Isaiah 1:18-20 – “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, ” Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. 19 ” If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land; 20 “But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”  NASB

I have been told by well-meaning ministers that human reason has no place or part in the salvation experience.  To them it is all about emotion and the entire work is done on God’s side and man has no role in that experience.  Please understand, I do believe that man cannot save himself and that it is wholly God who washes away the sin and transforms that life from lost to saved.  However, these words of Isaiah, speaking as a prophet of the Lord, ‘human reason’ is a significant part.  Confession of sin most assuredly involves human reason. 

Sadly, many use human reason to justify their sin but if I do not evaluate my condition and consider my guilt, I will not repent.  If I do not think through my condition and what I have done I will not repent.  If I do not think through what God offers through the work of Jesus on the Cross I will not repent and seek His forgiveness.  Therefore, we need to reason with the LORD about our condition and sin.

The promise is that even as vile and stained as my soul is through my ‘missing the mark’ SIN God will wash me and make me white as pure snow.  It is only as we are ‘born again’ are our names written in the Book of Life.  Only then are we translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.  Only then are we ‘new creations’ in Christ and Born Again spiritually.  But, the Promise of God does not stop with, “you will go to heaven when you die” it is “you can have heaven here on earth.”

Look at the last part of the promise.  IF and be sure to see the word ‘if’ because it demands thought, consideration, and evaluation.  “If you consent or agree with God that you have sinned and turn from those sins in obedience to the Word of God…”  IF you do that, then you will eat the best of the land! 

That is what Jesus spoke of when He said I am come to bring Life and that more abundant.  That is what Jesus was speaking of when He said, “Fear not little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”  That is what Paul is talking about when he tells us that “The Blessings of Abraham” belong to the believer.  That is what he meant when he said that we can be more than conquerors through Christ. 

You do not realize the instruction of Paul to Timothy to ‘study to show himself approved unto God’, without thought and reason.  Therefore, human reason is involved in the process of salvation.  It does not produce salvation but leads us to that place of repentance and receive restoration.

The negative of the last part of the promise is IF again.  If you refuse…  If you refuse you will be devoured by the sword.  The powers of hell will have direct and open access to your life if you refuse to receive that which God has offered in salvation.  Consider the blessing and the curse.  Consider the matter of life or death eternally.  Consider what is being offered and ‘reason together’ with the LORD and I do believe that His Spirit will convict your heart and lead you to repentance and salvation.

God, bless you as you embark on this day in Jesus!