Calvary Covers It All

Job 35:3 (KJV) For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?

 

 What is the purpose of cleansing? It is found in the last word of our text—the word “sin.” The purpose of cleansing has to do with sin in our life. If there were no sin there would not be a need for cleansing. Sin creates the need for cleansing.

 

What is sin? Sin is offending God. A good description is given in Genesis 50:17. Jacob dies and Joseph’s brothers are fearful that Joseph will take revenge for all they did to him, so they sent a messenger to Joseph with this message: “So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil.” They spoke of their “sin” (our word) as actions whereby they did evil things to Joseph. They had done Joseph wrong. They had committed an offence against Joseph. Sin is breaking God’s laws. Sin is missing God’s mark. Sin is offending the God whose laws you have broken.

 

The word also includes the penalty for the offence of which one is guilty. There is not only the committing of sin, an offence against God, but also the consequences for doing so.

 

As I look at Psalm 51 I see that there were seven affects sin had in David’s life. First we see that sin will soil the soul. David says in verse 2, “wash me” and “cleanse me.”  David felt dirty. He could not take a bath in his marble tub and wash away the dirty feeling he had deep in his soul.  Sin soils the soul.

 

Secondly, we see that sin will saturate the mind. David said in verse 3 “my sin in ever before me.” Day and night, night and day, what David had done was constantly on his mind. He could not forget his sin. Sin will saturate the mind.

 

Thirdly, we see that sin will sting the conscience. David said in verse 4, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight.” David was a conscious-smitten man. He knew he had broken God’s law and broken God’s heart. Sin will sting the conscience.

 

Fourthly, we see that sin will sadden the heart. David said in verse 8, “Make me to hear joy and gladness.” Also, in verse 12 we read “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.” He had lost his joy, happiness, and peace. Sin had left him miserable. Sin will sadden the heart.

 

Fifthly, we see that sin will sicken the body. David speaks of the “bones which thou hast broken” in verse 8. David is speaking poetically and not literally. His bones had not been literally broken, but he had suffered physically as a result of his sin. Not all sickness is due to sin, but sin affects us in many ways, even physically. Sin will sicken the body.

 

Sixthly, we see that sin will sour the spirit. David prays in verse 10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Sin had affected David’s attitude and spirit. David became critical and judgmental. His sin affected how he saw things and looked at others. Sin will sour the spirit.

 

Last, we see that will seal the lips. David said in verse 13, “Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” His praise had dried up. His witness had been silenced. Sin always brings to a halt all spiritual activities. Sin will seal the lips.

 

Ask David if sin has consequences? He would tell you in a second that sin always has a price and sin always has a penalty. This is the purpose of cleansing. It is to deal with the committing of sin and the consequences of sin.

 

Here is the good news. When we sin we have the promise that God will forgive us and cleanse us from our sin. David also said in Psalm 51:7, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” David was saying, “God you can make me clean again. You can wash me and make me whiter than snow.” In Psalm 32, the companion to Psalm 51, David said in verse 1, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”

 

God puts no restrictions or limits on who can be forgiven and cleansed from sin. It is anybody and everybody offer.

One night many years ago at the Old Lighthouse, the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago, Illinois; a man rather slight of build slipped into the services. He like so many that came to the mission was under the influence of alcohol. He did not respond to the invitation, but however, did keep coming back to the services. Still he did not respond to the invitation. The workers of the mission had gotten to know who he was. He was a professional entertainer. “Mac,” as he was called, was in town between bookings. He was as he later testified, “a slave of Satan, sin, and suds.”

 

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Taylor, better known as Ma and Pa Taylor, were running the mission at the time. Ma had been in the entertainment field before she was saved and knew of its many pitfalls and temptations. Her heart went out to Mac and she began to pray that God would save Mac.

 

One night, the service was in progress, and Ma Taylor was playing one of the big, nine-foot Steinway Grand’s that Billy Sunday had given the mission. Ma looked toward Mac and saw that he was trying his best to sing with them. When the singing was over, she noticed that he listened to every word of the speaker. When the speaker was over, the invitation was given. The first one to respond was Mac.

 

As the invitation continued, Ma Taylor could see that Mac was having some sort of trouble. She motioned for someone to take her place on the piano. She went and knelt down beside Mac. As she did so, she heard him say, “But you don’t understand; you don’t know how bad I am, Lord. Really I’m the worst man in the world. You can’t save me, I’m too bad.”

 

Ma Taylor began to speak to Mac. She remembered a testimony she had heard some weeks before on, “Calvary Covers It All.” She said, “Mac, Calvary covers it all---all the sin of your past life!” Mac looked at her and said, “Please say that again, Mrs. Taylor.” Ma Taylor repeated, “Mac, Calvary covers it all!” There was a moment of silence and then Mac replied, “Calvary does cover it all! My whole past of sin and shame! Oh! Mrs. Taylor, I’m so glad it’s true and you told me.” That night, Walter MacDonald became a new creature in Christ. As he used to say, “Jesus found me and made me all over at the Pacific Garden Mission.” Happy Mac, as he became known after his conversion, left the entertainment world and went on to become an Evangelist and outstanding soulwinner.

 

A few days later, Ma Taylor went into the chapel when no one was there and in the quietness of the hour, sat down at the piano and wrote “Calvary Covers It All.”

 

Far dearer than all the world can impart

Was the message that came to my heart,

How that Jesus alone

For my sin did atone

And Calvary covers it all.

 

Yes, Calvary does cover it all! That is the promise of cleansing.

 

The question was asked in Job 35:3, “What advantage will it be unto thee? And what profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin”? What is the profit of cleansing? Once again, let me draw your attention to 1 John 1:9 and briefly share with you two things about the profit of cleansing.

 

A) Forgiven Sin

 

John 1:9 tells us that two things happen to our sins when they are confessed. For one thing, they are “cleansed.” John tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

 

B) Forgotten Sin

 

Notice the word “forgive” in 1 John 1:9. This word takes forgiveness a step further and helps us to appreciate even more the profit of cleansing. The word literally means “to send away or send forth.” When God cleanses us of our sin He not forgives our sin but He also forgets our sin. Our sins are “sent away.”