Isaiah 1:16-19
“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, Plead for the widow. 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;
“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, Plead for the widow. 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;
Repentance, admitting your sin with deep regret at offending God, must lead to turning away from sin and toward Jesus who stood in our place to take the just sentence we deserve. Isaiah shows what that looks like - turning to do good, but relying on God's cleansing of our dirty sinful lives, not our reforming works of social action. Then forgiveness in Christ delivers (saves) us from what we deserve. We are made pure white in His sight, as Jesus' sacrificial blood covers our sin so that God sees Jesus' perfection where our sin once glared. This is the Good News.
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