Articles
The Blood of Jesus
The blood of Jesus Christ is powerful enough to FORGIVE SINS. Jesus said "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission (forgiveness, NASB) of sins" (Matthew 26:28). Paul said "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7). And the writer of Hebrews says "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission (forgiveness, NASB)" (Hebrews 9:22). Friend, ONLY the blood of Jesus Christ can forgive our sins.
The blood of Jesus Christ PURCHASED THE CHURCH, the people of God. Paul said "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20:28). And some people say the church is not important! My friend, the blood of Jesus Christ bought and paid for each individual soul in Christ and those saved souls make up the church, the body of Jesus Christ! Notice what Paul said to the Corinthians - "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (I Corinthians 6:19-20).
We have learned from Scripture that the blood of Jesus Christ is indeed POWERFUL! The blood of Jesus Christ: Redeems (Ephesians 1:7); Washes Away Sin (Revelation 1:5); Justifies (Romans 5:9); Sanctifies (Hebrews 10:29); Reconciles (Colossians 1:20); Forgives Sins (Matthew 26:28); and Purchased the Church (Acts 20:28). The big question is, HOW DOES THE BLOOD DO ALL THAT?
Medicine is only effective when taken by the one that needs it. The blood of Jesus Christ is only effective when the one that needs it uses it. The Bible says that we ALL need it, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) and "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us...If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us" (I John 1:8, 10). If ALL need it, how do we use it?
The Word of God teaches that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed at the cross. "But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water" (John 19:34). The apostle Paul said "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Romans 6:3-5). Jesus shed His blood in death; we are baptized into His death; thus we contact the blood of Christ in BAPTISM.
