Unless we be washed. We ignore the claims of Christ,

This song is inspired by a Sermon Gem from Charles Haddon Spurgeon. The sine qua non Sermon Nine Twenty Six Spurgeon Gems dot org. Go there to find Gems galore! Now listen to the Word. Why is this washing so essential? I answer, first, except Christ wash us we have no part in Him, because the claims of our Lord require it. Suppose a man shall say, “I have no need of washing,” brother, it is clear that he has no part in Christ, because Christ came on purpose to cleanse His people from their sins. He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. The whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. If a man does not take Jesus to be his Savior, he may say what he likes about Him, but he does not even know the meaning of His name. May not a very sincere person admire Christ’s character, and talk well of Him? Yes, and we shall be glad that he is able to go so far in the right way, but let not such a man deceive himself with the hope that he will be a partaker of any of the blessings which Christ brings, unless he acknowledges that for which Christ is the Christ or the anointed One, namely, to bring the Gospel of salvation to the unworthy. One of old said, “Aut Caesar aut nullus,” he would be either Caesar or nobody, and so Jesus Christ will be either acknowledged the anointed Savior, or He will be nothing to you. If you will not take Him to be an expiation for your sins, and the true refiner of your life, you refuse Him altogether. Mere admiration of the physician gives no part in his healing power. The loudest praises of light give not vision to blind men. Jesus is either the Savior or nothing. For this He lived, for this He died. Alas, for those who will not receive Him in this character! In the long run you will always find that despite their soft speeches, they have not received the true Christ of God. He who rejects Jesus as an atoning sacrifice is sure to doubt His Godhead, and so to reject His grander nature. The deniers of the atonement, who are supposed to be admirers of the example of Christ, generally turn out to be the greatest enemies to vital Christianity. There are no more real enemies of Christ than those who deny the doctrine of the cross. If they do not accept Christ to wash them, they soon prove that they have no part in Him. Our Lord came on a frivolous errand, He descended to this world to perform an unnecessary work, and He was foolish enough to shed His blood with the most absurd of motives, unless men need cleansing from sin, and unless His blood alone could cleanse them. If men need to be washed, then He came in divine wisdom and philanthropy, and He lived and He died with an object worthy of His divine mind, and His life was no mistake. But if men do not need cleansing, Christ’s death was a mistake, and His whole life, I dare to say it, was a piece of base imposture, for He was evermore professing Himself to be the Savior of sinners, and the pardoner of sin. He spoke of giving rest to the weary, and of saving the lost, and if He could not save, or if men did not require saving, the life of Christ was a mistake, and His mission an imposition. Jesus Christ is nothing, His very name is ridiculous, if there be none to save, and if He be not a Savior anointed. You have no part in Christ, then, however much you applaud Him, unless you are washed by Him, for you have rejected that for which He lived, and for which He died. You have despised that which He considers to be His noble lifework, and for the joy of which He gave Himself up to death. Someone, perhaps, may say, “I believe I want washing, but I am confident I can purify myself. I have bad habits, and undesirable infirmities, but I can master the habits and can conquer the infirmity. I believe a man ought to be holy and become like God, and by diligent perseverance I conceive that I can do it. ” Do it, then, sir. I challenge you to do it, but you certainly have no part in Christ. Whatever you may think of Christ, you can have no part in Him, for He comes on purpose to save His people from their sins. His very name is Jesus the Savior, for that selfsame reason was He born, but if you can do it yourself you are a rival to Him, you are an antichrist. You will owe Him nothing, and you shall have no part in Him. Ah! see then, and mark it well, unless we be washed we ignore the claims of Christ, we cast a slur upon the great labor of His life, we rob Him of His main glory.