The Power of the Blood
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)
I was recently listening to a podcast in which people who had been raised Christians but chose to identify now as "non-believers" were discussing why they let go of the faith. They said they could no longer accept the condemnation and judgment, the wrath of God, who would demand blood sacrifices from his people, and ultimately, would spill the blood of his own son. They couldn't accept that this was a "loving" God. "That's just not rational," they said. This is not a new perspective to me: in my research on current faith movements of today, I've heard it said - by people who identify themselves as Christians (and who are in leadership positions) - that God is abusive for allowing this to happen to his child. "It's irrational", they say.
These podcasters don't need Jesus to spill his blood, because they also have a problem with the story of the fall of man. They said sin was invented by humans for social oppression and control - guilt, penance, the caste system, the Catholic coffers..."it just doesn't make rational sense." They said that genetically it is impossible for all of us to come from Adam and Eve, and so they are not related blood-wise to these so-called corrupted humans, and why should they believe that they are born sinful? One podcaster talks about his toddler daughter, and how there's no way that the innocent babe before him could possibly be dirty in the sight of God, and that no matter what she did in her life, he could never allow himself to become separated from her. "It just doesn't make sense."
My heart weeps for these wrestling souls, for the need to protect one's fragile fleshly identity so fiercely; to be so bent on what seems scientific, probable, rational, that they are missing out on the miraculous; to approach the Word, transgression, the Lord, and Christ from a human perspective...
The Bible tells us clearly that God is love, and that He SO loved the world - THAT is why He gave His Son (John 3:16). They are missing the point to say that God is abusive; God could not be more loving than to become sin itself that we might be set free from it, that we might become the very righteousness of God!
In researching for this blog post, I came across a great article on the power of the blood through the website unlockingthebible.org. Here are the promises outlined therein - the gifts given to us through Christ's blood - that God has graciously given us:
1 - Nearness to God
“We have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19).
“Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been made near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).
2 - Forgiveness of Sin
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)
“For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28)
3 - The Renewal of our Minds
“…how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:14)
"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." (Romans 12:2, NLT)
4 - Sanctification (Purified/made holy so we can enter into a new relationship with God)
"Jesus also suffered…in order to sanctify the people through his own blood” (Hebrews 13:12)
"...without holiness no one will see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14)
5 - The Ability to Conquer Satan/Temptation/The Accuser
“And they have conquered him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” (Revelations 12:11)
“… and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:13)
6 - Rescued from a Sinful Inheritance
"…you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19)
"Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live." (Galatians 1:4)
I will speak for myself, in response to the podcasters:
- I cannot put scientific fact and human perspective upon the Lord God. Instead, I must be transformed by the renewal of my mind. No, "it's not rational...it doesn't make sense" within the mind of the world. But I must allow the spirit to purify my conscience and change the way I think. That which is supernatural cannot be pondered to the precise by the natural. Regardless of how intelligent humans are, we did not create the world. We did not set the spark of life in our sons and daughters.
- I cannot project my human relationship with my child upon God and His relationship with His Son. We cannot fathom the holiness, the depth of Their relationship, the complexity of it, the magnificence of it...
- I cannot split hairs (heirs) over the DNA of Adam and Eve. I need only look around me today, to my recent ancestors, and to myself to see fallenness and evil.
- Even David was shocked and confused - frightened and even a bit angry - at the wrath of God, when Uzzah was struck down for trying to catch the ark of the covenant when it began to slip (2 Samuel 6:1-7). But the Ark should never have been placed in a cart - it was supposed to be carried by men with poles. In other words, there are reasons for God's wrath. And though we might think we can carry all things - Godly and otherwise - in our carts (men were so intelligent for inventing the wheel!), we have been given specific instructions by our Creator for how to live and behave as His creation. Not as slaves, but so that we can live freely!
It doesn't have to make sense to us. Accept Christ's gift, the Power of His Blood, today. Surrender to the supernatural, let God be God. Dwell in the amazing promises mentioned above, through Christ Jesus, whose we give all thanks, all glory, and to whom we acknowledge as Lord.
PRAISE REPORT! Gratitude for Jesus
Lord, I thank you for the gift of Your Son! Through Him, I have been relieved of so much burden - guilt and shame - in my life. When I was born again, acknowledging Jesus as my savior, filled with the Holy Spirit, I was truly transformed, and was able to stand as a new person, free. Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your sacrifice. I thank You for Your love and Your compassion, Your Wisdom, Your Mercy. Jesus, how sweet is Your name! Even the utterance of it can heal my body! Your name upon my lips literally called me out of a very dark place. I give honor and glory to You, my Lord and Savior, for Your grace, Your gift, Your brotherhood, Your teachings, and Your beautiful example. Praise the Lord!
Learn more about the 31 Days of Praise!
Resources:
- Ruth Myers, "31 Days of Praise: Enjoying God Anew", Multnomah Books, 1994
- http://unlockingthebible.org/power-in-the-blood-of-jesus-christ/
Bonus video: Just in case you need a few more drops today...powerful!