Revelation 1:4-6 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Romans 5:11 …we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now
received the atonement.
Atonement is the means by which God restores a relationship of
harmony and unity between Himself and yourself. Through God's mercy, grace
and forgiveness, we are reinstated to a relationship of at-one-ment with God.
The blood of Christ is the “blood that speaks.” Hebrews 12:24 To Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Last week we saw that Christ blood speaks of… Love, Purpose, Suffering, Substitution, Redemption, Cleansing, Access, Peace, Heaven.
CHRIST’S BLOOD IS DIVINE BLOOD – untainted by sin. Heb 2:14 For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.
Partakers [koinoneo] to come into communion or fellowship with, to become a sharer, be made a partner.
Took Part [metecho] to take part of, but not all.
W. E. Vine wrote, Partakers - stresses the fact of having something in common; Took Part - the fact of sharing; the latter is less thorough in effect than the former.
All of mankind share fully in Adam's flesh and blood, but Christ took only part, that is only the flesh part. Christ blood is unique; it is the result of a supernatural conception - the virgin birth. He was of the seed of David according to the flesh, but His blood is by divine addition.
Genesis 2:7 The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. But God the Son existed in eternity past, and became flesh for us.
Christ did not participate in Adam’s condition; He was born of a Virgin.
It
is an established physiological fact, the mother's blood is neither the source
nor supply of the blood in an unborn infant's veins. Gray's Anatomy, says, “The fetal and maternal
blood currents do not intermingle, being separated from each other by the
delicate walls of the villi.”
Ian
Paisley (Free Presbyterian Church, Ireland) wrote: "From the shedding of blood in Eden's
garden for the clothing of our fallen first parents, to the great throng of the
Apocalypse who sing of the Blood of the Lamb, the Bible is a book of blood. The
crimson flow from Immanuel's veins touches every verse, every chapter and every
book. God's eternal law stands written across the whole volume – Without shedding of blood is no remission
Heb 9:22."
Where, among the sons of men, can blood be found…
·
Rich enough to
pay the tremendous debt of sin?
·
Precious enough to
satisfy divine justice?
·
Strong enough to
cancel sin's guilt?
·
Pure enough to
usher in the reign of righteousness?
·
Overcoming enough to
crush the devil?
·
Divine enough to
redeem the elect of God?
Mankind is of ONE BLOOD...
· By God's creation man's blood is one in composition.
· By sin's ruination, man's blood is one in pollution.
· Through the veins of sinning humanity flows a poisoned
bloodstream.
· Sinful man is depraved; his blood is liquid corruption.
· Such blood calls for judgment rather than appeasement.
· Its shedding can only bring God's wrath and not God's mercy.”
BUT, Jesus’ blood was Innocent Blood. Judas, Christ' betrayer, confessed in Matt 27:4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. (Tyndale, Geneva, Bishops & KJV)
Jesus’ blood was Incorruptible Blood. Soon after death decay starts, and it begins in the blood. This is why morticians embalm...
Acts 2:27, 31 Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption… 31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption (Ps 16:10 & Acts 13:35).
Let’s examine some additional Biblical truths concerning the blood of Jesus Christ. The Blood of Christ. . .
1. PROVIDES A COVERING FOR MAN’S SIN & SHAME: Revelation 1:5 From Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. [7:14] These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteous-nesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
2. MAKES US ACCEPTABLE TO GOD: Genesis 4:1-6.
Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Ephesians 1:6-7 To
the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the
beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his grace.
3. JUSTIFIES & DELIVERS US FROM JUDGMENT: Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
· God will by know means clear the guilty!
· Neither will He condemn the cleaned!
4. KEEPS US SECURE: Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. [10:10, 14] By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. [13:20] Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
5. UNITES US WITH OTHER
BELIEVERS IN CHRIST: Ephesians
2:13-14 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh
by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath
broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
6. RECONCILES US TO GOD: Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God
by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his
life.
Reconcile = To return to a
former state of harmony; to reestablish a close relationship between persons.
