condition that affects all that people do and creates a potential barrier to them having any relationship with God or serving him acceptably. The answer was a gracious, sovereign act of God to remove the uncleanness and replace it with righteousness (i.e. a right standing with God)—purely as a gift: ‘See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you’ (3:4). It was good news for sinners who have repented and want to serve God. Here, however, the issue is unrepentance—the continued