Why 1:16? Sin no More (Part 1 of 5)
The Numbers
The Bible—God’s Holy Word—is made up of 66 books: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Across those books are 1,189 chapters (Google counted, not me) and 31,102 verses (again, Google counted, not me). Out of all of that, only 52 books have a Chapter 1, Verse 16—and interestingly, three of those books only have one chapter total.
That means there are only 52 “1:16” verses in the entire Bible. That’s just 0.16% of all Scripture. So, why would we call ourselves 1:16 Bible Study Group if we’re focusing on such a small slice of the Word?
Simple: because even a few verses, when chosen prayerfully and studied deeply, can have a massive impact. Of those 52 verses, we’ve selected five to serve as the spiritual foundation of this group. Since you all love math so much, here’s some more- that’s just 9.6% of the available 1:16s in the Bible—but each one is rich with meaning and purpose.
The verses we chose come from:
Isaiah
John
Romans
Colossians
1 Peter
Let’s start with Isaiah 1:16.
Isaiah 1:16
"Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil."
Before we dive deep into a full study of Isaiah chapter 1 (coming soon!), let’s look at why this single verse matters so much.
In context, the prophet Isaiah is delivering God’s message to Judah, one of the two kingdoms that made up Israel after its division. God’s people had turned their backs on Him. They were steeped in sin, proud in rebellion, and going through religious motions while living corrupt lives.
However, this warning wasn’t just for Judah—it’s for us too. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:11, these accounts were recorded to instruct and warn future generations. Many today who identify as Christians are repeating Judah’s sin.
Let’s be real:
We’re sexually immoral.
We lie.
We gossip.
We cheat.
We backstab.
We idolize celebrities, money, ourselves, etc.
We harbor jealousy, pride, anger, and bitterness.
Some exploit the church—pimps disguised as pastors, thieves cloaked in title and “authority”, all while bringing disgrace to God’s name and deceiving those who want to be deceived.
This isn’t finger-pointing. This is an “if the shoe fits” segment and some of this is a size 10.5 (my size). We must constantly have moments of honest reflection. And when we think we’ve discovered all our sin, we should ask the Lord to reveal the hidden sins that have taken root in our heart.
Many believe they are good with God or that God is “ok” with their sin as they say, “God knows my heart.”
The truth is yes—He does know your heart but it might not be what you think. He says this about it:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
What Isaiah 1:16 Means for Us
This verse is a reminder that we must repent, humble ourselves, and surrender to God’s way daily. We must allow the blood of Jesus to wash us clean—over and over again. We must stop doing evil. Not just outwardly, but inwardly. In our thoughts. In our motives. In our habits.
Isaiah 1:16 reminds us that we can’t just claim God's name—we have to live in His truth.
So that’s why we begin here.
This is not about perfection.
It’s about having a heart that is truly turned toward God.
We are 1:16 Bible Study Group, and this is the heart behind who we are and what we study.