Christ’s Blood

Robert Meredith

How does Jesus’ blood save?  Often one hears questions concerning the blood of Christ.  The Bible tells us what we need to know.  God set forth in the Old Testament time that blood was to be used to make a sacrifice for sin.  Abel, Noah, Job, Abraham and others all offered animal sacrifices for their sins.  These sacrifices were a shadow of the sacrifice that would be made by Christ.  Under the Mosaical dispensation (from Moses receiving the Ten Commandments to Jesus’ death), many thousands of animals were offered.  The Hebrew writer tells us, “For the law (of Moses—RM) having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect” (Hebrews 10:1).  These sacrifices simply were a type of the true sacrifice.  The sacrifice of animals could never take away sin (Hebrews 10:4) and thus man needed the sinless sacrifice to redeem us (Hebrews 9:22).

  Jesus willingly came to earth and died, paying the penalty for sin (Romans 3:23-26).  God was

not obligated to save man, but extended His unmerited favor or grace to us.  Jesus’ blood provides redemption for man.  Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit, wrote, “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).  Jesus’ blood was the purchase price of the church (Acts 20:28).  The Christ shed His precious blood for you and me.  He died for all ! (1 John 2:2; John 3:16; Hebrews 2:9).

  The Heavenly Father loved us so that He developed the scheme of redemption.  The Word came to earth being born of the virgin and executed the Father’s plan by shedding His blood for our sins (1 Peter 2:24).  The blood has been shed, but it must be applied or it does not do you any good.  His blood cleanses those who come in contact with it in gospel obedience (Romans 10:16).  The apostle John tells us that Jesus’ blood washes away our sins (Revelation 1:5).  Also, Saul of Tarsus was told, “Now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).  Therefore, one’s sins are washed away by Jesus’ blood when he is baptized into Christ, and this is how he calls on the name of the Lord.  Once one contacts His blood in baptism (Romans 6:3 tells us we are baptized into His death, that is, the benefits of His death), His blood continues to cleanse the Christian who walks in the light (1 John 1:7).

  Without God’s amazing grace, all would be lost because all sin (Romans 3:23).  Jesus’ blood was shed, fulfilling God’s eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:10-11).  God’s grace has been extended and thus eternal life is available through Christ’s blood.

“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the

forbearance of God” (Romans 3:24-25).