Today over lunch I enjoyed one of the great privileges of Winter. I went running after a fresh snowfall.
In my estimation there is not much that beats this, in terms of winter outside enjoyment. It is quiet, cold, freshly decorated, and full of new scenes.
Invariably as I am running my mind is jumping around into different settings as I think through things. Often times I am able to pick up illustrations for preaching and teaching while on the road. Today was just too easy:
(Isa 1.18) “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
As much as people hate the winter and the snow, it is really good at communicating the drama of justification.
We go about this world polluting and defiling ourselves and others. We besmudge God’s glory. We dishonor his law. We bilittle his fame. We have indeed left a crimson stain.
Oh, the wonder of redemption. Christ the pure, holy, undefiled one would come and be adorned with our sin upon the cross. My sin. All of my wickedness (seen and unseen) was charged to him. And all of his perfection (his beauty and righteousness) is charged to me.
(2Co 5.21) For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
This led the great Reformer to communicate justification via the famous snowy dung hill analogy. In this Martin Luther said we are sinners by nature (ie dung) and the righteousness of Christ has covered us (snow). I know some smart alec will say, “Hey, the snow is going to melt.” Exactly. All analogies break down eventually, if you push them.
With the view of the fresh snow we are reminded of the newness and freshness of justification. While snow melts and gets dirty our legal standing does not. This is because of the value of Christ’s work. His doing and dying, his obedience unto death, is so unable to be diminished, it is perfect!
This is humbling, refreshing, and motivating! Consider Christian, no matter how many years you have been a Christian that your standing before God is as fresh as that very first hour you believed. If you are truly united to Christ by faith in him then you are the beneficiary of unfading and everlasting righteousness. It does not melt. It will not soil. It is perfect righteousness. (cf. Rom. 3.24-27; Rom. 5.1-2; 1 Pet. 1.3-5).
And now complete in Him
My robe His righteousness,
Close sheltered ‘neath His side,
I am divinely blest.
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
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