Isaiah 1–12: Lesson 114

Isaiah 1

“Though Your Sins Be as Scarlet, They Shall Be as White as Snow”

Even though we all sin and need forgiveness, sometimes we may believe we cannot be forgiven. Our Savior’s message is clear: “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). This lesson can help students feel confident that the Savior can cleanse them from their sins.

Student preparation: Invite students to read the doctrinal mastery passage Isaiah 1:18 and look for the imagery that Isaiah used. Encourage students to ponder and prepare to share what the passage means to them. Students could also practice memorizing the key scripture phrase: “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18).

Possible Learning Activities

The stain of sin

Consider beginning class by displaying the following image or an article of stained clothing.

Think about times when you had a stain on your clothing that would not come out.

• How might our sins be compared to stains?

• What are some reasons people might think they cannot be cleansed of their sins?

You might want to display the following prompt, so students can reflect on their feelings.

Reflect on which of the following statements you relate with most. You might ask yourself why you feel that way.

• I am confident the Savior can cleanse me of all my sins.

• I believe the Savior can cleanse me of some of my sins, but not all of them.

• I believe the Savior can cleanse other people’s sins, but not mine.

• I do not believe the Savior can cleanse sins.

One of the many roles of the Holy Ghost is to testify of Jesus Christ (see 3 Nephi 28:11). As you study Isaiah 1, pay attention to what Heavenly Father would have you learn through the Holy Ghost about Jesus Christ and His power to cleanse sins.

A sinful nation

Read Isaiah 1:2–4, looking for the spiritual condition of the Israelites.

Invite students to report what they find.

The following can help students learn important skills for studying Isaiah.

As you study Isaiah’s teachings, it is helpful to understand that he often recorded the Lord’s words in a poetic form called parallelism. Parallelism occurs when a writer expresses an idea and then repeats or contrasts the idea using different words. For example, find the related phrases in verse 2.

You could help students identify the combined phrases “Hear, O heavens” and “give ear, O earth” (Isaiah 1:2). This is an example of parallelism.

Isaiah also used imagery to illustrate his teachings. For example, read verse 3, looking for the different images Isaiah used to teach the Israelites.

You could ask students what Isaiah taught the Israelites by using the images of an ox and donkey. If needed, explain that unlike an ox and donkey, the Israelites did not recognize their Master.

Consider summarizing verses 5–15 by sharing the following paragraph.

The Lord warned the Israelites that their sins were having negative effects on them (see Isaiah 1:5–9). He also explained that He was not pleased with their religious acts of worship because they were being offered without sincerity (see Isaiah 1:10–15).

From scarlet to white

Read Isaiah 1:16–17, looking for the Lord’s invitations to the people.

• What did the Lord invite them to do?

Read Isaiah 1:18, looking for the Lord’s promise as we repent. Please note that Isaiah used both parallelism and imagery to illustrate this promise.

Isaiah 1:18 is a doctrinal mastery passage. Consider inviting students to mark doctrinal mastery passages in a distinctive way so they can locate them easily.

To help students better understand the imagery used in verse 18, consider displaying the following images.

• What can the images of scarlet and crimson teach us about sin?

Sister Sharon Eubank, formerly of the Relief Society General Presidency, explained:

The scarlet dye of the Old Testament was not only colorful but also colorfast, meaning that its vivid color stuck to the wool and would not fade no matter how many times it was washed. Satan wields this reasoning like a club: white wool stained scarlet can never go back to being white. But Jesus Christ declares, “My ways [are] higher than your ways,” and the miracle of His grace is that when we repent of our sins, His scarlet blood returns us to purity. It isn’t logical, but it is nevertheless true. (“Christ: The Light That Shines in Darkness,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 75)

• What can the images of snow and wool teach us about the Savior’s promise as we repent?

• How might you summarize verses 16–18 into a statement of truth?

Though students may use different words, help them identify the following truth: If we sincerely repent, Jesus Christ will cleanse us from our sins.

What the Savior experienced so we can repent

The following scriptures can help students reflect on what the Savior experienced so they can be cleansed from their sins. Consider organizing students into pairs. Each pair could read the following scriptures and discuss what they learned with each other. The accompanying questions could help. Willing students could then share with the class.

Read Alma 7:13–14 and Doctrine and Covenants 19:16–19, looking for what the Savior experienced so you can repent and be cleansed from your sins.

• What did you find?

• What did you learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ from these verses that could help someone choose to repent?

  To help students feel that they can be cleansed by the Savior, consider showing a video, such as “There Is No Limit to God’s Love” (from time codes 0:00 to 4:54). This video is available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Students could ponder how the girl in the video felt because of her sins and evidence of the truth taught in Isaiah 1:18. You could then invite students to share what they found.

  One way to invite the Holy Ghost is to give students opportunities to share feelings, testimonies, and experiences. The following question is one way students can do this. Consider inviting students to respond to the question first in their journal, and then willing students can share what they wrote with the class. As students share, remind them not to share names or anything too personal.

• What have you felt about Jesus Christ and His ability to cleanse you from sin?

Consider concluding with your feelings about the Savior and His power to cleanse us when we repent.

Memorize

You may want to help students memorize the doctrinal mastery reference and key scripture phrase during this lesson and review them in future lessons. The key scripture phrase for Isaiah 1:18 is “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Ideas for memorization activities are in the appendix materials under “Doctrinal Mastery Review Activities.”

Additional Resources

What can help me repent?

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then a member of the First Presidency, explained:

No matter how terribly off course you are, no matter how far you have strayed, the way back is certain and clear. Come, learn of the Father; offer up a sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Have faith, and believe in the cleansing power of the infinite Atonement of Jesus the Christ. If we confess and repent of our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be [made] as white as snow.” (“A Matter of a Few Degrees,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, 60)

What if I struggle forgiving myself?

Brother Tad R. Callister, then serving as Sunday School General President, taught:

On occasion, I have met with good Saints who have had trouble forgiving themselves, who have innocently but incorrectly placed limits on the Savior’s redemptive powers. Unwittingly, they have converted an infinite Atonement to a finite one that somehow falls short of their particular sin or weakness. But it is an infinite Atonement [in part] because it encompasses and circumscribes every sin and weakness, as well as every abuse or pain caused by others. (“The Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 86)

How can repentance bless my life?

President Russell M. Nelson shared:

Experience the strengthening power of daily repentance—of doing and being a little better each day.

When we choose to repent, we choose to change! We allow the Savior to transform us into the best version of ourselves. We choose to grow spiritually and receive joy—the joy of redemption in Him. When we choose to repent, we choose to become more like Jesus Christ! (“We Can Do Better and Be Better,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 67)

Supplemental Learning Activities

Teaching students how to repent

To help students understand how they can repent, consider using the article “How to Really Repent.” This article includes teachings from Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. You could encourage students to review the principles Elder Christofferson taught and invite them to teach each other what they learned about how we repent.

Video option

Consider showing the video “There Is Always a Way Back” (2:21) in place of the video in the section “What the Savior experienced so we can repent.” In this video, Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles recounts a story of a bishop and a criminal who learned together that no one is beyond the reach of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ’s love. As students watch, you could invite them to look for what helps them feel greater confidence in the Savior’s ability to cleanse us from our sins.

Isaiah 1:10–15: Vain offerings

To help students understand the importance of worshipping the Lord with sincere hearts, consider bringing a cup or glass that is clean on the outside but dirty on the inside. You could ask students if they would drink from this cup. Explain that the cup represents the Israelites.

Then invite students to read Isaiah 1:11–15 and look for how the Lord felt about the Israelites’ offerings. You may need to explain that “oblations” in verse 13 refers to offerings.

Then ask the following questions:

• Why do you think the Lord rejected their offerings?

• How do these verses relate to the object lesson?

• What do you learn from these verses about worshipping God?

You could help students identify the following truth: Our outward acts of devotion to God are more meaningful to Him when our intentions are pure.

Students could reflect on their own intentions as they perform acts of devotion to the Lord.

Isaiah 2:1–5: Mountain of the Lord’s house

If you feel your students could benefit from studying a prophecy about the house of the Lord, consider teaching Isaiah 2:1–5. Remind students that Isaiah often taught using imagery. Then invite students to draw what Isaiah described in Isaiah 2:1–5. After enough time, invite them to explain their picture to another student. Then ask the following questions:

• How could the phrase “the mountain of the Lord’s house” (Isaiah 2:2) be a symbol for the temple?

• What are some promised blessings for attending the temple?

Help students identify the following principle: As we attend the house of the Lord and obey the Lord, He will teach us of His ways. Then consider asking the following question:

• How have you seen Isaiah’s words fulfilled?