PURITY-SCRIPTURE TESTIMONY Part 2

The wisdom of the fathers

PURITY - SCRIPTURE TESTIMONY Part 2

"Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." -- Ps. 52. 2, 7

If one sin, or any sin can be washed away by the blood of Jesus, so can all. If this is not so, we ask, from how much sin can it cleanse, and how much can it not cleanse? Who can draw the line of demarcation? Certainly the Bible makes no limit. If one stain of depravity can be removed by the atonement, so can every one. The greater implies the less. "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? -- Rom. 8. 32.

Justification, regeneration, and adoption, all things considered, are much greater than purification. Mr. Watson says, -- "Regeneration which accompanies justification is a large approach to this state of perfect holiness." Dr. Adam Clarke says, -- "Justification is far greater than sanctification." After this statement, and after describing sanctification, he adds -- "Great as this work is, how little, humanly speaking, is it, when compared with what God has already done for thee."

Justification and regeneration, including our change to the divine government and law, and the change wrought in us, are much greater than that of "perfecting holiness," or entire sanctification. In a judicial point of view, no change can exceed that which occurs when God pardons our sins. The inward, conscious experience of those entirely sanctified sometimes appears much greater than in regeneration: nevertheless, with many even this is not the case. We all know that valuable garments may become soiled and stained, and that there are substances which, when properly applied, will remove every spot, purge out every stain, and extract every impurity so that they become clean and beautiful again.

This truth in natural things is analogous to God's work in the economy of grace; whereby the immortal soul, stained with sin, can be washed and made "whiter than snow." "If the blood of Christ (says Matthew Henry), which cleanses from all sin, cleanse us from our sin, then we shall be clean indeed. If we be washed in the 'fountain opened,' we shall be whiter than snow." The prophet Isaiah said, the Lord says, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

"Create in me a clean heart, O God." Creation is God's prerogative. Here is purity by creating power. He who created the world by the "word of his power," as God of nature, can, as "the God of all grace," by "the word of his power," create in us clean hearts -- "created anew in Christ Jesus." "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean." This has reference to the cleansing of the leper by sprinkling water or blood upon him with a bunch of hyssop. The Apostle calls the blood of Christ "the blood of sprinkling," which purges the "conscience from dead works, to serve the living God." Enter thyself and cast out sin; Thy spotless purity bestow; Touch me and make the leper clean, Wash me and I am white as snow. -- C. Wesley

(from "Purity and Maturity)