The Blood of Christ (Part Two)

Why is the blood of Christ so necessary?  What does it encompass? Well, these verses answer this question:

Reconciliation - "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been made near by the blood of Christ.  For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of division between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity" (Ephesians 2:13-16).

Jesus has reconciled Jews and Gentiles to God by His blood.  He has broken down the wall which separated us, making us both one to God in one body through the Cross so that there is no enmity between us.  One body (the church which is the body of Christ, one flock having one Shepherd worshipping one God God, the true, living God)

"...and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.  And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled" (Colossians 1:20, 21).

Jesus does this in the body of His flesh through death to present us holy and blameless and irreproachable in the Father's sight (verse 22).

In John 6:53, Jesus speaks of His flesh and blood.  At the Passover supper, He used the bread to represent His flesh and the wine His blood.  We have to partake of both which He gave for us when He died on the Cross in order for us to have eternal life.  He gave His flesh for the life of the world (verse 51).  His flesh is food (bread) and His blood drink (wine).  Whosoever partakes of both has eternal life and will be raised on the last day (verses 54, 55).

Justification - "much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him" (Romans 5:9).  Justification is accounting the guilty just before God.  This can only happen through Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God.

If while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son so how much more will we be saved by His life now that we are reconciled to God.  Instead of receiving God's wrath, we receive salvation, thanks to Jesus. God credits Christ's perfect righteousness to our spiritual account, having put our sin on His account.  This is called imputation.  Our sins are imputed on to Christ who knew no sin so that we can be declared righteous or not guilty before God.

"Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1)  To justify is to "declare, to acknowledge, or treat someone as righteous or just".  Jesus made this possible when our iniquity was laid on Him.  He took our place when the Father "made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (Isaiah 53:5, 6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 1:30).

God justifies the ungodly because of His Son.  Through Jesus' righteous act, the free gift (salvation) came to all men resulting in justification of life.  And through His obedience, Jesus has made it possible for many to be made righteous (Romans 5:18, 19).

Sanctification - "Of how much worse punishment, do you supposed, will be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the Covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:29).  Sanctification is growing in holiness.

Communion - At the Lord's Supper, Jesus took the cup of wine (grape juice) gave thanks and then gave it to His disciples, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.  For this is My blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.  But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom" (Matthew 26:26).

Victory - "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to death" (Revelation 12:11).  We have victory in Jesus.

The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 16:20, "And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.  The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.  Amen.  Satan is a defeated foe who will be destroyed along with the grave and his trump card, Death.

Eternal Life - Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him (John 6:53-56).

Eternal life is offered to everyone but only those who overcome the devil by the blood of Jesus Christ and by the Word of God will have their names written in the Book of Life. Choose today to give your life to Jesus Christ.