Tuesday: Christ’s Blood
The concept of redemptive blood pervades the entire Bible.
Image © Steve Creitz from GoodSalt.com
Starting from the earliest sacrifices after Adam and Eve sinned, blood was always present when animal sacrifices occurred. Blood rituals characterized the Israelite sacrificial system in order to illustrate the crucial truth that, without blood, we would not have any chance to be forgiven our sins and to enter into the presence of God. Blood was the only way to receive God’s mercy and to have community with Him.
Read the following passages in Hebrews about Christ’s blood and the blood of the Old Testament sacrifices. What do they teach us about the blood?
Christ’s blood does not refer to His life but is a symbol of His substitutionary death, and as such it describes the functional aspect of that death. Christ’s shed blood is amazingly multifunctional. Christ’s blood obtains eternal Redemption, provides cleansing from sin, provides forgiveness, sanctification, and is the reason for the resurrection.
In Hebrews there is a powerful contrast: Christ’s blood is better than any other blood. In fact, no other blood can really provide forgiveness; Christ’s death is the only reason why sins are forgiven, before and after the Cross (Heb. 9:15). The shedding of Christ’s blood, and its effects, are clear evidence that Christ’s death was substitionary, which means that He took the penalty that we deserve.
How should an understanding of Christ’s death help to free us from any notion that our own works can save us?
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Only God could make a sacrifice so complete that we only have to bring our hearts to receive it. I marvel at that fact.
In the sanctuary services, daily slaughter of many sacrificial animals were made for the confessed sins of the people. Even the day of atonement came yearly, with sacrifices made, ending with the scapegoat being chased into the wilderness as a symbol of sins separated from the camp.
But the blood of Jesus, shed once, is sufficient for all men, for all time, for all offenses. I understand better why Moses' striking the rock twice in anger was such an offense to God. For Christ suffered once for all, His life and death was whole and complete for all humanity in that one time.
I love Psalm 50, when God talks about the sacrifices we bring and what He really wants. (For space I only write a few verses)
I love God's description of what He wants in these verses. He mentions our dependence on Him for deliverance. I know daily I have to be rescued from my own ideas, misunderstandings, self destruction and even things I'm not aware of. What a Savior, died once, but saves over and over and infinitely over again!!
Value isn't in the amount of "stuff" we bring, for Jesus is our substitute, His blood rescued us from ultimate destruction. He wants us to thank and praise Him, give Him what we promise we will and call Him when we're in trouble. When we call, He promises to deliver us. Whether facing temptations, confusion or life challenges, He is all sufficient, in His strength, we glorify Him.
There was no need for the blood of Christ to be spilt again and again; however, this does not render the theology of once saved all(times) saved to be correct. It means that the efficacy of his blood is able to do the work that was it was intended to do....for only a creator can recreate - and Christ came to recreate man, thereby restoring him to his rightful place before God: a friend and child of God.
It should never be misunderstood that in Christ's death, God died; for DEITY DID NOT AND CANNOT DIE Ellen White reiterated; this is impossible she says. Such a mystery, that of the incarnation will only be understood after we are redeemed. Follow the link below:
http://egwtext.whiteestate.org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=5BC&lang=en&pagenumber=1113
The Blood of Jesus Christ IS special. It would have to be in order for it to have the ability to atone for our sins. If we just pause to consider the fact that His blood was a combination of HUMAN Mary, his mother) and DIVINE (The Holy Spirit, His biological father). This makes His Blood DIFFERENT,and undeniably SUPERIOR to ours, hence able to SAVE!
D.A. Shaw
It is not Jesus blood. It is Jesus himself.
Thanks be to God who has provided for us that unfailing blood that washes us from our sins. His blood only can cleanse from sin and give us the opportunity for eternal life.
Remission of sin and the shedding of the blood. Blood is the life of every creature and so blood is physical and life is spiritual.Christ's blood for all who will not crucify Him a second time.
I appreciate the comments on Jesus' blood atoning(paying the price to satisfy God in this case)for sins, however, does Jesus' blood save or does Jesus? If this is all it took, doesn't that cheapen what he did?
Lev. 17:11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for the soul. The blood that is poured out at the base of the altar or falls to the ground testifies of death; but the blood that is taken in to the sanctuary that accomplishes atonement is the resurrected life... of Christ.
In the New Covenant, the Day of Atonement service, there must of necessity be the death and resurrection of the sacrifice. Rom. 6: 3,4 “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life”. We are justified by his Life because He was “raised for our Justification”. John 3:7 “You must be born again” means we must go through what Christ went through to be part of the new covenant kingdom.
At Christ’s resurrection the father declared “ Thou art my son this day have I begotten you” becoming the firstborn from the dead leading to many sons to follow in his train as the firstfruit. The blood that atones represents the resurrected Christ Jesus.
Larry, Jesus did not pay anything "to satisfy God." God was in Christ (2 Cor 5:19) reconciling the world to Himself. So it was not a payment made to the Father, because the Father already loved us.
However, sin is destructive. It is, essentially, a declaration of independence from the LifeGiver.
An illustration: What would happen if a bright lamp would decide to unplug itself from a socket and go "independent"? Of course, its light would go out.
In the same way, since God is both the original Giver and continual Sustainer of life, sin causes death, because sin is separation from the source of life - just like the electric light cannot shine without being plugged into the outlet.
There's much more to the plan of salvation - so much more that we'll by studying it for eternity. 🙂
As for the blood - the Bible makes clear that blood is always symbolic of life, thus the "blood of Jesus" is symbolic of Jesus Himself, as you pointed out in another comment.
Inge,
Wow, I agree with you!
This is a question, was the blood that was sprinkled in the Sanctuary "daily" ever cleaned up?
Hebrews 9:22 says, "Without shedding of blood there is no remission." I John 1:7 tells us that "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." God, in choosing the cleansing agent for our sins, chose the very best that He had, the blood of His own Son. It is by the precious blood of our Lord, that we are cleansed from all of our sins. Revelation 1:5 says, "To Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood." Yes, it is only by the blood of our Lord, that we get our sins washed away..
Some people think that sin is remitted (forgiven) by time, by our good works, by our decent lives, or by simply death. There is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood, and there is no perfect forgiveness without a perfect sacrifice. The blood of Jesus purifies. It cleanses the sinner (Heb. 9:14, 23); it also brings salvation. It is life-giving and hope-giving. But it can do all those things for those who accept it. For those who reject it, they must face the consequences, and that is – condemnation. Just imagine Jesus was led like a lamb to the slaughter (Isa. 53:7), yet He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14), yet He is the Great Shepherd, (Heb.13:20), and yet He is the Chief Shepherd (1Peter 5:4)! Nothing we do can earn us salvation; we can only receive it as a gift of God's grace given to those who are believers.
And yet we knowingly continue to sin. Every time we sin we poke Christ in His wounds
when Adam and Eve sinned they was destined to die..coz the wages of sin is death...We ARE dead in trespasses..
When a person is in the verge of death to save his life we give blood transfusion so he could live,we resuscitate and revive them....
Inorder to live life/blood has to be transfused into us..not the sinful blood OF HUMAN - but the blood of the sinless one CHRIST OUR REDEEMER...who brings us life and light
we are santified through the offering of the body of christ once for all Heb10:10
I disagree with the quote in the lesson by the Author in the 2nd paragraph; "Christ's blood does not refer to His life but is a symbol of His substitutionary death, and as such it describes the functional aspect of that death."
Christ's blood is the symbol of His pure and perfect life before and after He took up humanity on Himself. He shed His blood meaning, He laid down His life to satisfied all requirements for the penalty of SIN of dying mankind. His perfect sinless life as a human being is represented by His blood free from any contamination is all sufficient for every aspects of God's redemptive plan in reconciling sinful man to Him for eternity.
Let us stick to the simplicity of what the Word of God revealed and abstain from technical details by our carnal minds that will further complex the revealed Redemption Plan of God.
I am in awe when i contemplate the fact, God the Father agreed and God the Son took up humanity to redeem mankind. This was the only way for mankind to be restored back to the presence of God and to live with God eternally. Jesus also asked the Father; 'if there's another way Father, but never my will but Your Will be done. If there is another way our loving and merciful Father would unconditionally provided, but God Himself must suffered.
Our all knowing God comprehended this fact before creation and with that knowledge i am dumbfounded and greatfully blessed to have such a God, words can not describe the fullness of who He is.
It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will quickened our minds and hearts to obey all His Commandments in loving response for His mercy and grace. Even though it is just a drop in the bucket, but the blood of Jesus, His perfect obedient life, will fill it up and present as a sweet aroma to our Loving God. Thank You God. Cheers!!!