Some of our contemporary Christian worship music errs when it suggests that the love of Jesus drenches us with forgiveness or suggests that love cleanses us of sin. This is not a matter of semantics but theological accuracy.
Sure, love has a place in this salvation equation. It is because of God’s love for the world of sinners (John 3:16) that he sent His Begotten Son Jesus to earth where because of Jesus love for and obedience to the Father, he surrendered his body to a death whereby his blood would be spilled.
Using the language within the song itself, several phrases convey the transforming actions accomplished by the blood of Jesus not the love of Jesus per se: Wash, make whole again; cleansing and Pardon; sin erase, and grace (not works/all grace). The evidence of the song witnesses to the truth that it’s the blood of Jesus rather than the love of Jesus that affects these outcomes.
More importantly of course is what scripture itself says and here there is no question or permissible debate, nor should there be confusion. Our sin renders us unclean and unfit to enter God’s presence (Rom 3:23 “for all have sinnedand fall short of the glory of God” …). That sin makes us ceremonially unclean and unfit to enter into the presence of God. The blood of Christ is what washes our sins away. 1 John 1:7, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 Peter 1:18-19, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, …” Hebrews 9:13-14 “The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”
Practically speaking, it is when by our exercise of personal faith in Jesus, that the blood of Christ is applied to our unclean souls, since with God’s pronouncement that we are clean, he washes our sin away so to speak. That’s because in century one our sin-load (debt) was placed on Jesus and because he bore the punishment for our sin, God declares us righteous in his sight. It’s entirely astounding.
Titus 2:13-14, …our Great God and Saviour, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
Titus 3:5, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit …
Colossians 2:14, having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
2 Corinthians 5:21, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
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