The Blood Red Stain of Sin
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, 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 become like wool.
Sin is staining and it’s color is blood red. Sin stains what is pure and clean. Without the cleansing soap of the blood of Christ, we are powerless to clean our clothing of our issues. No matter how many times we wash our clothes, no matter what we use, we cannot clear up our mess.
Job 9:30-31 If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye, then You would plunge me into the pit, and my own clothes would loathe me.
~
Isaiah 64:6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
Note the company of this verse, “we” and “all“. This is the Hebrew word “kol“. There are no exceptions save One. We all sin. None of us are perfect in thought or deed. We are all dirty.
…and all our righteous deeds…
What and who motivates our actions? Be careful, this is a slippery slope. Do we do “the right thing” as we see it? What is our motive for serving others? Are we doing something to look good as our fellow man sees it? Are we looking to draw attention to ourselves? Or are we doing these good works for the glory of God?
This verse could also be translated as “self righteous deeds”. The problem is we may not realize our deeds are “self righteous”. We may be blinded to our own selfishness, pride, and arrogance.
…are like a polluted garment.
Translators have done us no favor with this particular portion of the verse. The “polluted garment” happens to be menstrual flow, flux and soiling. There is an implication of deceit and treachery. Our works on our merits are like a nasty, bloody rag apart from God.
We all fade like a leaf…
Like a leaf, we lose our color. As a leaf turns color from health, lush green with moisture, our skin dries and itches. Lotions try to replenish but to no avail. As a leaf dries, crumbles and becomes mulch, our skin shrinks, wrinkles and hangs off of our bones. We bruise, tear, and break with greater ease.
…and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
We are guilty and deserving of just punishment. Because of our sin, we are blown away by the wind (Spirit?).
Of note, the translated Hebrew word for “wind” is ruach. This word is also translated as “spirit”, as in the Holy Spirit.
Authentic good works are noted below. True good works were created by God before our time.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
The reality of our heart and attitude in whatever we do should be as stated by the Apostle Paul. Imagine taking the time before doing and talking and considering how speech and actions would reflect on God’s character. Are we respectfully representing the Creator?
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Leave a Reply