Jottings

by J. Miller | Category: Jottings | Mar 1964

The committing of sin and the forgiveness of sin are matters of great importance to us all who belong to the human race, for by the act of one man (Adam) all were made sinners (Romans 5.19). No one naturally born of the human race has escaped this foul stream which flows through the entire human family. Not only are we all sinful in our nature, but out of nature issues the

practice of sin, and the just sentence is that 'Mi have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3.23). The law was given to Israel to guide the feet of the Israelites in the paths of righteousness. Also by the law cometh the knowledge of sin (Romans 3.20), and when it entered sin became exceedingly sinful.

Presumptuous sin (Psalm i9. 18) is sin wilfully and rebelliously committed, the sinner knowing full well that what he is doing is wrong. This is a form of sin to be feared by all. Leviticus 4 deals with sin committed unwittingly. In regard to this there are four different kinds of sinners : (I) the anointed priest, (2) the whole congregation of Israel, (8) the ruler, (4) and one of the common people. The first in the list is the anointed priest. He of all Israel should have known the law of God, "for the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth" (Malachi 2.7). For his sin he must offer a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering (Leviticus 4.3). He was to lay or lean his hand upon its head and kill it before the LORD, and take of its blood and sprinkle the blood before tile LORD before the veil in the sanctuary, put the blood upon the horns of the altar of incense, and all the rest of the blood he was to pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering.

The fat, that is the suet, that covered the inwards with the kidneys, and so forth, was to be burnt on the copper altar, similar to the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings, of which it is said, "It is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD" (Leviticus 3.5).

The bullock, its skin and all its flesh, and so forth, was burnt in a clean place, without the camp where the ashes of the altar were poured out. Each of the several acts connected with this sin offering are of great importance in their antitypical meaning, as seen from what is said in Hebrews 13. 11-13 anent the blood and the body.

The burning of the sin offering is different from that of the burning of the burnt offering on the altar. In the former the word means to consume with no thought of it being a sweet savour, but the burning of the burnt offering was to cause it to smoke, or to burn as incense, as a sweet savour. Such also was the burning of the part of the meal offering, and the fat of the peace offering and of the sin offering (see Leviticus 4.31). Some writers have evidently overlooked this verse when they say that the sin offering was not a sweet savour offering.

Similar instructions are given with reference to the sin of the whole congregation. The priest's sin, he being a man representative of the whole people, would have brought guilt upon the people unless atonement had been made. Thus when atonement was made, both the priest and the people were forgiven.

The ruler was more responsible for sinning in ignorance than one of the common people. In his ease his offering was to be a male goat, whereas in the case of the common people it was a female. Both had to be without blemish. The instructions given in regard to each were similar. The blood was put on the horns of the copper altar, in contrast to the blood of the sin offering of priest and people which was put on the horns of the golden altar. The blood on the horns of the copper altar speaks of the efficacy of the blood of Christ at Golgotha for every believing sinner, whereas the blood on the horns of the golden altar and before the veil speaks of the efficacy of His blood in heaven on behalf of His separated and serving people. Every priest that offered the sin offering or ruler or common people and every male of the priests were to eat of the flesh of the sin offering in a holy place, it was most holy; but where the blood was brought into the sanctuary, such sin offerings were to be burnt outside the Camp. Only by atonement was sin forgiven.

It is one thing to repeat, "I believe in the forgiveness of sins", but quite another to know how sin is forgiven. The greatest ignorance exists and the greatest deception plied on poor and ignorant people by priests on this matter of God's forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness is not obtained by mental or bodily suffering, either here or hereafter. It is not obtained vicariously through any order of priests, by the doing of penance or the giving of pence. Popes and priests are sinners like the rest of men. "All have sinned" is written over them as over all the human race, and if they are not saved through faith in Christ and by the grace of God, then they will go to hell at death with all who are unforgiven. "The priest can do no wrong", by whomsoever said, is a lying legend of a grievously deceived people.

But, we ask, what is the basic truth and principle on the ground of which we sinners may know forgiveness or remission? It is this, that apart from shedding of blood there is no remission" (Hebrews 9.22). Blood is the cleanser of the human soul. But whose blood? we ask. Here again the Scripture is clear, "The blood of Jesus His (God's) Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1.7).

How does forgiveness with its benefits and blessings become the portion and possession of the sinner? Let 'is be attentive to the words of Peter, whom Home claims to have been the first Pope, though neither Scripture nor history will sustain such a claim. What does Peter say on this important matter of the remission, or forgiveness of sins? It is this

"To Him (Christ) bear all the prophets witness, that through His name every one that believeth on Him shall receive remission of sins" (Acts 10. 48).

Does the present Pope believe the words of Peter? If he does, then let him be the herald of Peter's words to all his people and to the world at large. Let it be shouted from the tops of the mountains and from the housetops that there is forgiveness of sins for every sinner that believes on Christ; not by joining the Roman Catholic Church and making confession to one of her priests. There was neither a Romish church nor a Romish priest when Peter spoke to Cornelius and his household. All these people were saved by Christ, gloriously saved, and God poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit upon them and they spoke with tongues and magnified God. Well might they magnify God for the forgiveness of sins which was theirs on the ground of faith, not confession.

For the sinner to confess his sins before he could be forgiven would be to set him an impossible task. His sins are too many for him to remember, so Peter did not say that if they confessed their sins to the Lord they would be forgiven, far less did he say that if they confessed their sins to a mere man, their sins or the sins of others would be forgiven, but "every one that believeth on Him (Christ)" would have their sins forgiven.

Not only do Roman Catholic sinners need to hear the words of Peter, but Protestants also need to hear them, and Jews and pagans. Indeed there are many pagans in what are deemed to be civilized countries of white races. What are many Protestant ministers preaching today? By most it is a gospel(?) of good works. They sell such spiritual, but noxious, goods and make merchandise of the word of God, encouraging their hearers to do good works and thereby merit salvation, whereas they know well enough that the Scriptures say, "There is none that doeth good, no, not so much as one" (Romans 3.12). Paul's words are trenchant on this score. He says, "Though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema (accursed)" (Galatians 1.8). Listen to what Paul preached,

"Through this Man (Christ) is proclaimed unto you the remission of sins and by Him every on that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13.88, 89).

Such is the gospel that Paul preached and such, too, was the gospel of Peter. How far priests and preachers of different sects have drifted into darkness since then! but the Scriptures do not change, thank God! their message of salvation remains the same for all that believe.

J. Miller | Mar 1964
Jottings