Let’s look at both of these verses. Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” 1 John 1:7 tells us, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

Both of these verses speak of the love and power of God. The Lord is speaking in Isaiah 1:18. He is telling the nation of Israel, and all those who are lost, that He wants to reason with us. Notice that it is the Lord that takes the initiative. He calls out to man to “COME” to Him. Although we may try to reason by ourselves, or even among ourselves, there is no truth to be had until we “reason together” with the Lord. The first step in our reasoning with the Lord is to recognize and acknowledge that we are sinners. Our sins are as “SCARLET” and they are “RED LIKE CRIMSON.” Scarlet and crimson speak of the permanent hold that sin has upon us. Both of these words are defined by bugs that must be crushed in order to make dye. We are not just ‘stained’ with sin. No, the very fabric of our being has been ‘dyed’, making it a permanent part of our makeup. YET, in the light of this horrible and depressing truth, the Lord assures us that “they shall be WHITE AS SNOW”, and they shall be “AS WOOL.”

Although permanently colored by our sins, the Lord tells us that we can be “white as snow.” That speaks of absolute and complete purity. It was said of the Lord Jesus upon His resurrection that, “His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment WHITE AS SNOW.” (Matthew 28:3) Does that mean we will be like the Lord Jesus? Indeed it does. 1 John 3:2 tells us, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; for we shall see him as he is.”

We shall be “as wool.” This is another word used to denote absolute purity and righteousness. The Apostle John describes the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 1:14, “His head and his hairs were WHITE LIKE WOOL, AS WHITE AS SNOW; and his eyes were as a flame of fire.”

What is the mechanism? How does the Lord turn us from being as red and crimson and make us white as snow and wool? 1 John 1:7 shows us how, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST HIS SON CLEANSETH US FROM ALL SIN.” We must be very careful and exact in our understanding of this verse.

*First, it is ONLY the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that can cleanse us. Titus 3:5 makes this crystal clear. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” Before God, the works that we do trying to gain our own salvation are as “FILTHY RAGS”. (Read Isaiah 64:6) As we sometimes sing: What can wash away my sin? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS.

*Secondly, the shed blood of our Lord Jesus cleanses us from ALL SIN! Not some. Not most. But we were cleansed of ALL our sins. Past sins. Present sins. Future sins. ALL have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. We learn in 1 Peter 1:18-19, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

Have you been cleansed from all your sins, or do your sins remain upon you as scarlet and red like crimson? It is the blood of the Lord Jesus that can cleanse you from ALL SIN. Have you put your faith in the Lord Jesus as your sin bearer? As your redeemer? As your savior? If not, I pray you will consider these truths and trust in the Lord Jesus and be washed white as snow! (271.10)