Are You Washed In The Blood?

This song is a wonderful and popular song with evangelicals. It is also sung by some "Primitive Baptists" (see here). But, how can PBs consistently sing it? Do they ask sinners the questions propounded in the song? What principles of truth are set forth in this hymn and which are denied by most of today's Hardshells? Before answering, let us first give the lyrics to the hymn.

1. Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
   Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
   • Refrain:
     Are you washed in the blood,
     In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
     Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
     Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
2. Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
   Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
3. When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
   Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,
   And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?
4. Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
   And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
   There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
   Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

Not only are lost sinners, who are not presently washed in the blood, asked pointedly if they are cleansed of their sins by the blood of the Lamb, but positively exhorted and commanded to do something in order to be cleansed by that blood. "Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin and be washed in the blood of the Lamb." And with intense pleading sinners are again told - "Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb." How do they do this? By turning away from sin and self and to Christ, trusting only in his sacrificial death for forgiveness.

Being cleansed involves trusting in the work of Christ, resting "each moment in the Crucified." Those who are not putting their "faith" for salvation "in the blood" have no propitiation. "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus," wrote Paul, "whom God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood." (Rom. 3:24)

"Propitiation" is a result of the sinner placing his trust in the sacrifice of Christ, in the righteousness of Christ. Again, this is in direct opposition to Hardshellism which teaches that faith in the blood of Christ is no condition or means for obtaining propitiation. 

On this verse, Dr. Gill wrote: 

"...'faith' in his blood is the means by which persons become partakers of the benefits of his propitiation; such as peace, pardon, atonement, justification, and adoption..." (Commentary) 

Propitiation occurs through application of the blood of Christ. In the old testament typology, the blood was applied to the mercy seat and also applied to the people by sprinkling. During the inaugural of the first passover, the Lord instructed the people to apply the blood of the sacrificial lamb to the doors of their homes and this typifies the sinner's application of the blood to his own case by believing in Jesus. Further, in old testament atonement, the individual was required to lay his hands upon the sacrificial lamb and confess his sins as a way of appropriating the benefits of the atoning sacrifice. 

Thus, since propitiation requires faith, and faith requires the hearing of the gospel, then the gospel is a means of grace and salvation. 

"And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Rev. 7: 14) 

The Greek word for "washed" is in the active voice, according to Robertson. Thus, regeneration is not, in every respect, a passive or monergistic experience. How do sinners wash their robes? Wrote Dr. Gill: 

"The "robes" which they washed in his blood may either design themselves, their consciences, which this blood purges from dead works; or their outward conversation garments, which have their spots, and need continual washing; or else the robe of righteousness, and garments of salvation, or their justification, which is by the blood of Christ, Ro 5:9. The act of washing from sin, by the blood of Christ, is sometimes ascribed to Christ himself, as in Re 1:5; but here to the saints, and designs the concern which faith has in the blood of Christ, which deals with it for justification, peace, and pardon, for the removing of sin from the conscience, and for cleansing from all impurity, both of flesh and Spirit: and the effect of this is, that their robes were "made white"; that is, that they were freed from all sin, were without fault before the throne, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. This shows that these persons had no trust in themselves, or dependence on their own merits, and works of righteousness, but wholly trusted to, and depended on the blood and righteousness of Christ; which is the only way to come out of tribulation, and enter the kingdom." (Commentary) 

(From my posting here)