"Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29

Have you ever thought of how comforting it is that the Bible frequently uses the word sin in the singular -- sin instead of sins? Some may think it strange that a point should be made of this "accident" of grammar.

But, praise God, we are dealing here with more than an accident and with more than grammar. We are dealing, rather, with a profound theological truth.

While it is true that Christ died for our individual sins (hatred, slander, greed, etc.), it is also true that He took our whole load of sin (our sin in bulk, as it were) and nailed it to His cross. Notice the wording in the text quoted above: Christ "takes away the sin of the world" -- the whole ugly heap of it! That is the significance of the singular.

When our tortured conscience frightens us with the remembrance of a certain sin and we wonder in the stillness of the night, "Can God ever forgive me for that sin?" His precious Gospel answers, "Yes! Christ assumed our entire guilt. He paid our debt in full. He took away the sin of the world -- including mine." Oh, blessed singular!

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord Jesus for taking away my sin; and not my sin only, but the sin of the whole world. I am now clean, all my sin is removed forever. Amen.

(Taken from "Words of Promise," copyright 1996 (out of print), Concordia Publishing House. For information on other devotional materials, call 1-800-325-3040.)

Today's Bible Readings: Isaiah 11-13    Ephesians 2

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