Daily Manna

Key Verse

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the f irst begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Revelation 1:5).

TEXT — Revelation 1:1-16

Message

Two years ago, the media reported the story of one Amou Haji, described as the dirtiest man on earth. He did not have his bath for about 60 years because he believed it would shorten his life. His neighbours in Dejgah, Iran, became so concerned about his health that they forced him to bath. He died on 23 October 2022, at the age of 94.

The story of Amou Haji is the story of every unregenerate person. But John the Beloved offers hope for the unregenerate, as he introduces Jesus Christ as “him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood”. Christ Himself later spoke about the state of the seven churches in Asia Minor, to whom He was directing His letters. As it turned out, the leaders of the churches, with the exemption of two, were rebuked and required to retrace their steps or face judgment. They had become unregenerate and therefore, needed cleansing to avoid God’s displeasure.

Society has invented what it believes are sufficient cleansing agents. These include morality, almsgiving, good deeds, church attendance, fasting and prayer, and holy pilgrimage, all of which cannot cleanse from sin (Isaiah 64:6). Charles Spurgeon illustrated this thus, that “Morality may keep you out of jail, but it takes the blood of Jesus to keep you out of hell”. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). It requires the sacrifice of a life to redeem another life, since the blood symbolically represents life (Genesis 9:4).

Sinners must accept that Christ died and paid the price for their sin, if they are to be washed from their iniquities. It is the only way to be clean and made acceptable to God.

Thought for the day

The only acceptable remedy for sin is the blood of Jesus.

• Bible
• in one year
• JOB 13-15 (Read By Alexander Scourby)