September 3, 2025 - Revelation 1:5 - "When Were Sins Washed Away?"

Revelation 1:5

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first 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.” 

What a beautiful Scripture that declares the majesty and mercy of the LORD Jesus Christ: Here, the Spirit sets forth the Person of Christ in ALL His glory. He is set before us not only as the Eternal Son in His Glorious splendor, but also as the Mediator Who has stooped in redeeming love to save those sinners that the Father elected and gave Him to save, even before the foundation of the world. We see Him here crowned as Prophet, Priest, and King. As Prophet, He is the faithful Witness Who perfectly declared the will of God; as Priest, He is the Firstborn from the dead who triumphed over the grave; and as King, He is revealed as the sovereign Ruler over every throne and dominion. Yet, beyond all His titles and honors, this verse presses into our hearts this sweetest truth: that the One enthroned in glory is the same Who loved us and delivered us from our sins by the costly price of His precious blood. Notice, the inspired Word does not say “and CAN wash away our sins,” but, “WASHED AWAY” [past tense, once for all].

What comfort then can those for whom Christ died draw from this truth?

1.)    This is the grace of God through the death of the LORD Jesus. Those whose sins Christ washed away by His shed blood were loved from eternity and given to Christ for whom He came to earn and establish that righteousness satisfactory to God the Father on their behalf,  "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine" (John 17:9).

2.)    The washing away of sins is wholly attributed to the LORD Jesus alone. It is not a cooperation between Christ and the sinner, but “unto HIM that hath loved us, and washed away our sins…”

3.)    How and by what means He washed away sins was with His blood shed unto death. Christ’s blood and the sins of God’s elect went away together. They were not put away from eternity, because there was not yet any sin in eternity, and no body to shed the blood in eternity, contrary to those who preach ‘justification from eternity' as if the elect were always justified in God's decree. The Truth of Scripture is that their justification was purposed in eternity, but only accomplished in time, at the cross when our LORD Jesus cried victoriously, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) The whole of salvation (redemption, reconciliation, propitiation, and justification) is attributed to Christ’s blood shed unto death, because, “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.” (Hebrews 9:22)

The sum of this is that Jesus Christ, by His one Offering on the cross, TOOK AWAY (put an end to, blotted out and destroyed) all the sins of His people forever, "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Hebrews 10:10). "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14). Those God the Father loved from eternity, HE JUSTIFIED COMPLETELY when the LORD Jesus paid their sin debt and presented them just and holy without spot before God when He arose from the grave and ascended on High, "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)" (Ephesians 2:5). 

This Truth reveals the perfections of the LORD Jesus through one radiant, glorious Light. As the Truth, He is the Faithful Witness. His triumph as the Firstborn from the dead, His sovereignty as Prince of the kings of the earth, and His tender, saving love in shedding His own blood for sinners shine forth in ALL His Glory. To behold Him as He is by the Spirit of God is to be drawn in worship, to rest in His redeeming grace, and to live under His royal dominion with joy. When the Spirit of God reveals Christ in the heart of each elect, saved sinner, it is not when they believe that their sins are forgiven, but rather when they believe on Him Who paid their sin debt, having put away their sin, and justified them already at the cross. Glorious Truth! Glorious Salvation! Glorious Redeemer! 

Let every redeemed heart echo the song of heaven: “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, be glory and dominion for ever and ever.”