Look at it-there is blood still upon the handle!

(Charles Spurgeon)

A sight of Christ on the cross will cause us to hate our sins.

If you ever, by the eye of faith, see Jesus Christ dying for you-sin will never be sweet to you again.

What was it that slew our blessed Lord? It was our sin!

When we discover that our iniquities put our dearest and best Friend to death, we vow revenge against our iniquities, and henceforth hate them with a perfect hatred.

Let me illustrate this very simply:
Here is a knife with a richly carved ivory handle-a knife of excellent workmanship. Yonder woman, we will suppose, has had a dear child murdered by a cruel enemy. This knife is hers, she is pleased with it, and prizes it much. How can I make her throw that knife away? I can do it easily, for that is the knife with which her child was murdered! Look at it-there is blood still upon the handle! She drops it as though it were a scorpion-she cannot bear it. "Put it away," says she, "it killed my child! Oh, hateful thing!"

Now, sin is such a hateful thing. We play with it until we are told that it was sin which killed the Lord Jesus, who died out of love to us-pure, self-sacrificing love. Then we say, "Hateful thing-be gone! How can I endure you!"

See there the wounds of the Son of God;
behold the crimson stains on His blessed body;
mark the thorn-crown;
gaze upon those pierced hands;
weep over the nailed feet;
see the deep gash which the lance made in His side!

Sin did this cruel work-this bloody deed!

Down with our sins!
Drag them to the cross!
Slay them at Calvary!
Let not one of them escape, for they are the murderers of Christ!

"It was you, my sins, my cruel sins,
  His chief tormentors were;
  Each of my crimes became a nail,
  And unbelief the spear!"

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For those who desire additional devotional reading, here is a superb 3 page article by James Smith, "Christ Precious!"