Sovereign Grace Church

And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables

(JOHN 2:15)

The Lord’s clearing of the temple, of all that defiled it, was but a picture of how our Lord purged the temple of His own body, the church, and all that defiles her. What defiles the body of His bride? The sin of all her transgressions, indeed the sin of all her filthy rags righteousness. (ISAIAH 40:1-2; ISAIAH 64:6)

What a comfort to my soul to read here of this mighty act of the Lord and to have the Spirit of God bless the whole of it to my weary soul with one little word ‘ALL’. Notice how very blessedly, the Holy Spirit records for us the saving power of our Lord in that “He drove them ‘ALL’ out of the temple” (JOHN 2:15). God’s word does not say that He drove SOME out of the temple, but very blessedly the Holy Spirit records that He drove them ALL out of the temple by Himself. Of every thing that defiled His Father’s house He drove them ALL out by Himself.

What a beautiful picture of how our Lord put away the sins of His people by the sacrifice of Himself (HEBREWS 9:26). Beloved, God’s word does not record that the Lord died on calvary to put away SOME of our sins, but rather that our Lord has put away ALL the sins of His people. For every believing sinner; you who confess that you desperately need the Lord Jesus Christ to put away yours sins; our Heavenly Father is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness, by the blood and righteousness of His Son. [1 JOHN 1:9]

Beloved, take that word in, ‘ALL’. God’s word does not declare that the blood of our Lord cleanses us from SOME sins, or cleanse us from SOME unrighteousness! Rather, God’s word shows us that He has cleansed us from ALL sin, indeed, from ALL unrighteousness.

If the Lord merely died for 99.9 percent of my sins, I would have no gospel to preach, but that the Holy Spirit should record that blessed word “ALL,” and condescend to illustrate it so wonderfully, that by Himself, He drove out ALL those things that defiled His Father’s house. What a beautiful picture of the gospel reality of Him having purged the new living temple of His body, the church.

Beloved, through our union with Him, by the efficacy of His blood and the virtue of His righteousness, He presents you without spot, without wrinkle, holy and unblameable before Himself with exceeding joy in love. AMEN!