The Blood, The Cross of Jesus - Our only Hope
Liberal Christianity is a movement that re-interprets Christian teaching by prioritising modern knowledge, science and ethics over what Jesus and his apostles taught. It emphasises the importance of reason and experience over doctrinal authority.
In the 18th and 19th century people would often be asked by Christians:
“Have you been redeemed by the blood of the lamb?”
Today this way of talking makes little sense to most.
In 1876 Robert Lowry wrote a hymn that sounds strange to many today:
“What can wash away my sins
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again
Nothing but the blood of JesusO Precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus”
For centuries, Christians have been talking and singing about the blood of Jesus. In the Bible so much is written about ‘the blood’. Numerous Old and New Testament passages highlight the essential significance of Christ's death, emphasising themes of atonement, reconciliation, and triumph over death. Some key passages include the following:
Why is blood so important in Christianity? There is no Christianity without the blood. In the New Testament, the death of Jesus is the foundation of the Christian faith. It was the voluntary sacrifice of God’s son where he bore the sins of his people. His death on that cross, for which ‘the blood ‘ is an abbreviation, enables people to become right with God. The Apostle Paul even states that it is a matter "of first importance".
Atonement for sin
The greatest problem we all have is that we have a selfish nature, sinful hearts, and the sin we commit separates us from God. This is the blight of being human. There is hope however because of Jesus and his death on that cross. He came to earth to die so he could take the penalty of our sin. God loves us and wants to save us.
An Englishman had converted to Islam under the influence of his Middle Eastern wife. A Christian spoke to him about Christ, but the Muslim replied that Christianity was not anything like what Jesus originally taught. He was extremely offended by the idea of the blood of Christ making atonement for sin. He said that Paul had invented the idea, and one only needed to be a good person to be accepted by God. So the Christian asked him,
“Do you really think Paul invented the Christian faith?”
“Yes,” he answered, “Before Paul, no one believed that Jesus died for the sins of the world.”
“Interesting, because the whole of the Old Testament is all about how people can be saved and it is always by the death of an animal to pay the price for sin. This was a picture of what God’s Messiah would fulfil when he was sacrificed. Isaiah (written 700 years before Christ’s birth) says, ‘
“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one, to his own way; and the LORD laid on Him the iniquity of us all. . . . For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked–but with the rich at His death . . . “ Isaiah 53:5-9
That’s the Old Testament saying that the Messiah was going to give His life as a sacrifice for sin. Paul didn’t invent the idea of Christ making atonement for sin, God did!”
The man stood speechless.
Similarly in the New Testament the teaching that Jesus died to take responsibility for people’s sins in central:
“ For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,” 1 Corinthians 15:3:
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2
This means that the sacrifice of Jesus enables us to be ‘at-one’ with God’
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed’.” 1 Peter 2:24
“. . . so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” Hebrews 9:28:
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
It is because Jesus took on himself the penalty of being separated from God instead of us that we can enjoy a close relationship with God Almighty, which is called ‘reconciliation’.
Reconciled with God to live a new life
To be part of God’s family is immense. Becoming a Christian means much more than having your sins forgiven. That would make Christianity a cheap form of eternal life insurance.. No, it means a complete change of life, we agree to become followers of Jesus in all we say and do. What other relationship can match this? Once we have been put right with God through the blood of Christ our self-centred lives change too.
“For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” Romans 5:10:
“. . . and through him (Jesus) to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Colossians 1:20
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” 1 Peter 3:18
We need more than forgiveness of the sins we commit, we also need the power to overcome the tendency to commit sins. This nature in us all is called ‘sin’ and is distinguished form the ‘sins’ we commit.. Jesus death on the cross not only paid the price for our ‘sins’ and satisfied God’s justice, it also means that the power of Satan is defeated and the innate sinful heart in us can be overcome.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Many evangelicals understand that the death of Jesus paid the price for our skin but forget that it also means we are freed to live a renewed Godly life. This is what Paul reminded Titus about:
“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5-7
The gift of the Holy Spirit is to empower us to overcome temptations and to live a new life focused on living for the Lord’s reputation.
Defeat of death and Satan
The power of death is defeated when we know that whatever happens to us we are secure in God’s hands:
“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.” Hebrews 2:14–15
“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Colossians 2:15
““Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:55–57
No follower of Jesus need fear death because we know that there is a resurrection for us when we will join him in glory.
These verses introduce several important concepts,
Penal Substitution: Jesus died in place of humanity, taking the penalty for sin.
Propitiation: His death appeased God's wrath against sin.
Redemption: The act of paying a price motivates believers to overcome the temptation of sin in our lives.
Covenant: Christ's blood initiated the new covenant, replacing the old sacrificial system.
For Christians, the death of Christ represents forgiveness, peace with God, and the promise of eternal life.
Lessons from Romans
Many Christians live half hearted Christian lives. In contrast Paul could say:
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
When he wrote to the church in Rome he longed that they should understand Christian teaching. The first eight chapters in the book of Romans deals with the two basic problems all people face. Chapters I to 5:11 (Part 1) deal with the problem of our sins, the wrongs against God we have all committed. There is no-one who, in God’s eyes, does not sin.
“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9
“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” Isaiah 59:1-2
“For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” Romans 3:9-12
“There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23
Romans chapters 5:12 to 8:39 (Part 2 of the book) deal with the root cause of our problems, our sin,. Our sinful nature causes us to commit sins against God which also have disastrous effects on both others and ourselves. Just as an alcoholic, drug addict or addicted smoker finds it so hard to change from their habit, so we sinners find we are trapped and do not want to live as God desires. We need not only for our sins to be forgiven but we also need to have our hearts, that are addicted to sin, changed.
Paul describes two aspects of salvation, our sins are forgiven and we are given the power to overcome temptation and to live for our Lord and Saviour.
In Part 1 of the book there are two references to the ‘Blood of Christ’. This is a shorthand way of referring to Jesus death on the cross and is used because of the repeated references in the Old Testament to the salvation Jews experienced through the blood of their sacrifices.
“God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished.” Romans 3:25
All sin has to be punished because God is a Holy God, this punishment was taken by Jesus by his death - his blood.
“Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” Romans 5:9
In Part 2 (Romans 5:12-8:39) a new idea is introduced. Christians are portrayed as those who have been ‘crucified with Christ; and this idea is summarised by the cross. Christians have died to self-interest and are now living a completely new life. It is through this mindset that the inherent bias to sin can be overcome. Thus Paul could write elsewhere:
“ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
It is not just forgiveness for past sins but the blood or death of Christ motivates us to live lives that are of use to God.
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” 1 Peter 1:18-19
In summary the death of Jesus achieves two goals. Firstly the responsibility and punishment for our sins have been taken by Jesus so we are now acceptable to God if we belong to Christ so we are now free from guilt and can hold our heads high in this world. Secondly remembrance of God’s love for us gives us the power to overcome the temptations of Satan.
Old Testament emphasis on blood
Just as ‘the blood’ representing the death of Jesus on our behalf is fundamental in New Testament teaching, so it is in the Old Testament. Yom Kappur is the holiest day in Judaism. The formal Hebrew name of the holiday is Yom HaKippurim, 'day [of] the atonements’. In Leviticus 16 we read that the High Priest, who is a type of or who fulfils the role of Jesus, takes the blood of the sin offering into the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle (and later the temple) and sprinkles it before the Lord seven times. Only the High Priest could enter God’s presence and offer the sacrificial blood. This idea id taken up in the book of Hebrews:
“But when Christ came as High Priest . . . He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9:11-12
When the Israelites were slaves in Egypt they were told to hold the first Passover. A lamb was to live with the family for a week and then on that day had to be killed and its life-blood smeared on the doorpost and lintel of the home. Then when the angel of death passed by the eldest son in that house was safe. Any older son in a family not protected by the blood died.
“The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.” Exodus 12:13
Can you imagine the horror of families who did not recognise the importance of this life-blood and contrast this with the gratefulness of those who understood the need to obey God. In such ways we are taught that without blood there is no salvation.
“In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Hebrews 9:22
In this way the blood of the sacrifice has satisfied God’s need for justice. The death of Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice that all the Old Testament sacrifices looked forwards to.
That however was not the end of the story. The family had then to roast the body of this lamb they had loved and eat it before starting out on a new journey to the Promised land. God intended his people to remember that the lamb had given itself for them and apply this to the way they lived. Unfortunately in many families although the ritual may have continued the implications did not.
Assurance and Confidence
It is because of the death of Jesus we can all feel secure if we are devoted to living with and for him. There are some who have a warped sense of assurance. They feel that because they are in a recognised denomination and are committed to the church that they must be safe. That is not true. Even popular, gifted, ordained church leaders may not be right with God. Jesus himself warned:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23
The only way to God is through an utter reliance on the death or blood of Christ.
Merielle was a patient of mine who had just become a Christian in the last weeks of her life. This story is recounted in the last chapter of my book ‘Cure for Life’. She had advanced cancer and was moved to the local hospice where I visited her. She was still holding onto her Saviour even though she was sleepier from the drugs. We looked at Romans chapter 8, which is a great chapter on assurance, which starts:
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1
To make this clearer I wrote her name on a piece of paper and placed it inside the Bible and explained,
“Let this Bible represent the Lord Jesus. You have now committed your life to him. You are therefore utterly secure. When God looks at you, he does not see your sin but the righteousness of Jesus. Furthermore because Jesus has now returned to heaven and is living with his Father and because you are now in him, you are guaranteed to be with him in heaven.”
The Bible keeps reassuring those who are personally committed to following Christ that they are completely safe. This word ‘safe’ has the same origin as the word ‘saved’. Paul confidently wrote,
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13
God does want us to be confident, even bold, in our approach to our heavenly Father. This confidence that we can enter God’s presence in prayer at any time is not because of what we do but is completely dependant on the death of the Lord Jesus on our behalf.
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrew 10:19-22
No church or minister should ever move away from these fundamentals. When people feel secure they are much more likely to serve the living God in his church:
“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, purifies us from all sin.” 1John 1:7
God wants all of us, his people to be confident about how we stand in his eyes. There are no sins that are unforgivable other than a rejection of the pardon offered through Jesus Christ. This means everybody can have an eternal hope:
“If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31
“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Romans 8:32-34
It is because of the death of Christ, his blood, that God sees us as being righteous.
“For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed - a righteousness that is by faith from first to last.” Romans 1:17
We have nothing to add to this gift of righteousness, it has been won for us by the death of Christ, by His blood. This is what Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement looked forward to.
“He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9:12
This is the teaching of all the apostles:
“I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2
Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer was frequently tempted to mull over past sins. When Satan recited the list of all his transgressions to cause him to despair, Luther's defiant response was to acknowledge his sins and then triumphantly add the declaration,
“The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
A believer's ultimate authority is Christ and what he has done for us, it is not our own track record. When the Devil condemned Luther, he agreed with the diagnosis of sinfulness but reminded Satan that the remedy was not in himself but lay with the Lord Jesus.. Rather than trusting in his own righteousness, Luther chose to:
“. . . fly to Christ, who gave himself for my sins.”
The accusation of sin becomes a weapon against the accuser. For Luther, being called a sinner was not an insult but a reminder of the very reason Christ died. As he famously commented on Galatians 1:4,
“So when you say I am a sinner, you do not terrify me but comfort me immeasurably, for Christ died for sinners.”
What a shame it is that many Christians are still haunted by Satan who keeps reminding them of things they regret doing in the past. The blood of Christ is meant to clear our consciences clean. A troubled conscience is paralysing:
“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” Hebrews 9:14
This is why it is a disaster for churches and Christians to move away from focusing on Jesus and his death for us, his blood:
“Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Romans 8:33-34
It is only this deep-seated gratefulness to Jesus for dying for us that will motivate us to live lives dedicated to his service:
“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord.” Romans 12:11
Therefore the ‘blood’, the substitutionary atoning death of Jesus must remain the core of Christian teaching but we must never forget what this cost the Lord Jesus and those of us who are ‘in Christ’ need to remember that our lives are no longer our own but belong to Christ. We are now the redeemed slaves of Christ as well as being sons of God. What better family is there to be in?
BVP
