“The Blood of Christ”

Richard Thetford

T he single most important thing that has ever happened for all of us is the fact that Jesus Christ once came to this earth in human form and gave His blood for us. So powerful is the blood of Christ that John says "but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). The blood of Jesus is what allows one to be cleansed from sin. But notice that John said that one must "walk in the light". This means that one must strive to be like Jesus - always striving to do only what is right in the sight of God almighty. We can also learn that the blood of Christ was shed for all of us because He loved us. Christ was without sin - He was innocent, yet He chose to shed His blood for us. Notice that Judas after he had betrayed our Savior said "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood" (Matt 27:4). Peter speaks of Jesus' blood as being precious when he said "but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ" (1 Pet 1:19). We know that the blood of Christ was innocent, precious, and powerful. But His blood is also the blood of the covenant which the Hebrew writer speaks about in Heb 10:29 and again in 13:20 when he says, "Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord". It is so important that each one of us realize just how much God loves us. He gave His only Son to die a cruel death on a cross so that through His blood we can have a life that is everlasting.

Without the Blood, There is No Hope

It was necessary for Jesus to die for us to fulfill scripture and to satisfy divine justice as is pointed out in Heb 13:11-12 and Rom 3:25. There are many other passages in the Bible that show why Jesus had to shed His blood for us. The one reason that you and I need to understand why He did it was so that we can be saved. Without the blood of Christ there is no hope for us. Even under the old Law there was a requirement for the blood of animals to be shed so man could be atoned for his sins. Christ died once for all that man can be saved through Him and Him alone. The Hebrew writer says "And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. But He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God" (Heb 9:22; 10:4,12). It is only through the blood of Christ that we can have forgiveness of sins (Matt 26:28).

The Blood of Christ Does So Much For Us

Besides the forgiveness of sins, the blood of Christ does so much more for us. In Heb 9:12 and Eph 1:7 we can see where His blood redeems us. In addition His blood brings us near to Him (Eph 2:13), makes peace (Col 1:20), justifies (Rom 5:9), cleanses us (Heb 9:14; 1 John 1:7; Rev 7:14), gives us entrance into heaven (Heb 10:19), sanctifies us (Heb 13:12), overcomes (Rev 12:11), gives life (John 6:53-56), and it even purchases His church - not any church - Christ's own church as we read in Acts 20:28 "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood".

Let the Blood of Christ Wash Away Your Sins

So far we have looked at what kind of blood the blood of Christ is, why it had to be shed, and what His blood does. As we conclude, let's see how the blood of Christ is applied in each individual's life. First of all the blood is applied through faith in Christ (Rom 3:25). We must walk in the light to be in fellowship with Christ and it is only then that His blood will cleanse us (1 John 1:7). To walk in the light we must obey all His commandments and before we can be "IN" Christ we must be baptized (Rom 6:3-4; Acts 2:38; Gal 3:26-27; 1 Pet 3:21). Once we are "IN" Christ then His blood cleanses us from sin and we have communion with Him through the remembrance of His body and blood (1 Cor 10:16). Won't you let the blood of Christ cleanse you from your sins today?