“More freedom from earth-stains,” (“More Holiness Give Me”, Phillip Paul Bliss). I have this mental picture of me standing before the Savior, clothes black with the stains of all my sins. He embraces me and rivulets of His blood trickle down onto my clothing, and in the wake of each drop of blood the clothing which was once black has become pure white. “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.” (Isaiah 1:18). Can we use any other word to describe the feeling of being forgiven, clean, and purified than the word freedom? There is nothing that weighs down our souls more than a guilty conscience. If we have not yet repented and received a remission for our sins, then every time we examine ourselves and our lives, those stains are going to jump out at us. They will persuade us that we are not worthy to serve the Lord and His children, and that we are not worthy to receive blessings from Him. But when we are forgiven and our garments are made spotless white through the redeeming blood of our Savior Jesus Christ, then we will feel confident in giving heed to the promptings of the Spirit and will hold nothing back when it comes to loving and serving the Lord and our neighbors with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength.
