REMISSION OF SINS
High school students were asked what
they saw as the number one problem facing mankind today. Things mentioned were:
terrorism, global war, drugs, crime, poverty, corruption and greed of
corporations. Not one of these students mentioned the real root or cause of
man's woes; not a single student pointed at sin as the real problem facing the
human race.
Sin
is man's real problem. It is only because of sin that all other problems exist.
And, it is only when we deal with sin that we can deal with everything else
that is wrong with our world.
At the root of all our problems lies the problem of sin. And, as Christians, we
all know the solution to that problem:
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and
death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned –“
(Rom. 5:12)
“Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men,
resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free
gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For by one man’s disobedience many were made
sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” (
Every human being on earth is conceived and born with the original
sin. King David wrote: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity
and in sin my mother conceived me.” (Psm. 51:5) “The wicked are estranged from the womb; they
go astray as soon as they are born; speaking lies.” (Psm.
58:3) Babies have the original sin that is
inherited from Adam. The existence of
the original sin in unborn and newborn babies is proven by the fact that they
also die. Every baby that is born is “by nature children of wrath.” (Eph. 2:3) This is the reason our Lord Jesus Christ
said, “Do not marvel
that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.” (Jn.
3:7)
In addition to the original sin there is the personal sin of
individuals. The Bible states: “For all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom.
All
sins, both the original and the personal sins lead to eternal death, because it
disqualifies us from going to heaven and live with God. Fortunately, God has given us a way - through
the Lord Jesus Christ – to have all the sins taken away. This is called the remission of sins.
The Blood of Jesus Christ and the Remission of
Sins
The English word “remission” is translated from the Greek “aphesis” – afesiz. It means “a dismissal, release or complete
removal” and is used in close conjunction with sin. During the Lord’s Supper Jesus Christ “took the cup, and gave
thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood
of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Mt.
26:28) At that time Jesus did
not shed His physical blood yet. He was
declaring the “fruit of the vine” that was in the cup to be the spiritual blood that
would be shed when He sacrificed Himself at the cross of
“And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said
before, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with
them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and
in their minds I will write them.’ Then
He adds, ‘Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’ Now where there is remission of these, there
I no longer an offering for sin.
Therefore, brethren, having the boldness to enter the Holiest by the
blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through
the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God,
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure
water.” (Heb. 10:19-22)
In the New Covenant God will put His laws into the hearts and
write them in the minds of His children.
Remission of sins means God will wipe out their past sins and lawless
deeds. How does God remit the sins? Through the blood of Jesus Christ! Having “our bodies washed with
pure water” is an allusion to water baptism.
We all know that water does not remit sins but the blood of Jesus Christ
does. Here is an important truth
concerning the blood and the water.
The Blood and the Water
We are informed that Christians are
washed and redeemed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:5;
Eph. 1:7;1 Pet.
“But
one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and
water came out.” (Jn. 19:34)
The blood and water that came out
from the Lord’s side is indeed the “fountain for sin and uncleanness” that Zechariah
had prophesied about 500 years before it happened (Zec.
13:1). The apostle John had personally
witnessed this phenomenal miracle and he later wrote in his epistle:
“This is He who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ; not
only by water, but by water and blood.
And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is
truth. For there are three that bear
witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three
are one. And there are three that bear
witness on the earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three
agree as one.” (1 Jn. 5:6-8)
The phrase “He who came by water and blood” refers
to the two important events in the life of Jesus Christ. The first one was His water baptism. Our Lord was not baptized for the remission
of His sins because He was sinless and He had never sinned. He was baptized because “it is fitting for us to fulfill all
righteousness.” (Mt. 3:15). “To fulfill
all righteousness” means to accomplish God’s purpose of remitting
sins and placing man in the right relationship with Him. The second reference is the Lord’s shedding
of His blood on the cross for the remission of sins. In the statement “this is He who came by water and blood”
John had connected water baptism with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul had also linked the two
events together: “Or
do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into His death?” (Rom. 6:3) Can you visualize yourself going into the baptismal
water with your crucified Savior and being washed in His blood? This is what John and Paul saw when they
wrote their epistles.
How does the blood and water that
flowed from our Lord’s side nearly two thousand years ago wash away our sins
today? John had given us the
answer. “This is He who came by water and blood -
Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness,
because the Spirit is truth.” (1 Jn. 5:6) The Holy Spirit was present when the blood
and water flowed from the Lord’s side.
The blood of Christ was offered “through the eternal Spirit” (Heb.
It
is important for Christians to believe the blood of Jesus Christ flowing with
the water during the baptism. We are “being justified
freely by His grace through the redemption that is in ‘Christ Jesus, whom God
set forth to be a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to
demonstrate His righteousness , because in His forbearance
God passed over the sins that were previously committed,” (Rom. 3:24-25) Here the Bible tells us that our sins are
remitted through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit and
faith in the blood of Jesus Christ, the water alone by itself cannot wash away
the sins. “And there are three that bear witness on the
earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as
one.” (1 Jn. 5:8)
In what way does
the Spirit, water, and the blood agree as one?
We are washed of our sins, sanctified and justified by the Spirit, the
water, and the blood of Jesus Christ (1 Cor.
The Name of Jesus Christ and the Remission of
Sins
It
is not enough to just believe who Jesus is. Even the demons and unclean spirits
know and confess that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God (Lk.
The
most important aspect of the name of YAHSHUA (JESUS)
is this: ". . . . Nor is there salvation in
any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must
be saved." (Acts
How
can we receive remission of sins through the name of YAHSHUA
(JESUS)? All the apostles knew the
answer. "Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and
let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts
It
is a factual truth that although our Lord instructed the apostles to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit,” but none of them ever did it that way. On the Day of Pentecost Peter and the
apostles publicly announced that baptism is administer in the name of Jesus
Christ (Acts
“Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was
necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and
that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Lk. 24:46-47)
“And now why are you waiting?
Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of
the Lord.” (Acts. 22:16)
May God bless
you
For
comments please write first to: ark@pdq.net
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Paul Wong is a Christian minister and the
President of ARK International. |
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