The Blood of Christ

April 13, 2008

By Jeremy J. Main

    The blood of Christ is precious beyond measure! In what way is His blood so valuable? Consider for a moment the lost condition of mankind. Paul wrote: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23 NKJV). Paul later wrote, “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). It is our sin and our iniquities which separate us from God and His blessings (Isa. 59:1-2). However, there is hope for humanity in Jesus Christ! While it is true that the wages of sin is death, it is equally true that “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). Christ died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3). Numerous terms describe the atonement of Christ though His blood.

    First, the blood of Christ is our purchase price. “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). Is the church of Christ important? Yes! Remember, we find the saved in the church. “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).

    Second, the blood of Christ is our propitiation. The Bible teaches that the wrath of God is against all ungodliness and unrighteousness (Rom. 1:18; Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:6). However, God set forth Christ as the “propitiation by His blood” (Rom. 3:25). The blood is our propitiation, the means of appeasing the wrath of God.

    Third, the blood of Christ is our justification. All mortal men have sinned. Justice demands penalty for sin. Jesus Christ, who never sinned, died for our sins. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). We are “justified by His blood” (Rom. 5:9). It is through Jesus Christ that we are declared just, thereby being saved from wrath.

    Fourth, the blood of Christ is our redemption. Once we sinned, we became slaves to sin (John 8:34). We could not redeem or buy back ourselves. Christ came as our Redeemer, to deliver us from sin. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7).

    Fifth, the blood of Christ is our ransom. Jesus came to “give His life a ransom for many” (Mat. 20:28). Our Redeemer gave Himself! We could not be redeemed by corruptible things, such as silver and gold. We were “redeemed with...the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:18-19).

    Sixth, the blood of Christ is our reconciliation. Sin separates us from God. Once we sinned against God, we became enemies of God. We are reconciled to God by the blood of Christ (Rom. 5:10-11).

    Seventh, the blood of Christ is our sanctification. Once we sinned, we were defiled by sin. Jesus makes us holy, setting us apart from sin, consecrating us to God. “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate” (Heb. 13:12).

    The blood of Christ is indeed precious. We contact His blood by being baptized into Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:3; Acts 22:16; Rev. 1:5). Christians, as we walk in the light, “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).