|
| ||||
|
|
|
|
| |
The Precious Blood of Jesus Christ
The blood of Jesus is a common topic in the New Testament. In its biblical usage, the blood has both a literal and figurative meaning. In its literal sense, it is that which flowed from His body in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:44), from the scourging after His arrest, during His crucifixion, and also after His death on the cross (John 19:34). Figuratively, His “blood” represents His atoning work.
As the Apostle Peter was calling Christians to be dedicated to Christ, he said: “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ…” (1 Peter 1:18-19a).
THE NECESSITY OF BLOODSHEDDING
The shedding of blood and its being offered on the altar (Lev. 17:11) was a ritual representing life given as a result of death. This was God’s arrangement for atoning for people’s sins. We see that God ordained this in Genesis 3:21, when He clothed sinful Adam and Eve; He honored this when He accepted Abel’s offering (Gen. 4:4; Heb. 11:4); and He stated this in the Mosaic Law (Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22). Even though these animal blood sacrifices could not take away sins (Heb. 10:4, 11), or purge the conscience of guilt (Heb. 9:9; 10:1-3), they pointed to the coming Lamb of God who, by sacrifice, would provisionally take away the sins of the whole world (John 1:29; Heb. 9:14, 23-26; 10:5; 1 John 3:5).
THE PURPOSE OF BLOODSHEDDING
“For the wages of sin is death…” (Rom. 6:23a). The sacrifice’s life, which was resident in its blood, could be offered only as this blood was shed, caught in a basin, and poured out at the base of or sprinkled upon the altar, as the offering required (Lev. 4:7).
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BLOODSHEDDING
Throughout the Bible, the shedding of blood is a symbol of violent death. A murderer was said to have upon him the blood of the person whom he had killed (2 Sam. 1:16). Stephen’s death was described as his blood being shed (Acts 22:20). When murder provoked vengeance, the one who retaliated was known as the avenger of blood (Num. 35:19). If death was the result of a person’s own folly, his blood was said to be upon his own head (Josh. 2:19).
With the exception of two references to bloodshedding (Luke 22:44; John 19:34), of five references to blood’s being used as a sign of violent death (Matt. 27:4, 6, 24-25; Acts 5:28), and one reference to blood as a part of His unglorified human nature (Heb. 2:14), all the remaining thirty-three (33) “blood” references are to Jesus’ blood and are to be understood as having figurative meaning for His atoning work (Rom. 5:9).
An example of Jesus’ blood being used figuratively is found in 1 John 1:7: “…and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” The Apostle John is not talking about the physical application of the blood of Jesus, but he is speaking about the divine application of the value of Jesus’ atoning work, which was accomplished by His substitutionary death and the offering of His blood (John 6:53-56).
Upon trusting Jesus as Savior, the gospel believer receives the divine application of the value of Jesus’ atoning work. The gospel believer is judicially forgiven of all his or her sins (Eph. 1:7; Rev. 1:5), cleansed of sin’s defilement (Heb. 9:14), redeemed (Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:19), purchased (Acts 20:28), given spiritual life (John 6:53), reconciled to God (Col. 1:20), sanctified (Heb. 13:12), made near to God (Eph. 2:13), and made a recipient of the salvational promises of the new covenant, which Jesus mediated by His atoning sacrifice “blood”.
Because of Jesus’ blood, or atoning sacrifice, we who are saved have an approach unto God (Heb. 10:19), and we experience divine parental forgiveness, spiritual renewal, fellowship with other believers, and victory over our spiritual enemies… because of the PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS!
| Site Tools |
|
|
