calls out to you with these words:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jn 1:9)

Not only do you need to be forgiven by God but you need to be cleansed from the unrighteousness that sin imposes on you. Your righteousness is imputed by God through His Spirit. Your unrighteousness is self-imposed.

Just as you cannot create your own righteousness, you cannot remove the stain that sin places on us in our acts of unrighteousness. David, King of Israel, had stained himself with unrighteousness in his actions with Bathsheba and Uriah. David knew it was not enough just to confess his sin, he also needed the stain of uprightness removed. David said these words to God:

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” (Psa 51:7-12)

David had been living in a dark life-space from his sin with Bathsheba until this prayer. David asked God to “purge” or forgive his sin but he did not stop there. David wanted the stains of his unrighteousness washed away as well.

Among the requests that he makes, David asked to “be clean,” “washed,” to be made to “hear joy and gladness,” again and to have the “joy of thy salvation” restored to him. This is the “cleanse” that is spoken about in 1 John 1:9.

Are you ready to have the stain of sin cleansed from your life? Are you ready to seek after God knowing that it will not be in vain? God loves you and desires to “wash” you from the unrighteousness that sin has caused in your life.