Washed White as Snow

Isaiah 1:18: “‘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.'”

In this first chapter of Isaiah, we find a startling invitation from God the Father to His children. His people were full of sin, apathy, and iniquity, and yet He said, “Come now . . . be reasonable.” He was calling them to come to Him and realize that if they would just admit their need for His work and mercy in their lives, He would wash them clean. The same is true for us: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Acting like we are okay, making excuses, or even worse, claiming to be sinless, will leave us sliding downward, away from God. Nothing will happen to spiritually correct our lives until we admit we have sinned and need His mercy.

In antiquity, white wool was dyed different colors. While some colors were easily bleached out, scarlet resisted fading. Perhaps God choose the word scarlet because that bright red color was one of the most permanent colors, so making a scarlet-dyed garment white again, was impossible.

Our sins stand out as bright scarlet, loud, glaring, and ugly to God. But the blood of Jesus washes us, and does the impossible, makes us white as snow. The old hymn still accurately declares: “What can wash away my sin? / Nothing but the blood of Jesus; / What can make me whole again? / Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” Nothing else can cleanse us in this world but the blood of Jesus.

“LORD, please wash us in the blood of the Lamb for we have sinned again.”