White As Snow

16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, 18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; 20 But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Isaiah 1:16-20

The nation of Judah is being confronted with sin in Isaiah 1. Verses 16-17 give the remedy for their rebellion. What is the cure? They should turn from evil, do good works, and act justly. Washing, cleansing, and forsaking evil are the directives we see flowing through these verses. 

Christians should continually realize that we are followers of Christ. As such, the Father will confront us just as He disciplined His Old Covenant people. God’s correction is good in that it calls us to repent, catches us when we stray, and guards us from further spiritual damage. The Lord’s discipline is never pleasant in the moment. However, it is always for our ultimate good and righteousness (Hebrews 12:11).

Ultimately, Christians should realize the need for repentance in their daily lives as they reason together with God. Christ did the work of redemption on Calvary’s cross and through His blood our sins are white as snow.  Heeding the warnings of God and repenting of sin will result in blessing. Ignoring the admonishments of the Lord will lead to judgement and destruction.

Our Lord loves us enough to warn us when we stray from Him. Isaiah’s prophecy begins with a stern cautioning against heartless worship and a continual command to repent when we fail. The people of God would do well to heed these warnings from Scripture. The failure to repent and stay in close communion with God will lead to wasted time and unwanted consequences of sin in the lives of Christians.

The beauty of Isaiah 1 is glorious and majestic. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.”  Our forgiveness flows to us through Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection. May Christ be praised forever and ever for His marvelous work on our behalf!

Tony French