The blood of Jesus is the
foundation of redemption. Jesus
Christ died on the cross, shedding
His blood, (and was then
resurrected) as the only
acceptable payment for our sins.
The disciple Peter wrote in 1
Peter 1:18-19, “For you know
that God paid a ransom to save
you from the empty life you
inherited from your ancestors.
And the ransom he paid was not
mere gold or silver. He paid for
you with the precious lifeblood of
Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb
of God. ” The Blood of Jesus
Christ is absolutely the most
precious thing God has offered us.
Every human born has sinned
against God and fallen short of His
standard (Romans 3:23). We do
not and cannot earn salvation by
keeping the Old Testament Law
or by simply being a good person.
We will fail every time; it is in
our nature to sin. It is only
through God sacrificing His Son
Jesus in our place, that we can
acquire complete forgiveness. We
can all attain this by accepting
Jesus as our Savior, and accepting
that He shed His blood to atone
for the sins of all who repent. The
act of communion does not save
us, but we honor this wonderful
gift from God with communion as
a way to remember His sacrifice.
Blood of Jesus - Why is this
required?
In the Old Testament (after
Adam ’s original sin), God
accepted the death of an animal
as a substitute for the sinner. The
animal ’s shed blood was proof
that that one life had to be given
for another. Life is precious and
God places great value on each
one of His created beings. This
agreement demonstrated that,
while blood symbolized death, it
also showed that a life was
spared. However, this was a
temporary covenant. This blood
needed to be repeated daily and
yearly.
God would later send His only Son
providing a new covenant, or
New Testament through Jesus
Christ. Jesus would die in the
place of all sinners. His sacrifice
fulfilled completely what the Old
Testament covenant meant to. His
blood would remove the sins of
the world for all who put their
faith in Him. This sacrifice would
never have to be repeated; it is
an eternal covenant.
John the Baptist called Jesus the
“Lamb of God, who takes away
the sins of the world” (John
1:29) The Lamb of course,
referenced the unblemished
animal sacrifice of old. There are
many references to sacrificial
offerings in the Old Testament.
One that may be most familiar is
the sprinkling of blood on the
Hebrew doorposts when they
were held in bondage by the
Pharaoh of Egypt. This act
provided God ’s protection as His
curse of the death angel passed
through the streets. This curse
was just one that God sent down
on Pharaoh, moving him to
release these Hebrew slaves.
The event was then
commemorated in the Hebrew
Feast of Passover. It is now
recognized as a “type” or
foreshadowing of the blood of
Jesus. The blood is a powerful,
freeing, and protecting provision
from God. As one Christian hymn
says, “There is power, power,
wonder-working power in the
precious blood of the Lamb. ” If
you have asked Jesus to be Lord
of your life, then you too have
applied the blood of the Lamb on
the doorposts of your heart. He is
covering your heart, and your life
with his protection and ever-
lasting forgiveness of sin.
Blood of Jesus - How is this
possible?
It is possible for everyone to have
the protection and forgiveness
that the blood of Jesus provides.
Regardless of what sins and
offenses we have committed
against God, He offers this gift to
each of us. John 3:17 tells us that
Jesus didn ’t come to condemn us
but to save us.
It is not enough to say we believe
in God or know about Him. We
must want know Him personally
and accept the sacrifice of His
Son, Jesus, to receive it. The
Bible, God’s Holy Word, says that
no one can enter heaven or get to
the Father except through the Son
(John 14:6) And in John 6:40,
Jesus says that all who believe in
Him will receive everlasting life
-- with Him! We are only asked
to believe (have faith), repent
(turn from sin), receive (salvation
through Jesus), confess Him, and
transfer ownership of our lives to
Him. If you have never asked
Jesus into your life, won ’t you ask
Him now......
God Bless You
No comments:
Post a Comment