Introduction: The blood of Jesus is one of the central themes of the Bible. But it is one which is coming under attack by modernists. People deny the atoning power of the blood! One of the largest denominations in the United States, about 60 years ago, tried to do away with all reference to blood in their hymn-books, and in their Conference came up only a few votes short.
But we cannot do away with the blood and remain true to Bible teaching. The atonement for sins is found only in the blood of Jesus.
- Leviticus 17:11—“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.”
- 2 Chronicles 7:4, 5—Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the Lord. 5 King Solomon offered as a sacrifice 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.
- Romans 3:21–26—But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
- Romans 5:6–11—For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
- Colossians 1:19–20—For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
- Hebrews 9:13, 14—For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
- Hebrews 9:22—“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”
- Hebrews 10:1–4—“For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”
- Hebrews 10:28–29—Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?
- Hebrews 12:22–24—But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
- 1 Peter 1:17–19—“And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”
- 1 John 1:7—“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
- Revelation 1:4–6—John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
- Revelation 5:9–10—And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
- Revelation 7:13–14—Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
- Revelation 12:11—And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
Having seen the importance of the blood, let us now notice three things which the Bible says are inseparable from the blood of Jesus.
- The New Testament (Matthew 26:28)
- The Old Testament was dedicated with blood (Hebrews 9:18–21).
- The Law was dedicated with the blood of animals. Exodus 24; Hebrews 9:19—Moses sprinkled the book and the people with blood.
- Hebrews 10:28—Even though it was inferior to the Law of Christ, yet obedience by those under that Law was required, and disobedience was punished!
- Leviticus 10:1–4—The fire offered by Nadab and Abihu did not have the blood of the covenant upon it. The blood of the covenant makes it holy (cf. Exodus 30:7–9).
- Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:1–11) had not been consecrated by the blood to set him apart as a priest or Levite who could then handle the holy vessels of the tabernacle (cf. Leviticus 8).
- The New Testament is so far superior!
- Hebrews 10:29—The blood of the covenant must be upon what we do in our worship to God.
- Those who follow the doctrines and commandments of men follow a system which does not have the blood of the covenant upon it.
- Respect for the blood of Jesus demands that we go not beyond the covenant!
- The name you wear (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16).
- The doctrine you follow (A creed? Doesn’t have the blood of the covenant upon it!)
- Singing—the mechanical instrument does not have the blood of Jesus upon it!
- The body of Christ (Acts 20:28)
- If we love and respect the blood of Jesus, we will love and respect His body.
- Ephesians 1:22, 23; Colossians 1:18
- The church is the body. It cannot be separated from the blood.
- Christ did not purchase with his blood something that is unimportant. If you want to benefit from His blood, you must be a part of the church which He bought (Ephesians 5:23).
- If there is salvation apart from the church, there is salvation apart from the blood!
- Remission of Sins (Matthew 26:28; Ephesians 1:7)
- The blood of Jesus is the fulfillment of the shadow (Hebrews 10:1).
- Jesus did not die only for men who lived since he died (Hebrews 9:1).
- No one, not even the patriarchs, can be saved apart from the blood of Jesus!
- Read Acts 13: 38, 39.
Conclusion: Have you been washed in the blood? When you are, you will have obeyed the New Covenant; receive remission of sins; and be added to the body of Christ!
Ken Burton
