Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of Christ stirred many hearts
and created a new awareness of the power and wonder of Jesus’ blood. It gave a
fresh look at the very element that has brought about our salvation—literally
the only element. But it is still true that few understand how Christ’s blood relates
to the message of salvation, peace and purpose in life. It is one of the
greatest of human tragedies that so many lack knowledge and understanding
concerning the importance of His blood.
Easter’s message of the
resurrection is preceded by the crucifixion, which was bathed in blood. It’s
easy to miss the fullness and power of Easter and focus only on the beauty of
celebrating the resurrection.
The cup of the Communion
table is also a reminder of blood. Jesus said, “This is My blood of the new
covenant, which is shed for many for the remission [forgiveness] of sins”
(Matt. 26:28).
Throughout the centuries,
undoubtedly many have partaken of the Communion elements without
understanding what the bread and the cup really represent. An examination of
the Scriptures reveals a number of things about Jesus’ blood:
1. His blood is necessary
for reconciliation with God. “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far
off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:13). The
Scriptures teach that Jesus’ blood is literally there to re-establish
(reconcile) our relationship with God.
2. Jesus’ blood compensates
for all the wrong a person has ever done. “In Him we have redemption
through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His
grace” (Eph. 1:7). At first the cross seemed a tragedy, but in the end it
resulted in the ultimate good—the forgiveness of sins. Redemption carries
the idea of “buying back” humanity, as well as deliverance from enslavement to
sin. This buying back could not be accomplished with money or any other
physical thing because the price was higher than anything on earth could buy.
Blood was the only price, as is understood in the breaking of any blood
covenant.
3. Jesus’ blood keeps a
person free from sin. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Few things in life are as troubling as
the constant reminder and condemnation resulting from sin.
4. Jesus' blood is for
sanctification. “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people
with His own blood, suffered outside the gate” (Heb. 13:12). Sanctification means
“to be set apart,” and the application of Jesus’ blood sets a person apart as
God’s very own.
5. Christ’s blood provides
for bold access into God’s presence. “Therefore, brethren, having boldness
to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Heb. 10:19). Blaise Pascal,
the French mathematician, physicist and philosopher, spoke of a “God-shaped
vacuum” in every human being that only God Himself can fill.
6. Jesus’ blood brings
justification to the guilty. “Being justified freely by His grace through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). One of the common
tactics of the enemy of man’s soul involves accusation. Scripture actually
refers to Satan as the accuser of God’s people (Rev. 12:10). One of his
ploys begins with, “And you call yourself a Christian.” The statement hurts,
and the enemy knows how to guide it into the human mind with pinpoint
accuracy.
The problem with such
accusations is that more often than not, they are true. At this point, God’s
teaching concerning forgiveness through Jesus’ blood gives a
person the ability to resist the enemy’s accusations. Once sin is
dealt with through Christ, in a very real sense, it is as if it never happened.
It is gone forever, never to be acknowledged again.
7. Jesus’ blood takes care
of a defiled conscience. “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your
conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:14). It is
easy to pursue religious activities in order to appease God or our own
conscience or to pay Him back for the wrongs we have done—or even to earn the
right to enter into His holy heaven. All of this is worthless in light of what
the Bible says about justification. We are already justified by His
blood: “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is
preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is
justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of
Moses” (Acts 13:38-39).
8. Jesus’ blood brings
peace to troubled hearts. At Jesus’s birth, the heavenly host promised
peace to men. In one way or another, everyone is looking for peace. The
Scriptures declare that genuine and lasting peace is only
available through Jesus’ blood: “Having made peace through the blood of His
cross” (Col. 1:20).
This is by no means the
entire list. But I hope you would agree it is magnificent enough to dwell on it
occasionally.
By Ray Beeson
