“Lord Jesus, You came to set us apart from our sins and set us to be rulers of Your kingdom. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
The message of Peter and John to the Jews was that God had sent Jesus to them to turn them from their iniquities. Act 3:26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.” This message of God is not only for the Jews but it is for all of humanity.
What do we understand as iniquity?
The basic sin of man is the sin of unbelief. This was the fundamental problem for the Jews and this has been man’s problem from the very beginning.
Romans 9:31-33 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. (32) Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. (33) As it is written: “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STUMBLING STONE AND ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND WHOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.”
We must take care that we do not slip into unbelief. Hebrews 3:12-13 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; (13) but exhort one another daily, while it is called “TODAY,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Unbelief will cause our hearts to be hardened. God in Christ was taking away from the Jews and the rest of humanity, the heart of stone and giving us a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 11:19-20 Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, (20) that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
In sending Jesus, God is taking away our iniquity and clothing us with His righteousness, when we come to Jesus, by faith. Romans 10:3-4 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. (4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Jesus came to take us away from our iniquities. I John 3:5-8 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. (6) Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. (7) Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. (8) He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
We may wonder at the statement, Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. This sounds contradictory to I John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
What is the learning for us? The law of sin and death has been broken and defeated in Christ. This is the work of Jesus on the cross. Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. We have been set free from the bondage of sin. Romans 6:22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
The problem is that when we ought to be spiritual, we choose to be carnal and that is why there is sin in us but the solution for sin has been provided. Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
The Lord is cleansing His church for Himself. Ephesians 5:26-27 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, (27) that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
The Lord is cleansing His bride so that we will be people of His good works. Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, (12) teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, (13) looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, (14) who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
The good works of God is to bring to the world, the gospel of His kingdom. Matthew 16:18-19 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (19) And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”