Cleansing by Blood and Water

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 10
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Many minds are in confusion with regard to cleansing by the precious blood of Christ, which often arises through not seeing nor understanding the place that the water has in the Word of God.
The Application of the Blood of Christ Never Needs to Be Repeated
We are cleansed, on believing, once for all, and forever. “The blood of Jesus Christ His [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)).
The blood of animals brought to God by the high priest on the great day of atonement settled the question of Israel’s sins for one year. That is, they were maintained thereby in their place of privilege as God’s people on the earth. The blood of Christ purges the conscience of the believer forever (Heb. 10:1-141For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:1‑14)).
To say, as many do, that every fresh sin that the believer commits needs a fresh application of the blood of Christ is to lose sight of its infinite value and efficacy in the sight of God.
But we read that from the side of Jesus flowed forth
Blood and Water.
Hence we find the Scripture speaking both of our being cleansed by blood and of our being born of water and of the Spirit. Again, in Hebrews 10:2222Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22): “Our bodies washed with pure water.”
Water Is a Figure of the Word of God
And not only thus is there the application of the water (or Word) as well as the blood when we believe, but we further read, in Ephesians 5:2626That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:26), that Christ is now sanctifying the church by cleansing it by the washing of water by the Word. Hence, though we are always before God without charge, because of the abiding value and efficacy of the precious blood, yet we need the repeated application of the Word of God to our consciences for the judgment and putting away of everything evil in our practical, daily walk and conversation.
The Young Christian