"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)

1. This passage of Scripture teaches us about GOD'S POWER.
   
   His incalculable power is seen in the creation.
   
   
   • "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)
     
     
   • "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." (Hebrews 11:3)
     
     
   God further demonstrates His power through His government of the universe.
   
   
   • All things are upheld by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:3).
     
     
   • In him all things consist, that is, are held together (Colossians. 1:17).
     
     
   But this passage (Isaiah 1:18) shows God's power to remove sin's dreadful stains: "though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." Today, we hear much advertising about the power of enzymes to remove stains from clothing. This is set forth as a great accomplishment, and it is; but no one but God can remove sin's stains from our souls. We cannot do this for ourselves; nor can we do it for others.
   
   However, God, through his Son Jesus Christ, has provided the cleansing agent.
   
   
   • "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)
     
     
   • "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." (Ephesians 1:7)
     
     
   One of the elders identified to John the apostle those who were arrayed in white robes before God's throne. "These are they which came out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:14)
   
   In his death, Christ shed his blood; and, in baptism, sinful man reaches the blood's cleansing power. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:3,4)
   
   
2. This great invitation also demonstrates GOD'S GRACE.
   
   In the very beginning, man's sin brought stain and contamination upon his soul. Although it was God who created Adam and Eve, they chose to accept the devil's word over God's. In doing so, Adam and Eve transgressed God's law and repudiated His will (Genesis 3). But even though man has continued to rebel against God, over and over again, God has shown his grace. He could have destroyed all men in the time of Noah, but he spared Noah and his family, thereby preserving the human race.
   
   He could have destroyed the Jewish people because of their rebellion against his will, but he gave them opportunity after opportunity to turn from their evil.
   
   Finally, as the greatest demonstration of his grace, he sent his Son to be "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)
   
   "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
   
   
3. This passage of Scripture ("Come now, and let us reason together.") shows the REASONABLENESS OF GOD'S WAY.
   
   God gave us a reasonable explanation of the creation. It is far more reasonable to believe that the physical universe came from supreme power and wisdom than from some unintelligent, inanimate particle of matter.
   
   God's laws of conduct are reasonable. These laws have stood the test of time, and the men and nations who, through the ages, have lived according to these great principles have enjoyed a far greater measure of happiness and stability than those who have followed the course of human wisdom and sought to satisfy the baser appetites of the fleshly man. Today, our nation is in grave danger because too many, even some in places of authority and influence, are making a mockery of God's great time-tested principles and exalting the low, degraded, doomed-to-destruction ways of godless men.
   
   God's plan of salvation is reasonable. When Jesus was on earth, He taught that it was necessary for men to believe on him, repent of their sins, confess their faith in Him, and be baptized for the remission of their sins (John 8:24; Luke 13:5; Matthew 10:32,33; Mark 16:16). When he gave the great commission before His return to heaven, He taught the same thing (Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 24:46,47; Mark 16:15,16). When the apostles fulfilled this commission to preach the gospel throughout the whole world, they taught the same thing-- in order to be saved, men must believe in Christ, repent of their sins, and be baptized (Acts 2; 8; 9; 10; 16; and 18). This great plan of salvation is very reasonable because faith in Christ destroys our love for sin; repentance destroys the practice of sin; confession of faith in Christ destroys allegiance to sin; and baptism destroys the guilt of sin. Though God's great plan of salvation is based on faith, the wisdom of God's way provides the reason for man's faith.
   
   
4. The great invitation to "Come" shows MAN'S RESPONSIBILITY.
   
   Christ said, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) God has always given man the responsibility of doing something for himself.
   
   Noah could not keep the flood from coming, but he could build the ark as God directed.
   
   The blind man could not cure his blindness, but he could go to the pool of Siloam and wash as Jesus told him to do (John 9).
   
   We cannot remove our own sins, but we can, because of the evidence given in God's word, believe in Christ. We can repent of our sins. We can confess our faith in Christ the Son of God (Acts 8:36,37). We can be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19,20).
   
   
5. This great invitation ("Come now") shows us the VALUE OF TIME.
   
   "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2) Today-now--is the time to accept this great invitation and come to God for cleansing through obedience to the gospel of Christ, God's power to save (Romans 1:16).
   
   Someone has told about a lad's reaction to Proverbs 23:26: "My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways." This bright boy heard, and was deeply impressed by, this text, but he did not give his heart to the Lord. He did not obey the gospel because he had plenty of time.
   
   Ten years later, a brilliant young collegian heard the same text under favorable circumstances, but there was still plenty of time.
   
   Twenty years later, a statesman of considerable fame heard the same text from an aged preacher, but at the moment there was much government work to be done, nations to be visited, great responsibilities to be met. While on one of his state missions, he was stricken and died. He was heard to say, "Too late." The bright boy, the brilliant collegian, the renowned statesman were the same person. He passed over many opportunities. Procrastination gave Satan the victory.
   
   For our good in this life and for our eternal welfare, the Lord says, "Come now."