The Needed Blood
At that time, you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:12-13 (CSB)
We must never neglect to speak of the blood of Christ. The necessity of the blood is rooted in the covenant system found in the Old Testament. The sacrificial system required the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sins. Without the shedding of Christ’s blood, we would continue to be bound by a system that demands a yearly blood offering for forgiveness.
Christ’s Blood Alone. The sacrificial system in the Old Testament required the spilling of blood from an unblemished lamb. Christ fulfilled the role of the unblemished lamb as He lived in complete perfection. There was no sin in Him. The apostle Paul confirmed this truth in 2 Corinthians 5:21 when he declared that Christ, who knew no sin, became sin for us. This indicates that the blood of Christ alone provides the necessary payment for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of salvation.
The Necessity of Blood. Hebrews 9:22 teaches that without the shedding of blood, there can never be forgiveness for sin. This truth coexists with the reality that sin demands the penalty of death. The debt we owe because of sin is eternal death, leading to the eternal experience of separation from God and facing His everlasting wrath. However, through the shedding of His blood, Christ made the necessary offering to secure the path to forgiveness and redemption. Therefore, the spilling of Christ’s blood was not merely an offering; it was an eternal and essential sacrifice.
Eternal Redemption. The apostle Paul made it clear that the shedding of Christ’s blood brought believers near to the Lord. To the church in Corinth, the apostle noted that Jesus became sin even though he did not know sin so that you and I could become the righteousness of God. The spilling of Christ’s blood secures the promise of redemption and fulfills the needed payment to make redemption possible and available.
When we contemplate the blood of Christ, we must acknowledge its central importance. We need to articulate clearly the necessity of Christ’s death and the shedding of His blood. We should also learn to address the blood with boldness and passion.
QUESTIONS
Why do we attempt to lessen the speaking about the blood of Christ?
Why is the blood of Christ central to the truth of salvation?
