Knowing Him: "Is there a way for our sin to be taken away?"

This is day 5 of “Knowing Him,” three weeks of readings leading up to Easter, written by Mel Lawrenz, and presented by Bible Gateway.

IS THERE A WAY FOR OUR SIN TO BE TAKEN AWAY?

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. — John 1:29-34

Back at the beginning, before Jesus had even called his first disciples, there was a moment of revelation. A wild-looking prophet named John, who was baptizing people in the Jordan River and preaching about God reigning as King, encountered Jesus of Nazareth. He looked at Jesus (who was John’s own cousin), and God opened John’s eyes to see that this was the one he had been prophesying about.

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” is what John said. What he meant was: “Look! There is our salvation! There is the one whom all of the sacrifices in the Old Testament are pointing to. God has promised to take away our sin—and now that is becoming a reality!”

The dilemma all of us face is this: What can we do with all of the mistakes, the transgressions, the shortcomings, and the sins we commit? What does God make of us? Is it really possible that God is willing to forgive?

God doesn’t merely forgive sinners. He “takes away” our sin. His forgiveness is so powerful, so complete, that it is appropriate to believe our sin has been “taken away.” And the sign that God has really done that is that Jesus, like a sacrificial lamb, took our sin upon himself and carried it away.

Ponder This: What makes it hard for us to believe Jesus has “taken away” our sin? Is it because sometimes we hold on to it? And if so, for what reason do we do this?