The Unpurged Sin

Unlike men who can be all talk with decent intentions, God always finishes what He starts.  He explained this in His revelation to Samuel concerning the judgment He would bring upon Eli and his house in 1 Samuel 3:12:  "In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end."  God's Word is true concerning judgment but also our sanctification and glorification as partakers of God's grace in Philippians 1:6, "...being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ...".  God is the first and last, the beginning to end, and our only Way to eternal life with Him.

If we desire to experience eternal life in heaven, we must have our sins atoned for whilst on earth.  Consider the far-reaching implications of sin concerning Eli in 1 Samuel 3:13-14:  "For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. ¹⁴ And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever."  That is a most heavy statement because the weight of sin's guilt is eternal.  Eli would be judged according to his knowledge, and though he knew the sinfulness of his sons he did not restrain them.  God said for this reason the iniquity of Eli's house would not be purged with sacrifice or offering forever.  This is the place all sinners share in common, for without repentance there is no atonement possible.

This flies in the face of humanistic philosophy which says there must be something good or acceptable in us.  It is viewed as offensive and unfair to claim there is absolutely nothing a person can do to earn good standing with God, yet God has spoken.  God also done the miraculous, having provided the Way of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour.  There was atonement possible for Eli under Law, but God knew his heart.  He did not ask to be forgiven; he did not humble himself before God in confession.  There remained hope of forgiveness and deliverance for Eli and his house if they would put away their sin and seek the LORD in humility:  if God would relent from destroying the wicked of Nineveh wouldn't He hear the cries of the high priest?

What was true of Eli the high priest is also true concerning all people:  without repentance and atonement there can be no forgiveness.  But if we will confess our sins we can be forgiven on the basis of God's justice as is written in 1 John 1:8-9:  "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Repentance and seeking the LORD is a good work God enables us to do by His grace.  We all started our lives born into sin, and let us seek to finish them walking in humble agreement with our God.  Isaiah 55:7 says, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."