THE NECESSITY FOR BLOOD-SHEDDING.
Blood—not prayers, nor works, nor morality, nor feelings, nor religious ordinances, nor good resolutions; not anything, in short, that comes from man in any form or shape whatever. But blood, the precious blood of Christ; that blood which God Himself calls precious, alone can make an atonement for the soul.
The moment sin entered the world, man's life was forfeited. The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)). It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)). In Adam all die (1 Cor. 15:2222For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22)). All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)). Our first parents sought to remedy their condition, having discovered that they were naked, by sewing fig leaves together. Vain provision, as they themselves proved. If of any avail, why hide behind the trees of the garden. Ah! dear reader, if man is to be clothed in a manner suited to God, God Himself must do it. The Lord God made coats of skins, and clothed them (Gen. 3:2121Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21)).
Banished from the earthly paradise, we have a striking instance in the conduct of their sons, Cain and Abel, of the only way of approach to God, sin having come in and ruined all. Cain's offerings, the fruit of his hard toil, are refused; but Abel by faith offers of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof, recognizing that his own life was forfeited, and that he could only come to God on the ground of a divinely approved substitute (Gen. 4:3-53And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 4And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. (Genesis 4:3‑5)).
Later on in the history of man, the flood having overwhelmed a corrupt and guilty world, Noak and his family being preserved in the ark, when they had come forth on to the earth again, Noah builded an altar, and offered to God of every clean beast and fowl, and burnt offerings, fully recognizing the same truth, which runs all through Scripture.
Israel's History Testifies to It.
Abram, called out by God, also builds an altar, calling upon the name of the Lord. From him springs God's earthly people Israel. Bondmen in Egypt under the Pharaohs, God is about to deliver them by the hand of Moses. The king refusing to let them go, ten fearful plagues overtake the Egyptians, the last of which was the slaying of the first-born of man and beast throughout the land of Egypt. But God remembers His people, and makes provision for their shelter. How? Israel was to take a lamb, a lamb for an house, slay it, and sprinkle the blood outside upon the lintel and doorposts of their houses. The principle of substitution, as we have seen, had been set forth long before, but here for the first time we get mention of the blood as sheltering from judgment (Ex. 12).
"When I see the blood I will pass over you," said Jehovah. Not when Israel saw it, but when Jehovah saw it. Israel, in obedience of faith, sprinkled the blood according to the word of the Lord. The blood was outside, and they went in; and sheltered by it, feasted on the roasted lamb. Beautiful type of the believer now. Trusting in the blood of Christ, we are sheltered thereby, feasting upon Him by faith, who has been into death for us, and borne the fiery judgment of God. The destroying angel passed through the land, but Israel's faith in the blood and the word of God were not misplaced; not one was smitten.
After their deliverance from Egypt, as they passed through the wilderness to the promised land, God communicated to them a number of ordinances, establishing their approach to Him by means of sacrifice and priesthood, every fresh sin needing a fresh sacrifice, and the great day of atonement for the nation once every year. Thus we get throughout the Jewish dispensation of the past a continual remembrance of sin, and a constant repetition of the shedding of blood. "Almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb. 9:2222And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22)).
I might multiply instances, but suffice what I have written to show to the reader that the only way of approach to God from the commencement of man's history until Christ, was by the death of a substitute, and the shedding of blood. The reason of this is obvious. The blood is the life of all flesh (Gen. 9:44But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. (Genesis 9:4)), and therefore man's life being forfeited on account of sin, either he must receive sin's wages-death-and be judged eternally (Rev. 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)), or a substitute be found. Here, then, we see the needs be for blood-shedding.
The Sacrifice Divine.
Now let us look for a moment at the death of Him who was the great Antitype of every sacrifice of old.
“It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering, thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me. In burnt offering and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is it written of Me) to do Thy will, O God" (Heb. 10:4-74For 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. (Hebrews 10:4‑7)).
This man offered one sacrifice for sins (Heb. 10:1212But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (Hebrews 10:12)). He was divinely approved. Holy, harmless, undefiled, the Lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:1919But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:19)). Judas, who delivered Him into the hands of His enemies, owned in his remorse, that he had betrayed the innocent blood (Matt. 27:44Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. (Matthew 27:4)). Pontius Pilate washed his hands, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person (Matt. 27:2424When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. (Matthew 27:24)). Delivered notwithstanding to the will of man to be crucified, He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth (Isa. 53:77He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7)). Crowned in mockery with a crown of thorns, His blessed hands and feet nailed to the cross, His side pierced with a spear, the precious, precious blood of Christ flowed forth, which 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)). Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:2929The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)). Forsaken of God, Jesus the Christ, His Son, drank to the very dregs the bitter cup of judgment due to the sinner. "It is finished," was the dying Savior's cry (John 19:3030When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John 19:30)).
God Satisfied With the Blood of Christ.
Said He, " I have glorified thee upon the earth; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was" (John 17:4, 54I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. (John 17:4‑5)). "Now is the Son of Man glorified (in his death), and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him" (John 13:31, 3231Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. (John 13:31‑32)).
“Forasmuch as ye know," says the apostle Peter, "that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver or gold from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by Him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God" (1 Peter 1:18-2118Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. (1 Peter 1:18‑21)). He who went into death for the glory of God, and for our salvation, is now alive for evermore, raised from the dead, ascended to heaven, seated on the throne, crowned with glory and honor. "When he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Heb. 1:33Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3)). "Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Heb. 9:11-1411But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:11‑14)).
And now, beloved reader, as to its application. The first question in the gospel is not, Are you satisfied? but, Is God satisfied? Have His claims been met? Now God Himself has given the plainest testimony to the whole world in raising His Son from the dead, to His perfect satisfaction in His finished work. And thus we read that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (or mercy-seat) through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past (Old Testament saints) through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time, His righteousness; that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Rom. 3:23-2623For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:23‑26)).
Faith in the Blood.
Flow very simple, "believeth in Jesus!" The whole blessing is wrapped up in those words, "believeth in Jesus." There is no other way of getting it but by believing; no other name in which it can be obtained but the sweet and precious name of Jesus. Jesus suffered, Jesus died, Jesus rose, Jesus sat down triumphant in glory. The work is done, perfect, once for all. God is satisfied, God is glorified. God is just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus (Rom. 3:2626To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26)). Have you faith in His blood? Do you believe in Him?
The blood is on the mercy-seat, and God's eye rests upon it. Trust the blood, and you are passed over. And once you are cleansed by the blood of Jesus, you are cleansed forever before God. There is no fresh application needed. The washing of water by the Word goes on through the believer's path, but the cleansing by blood is once for all. The blood of Jesus Christ (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)). Oh! the wondrous love of God in the gift of Jesus! Thanks, eternal thanks; praise, eternal praise, be unto Him for His unspeakable gift (2 Cor. 9:1515Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15)). Oh! the grace, the infinite grace that shines out in the glorious salvation of God. How marvelous the condescension of God's beloved Son to stoop so low for the redemption of sinners deserving naught but hell!
God Commends His Love.
To think, too, as Paul writes to the saints at Rome, who had been sinners in their sins like the rest, that God should deign to commend His love. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Much more, then, being now justified by His blood we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement (or reconciliation) (Rom. 5:8-118But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. (Romans 5:8‑11)).
Oh! sinner, when wrath comes, where will you find a refuge, unsheltered by the precious blood? What could you do? Whither could you fly? I press upon you, therefore, the momentous importance of having redemption through His blood now. Naught else can avail you to stand before God. Flee, then, to Christ at once. Own your guilt, confess your sin, believe in Jesus, trust His precious, precious blood, and redemption is yours. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Eph. 1:77In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7)). How wondrous, how full the blessing! How marvelous the grace of God! Is it yours? Have you received it? "Much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1717For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) (Romans 5:17)). And now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were "far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ” Eph. 2:1313But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13)).
“So near, so very near to God,
Nearer I cannot be
For in the Person of His Son,
I am as near as He.”
Boldness, too, is ours now to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which He hath consecrated for us (Heb. 10:19,2019Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (Hebrews 10:19‑20)).
Nothing, nothing but the blood can cleanse the sinner for the presence and glory of God. How blessed the portion of him who can join in taking up the strain of praise in Rev. 1, "Unto Him that loved us (or that loves us), and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and made us kings and priests unto God and His Father" (Rev. 1:5, 65And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5‑6)). Can you? Such alone will be found around the throne of God in glory. Such alone will be amongst the glorified throng of the redeemed, that shall make the vault of heaven ring with the strains of praise of the new song, singing, "Thou art worthy.... for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed to God by Thy blood," &c. (Rev. 5:99And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (Revelation 5:9)). Will you be there? Think of the awful alternative. The redeemed shall sing in glory; the lost shall wail in hell. The saints shall make heaven resound with the praises of the Lamb; the sinners shall weep and wail in vain, in endless misery and in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:88But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)).
God has provided a ransom for the sinner in the precious blood of His own dear Son. Despise, neglect, or slight His love you may, but be ye sure of this, your sin will find you out (Num. 32:2323But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23)). "Beware lest He take thee away with His stroke, then a great ransom cannot deliver thee" (Job 36:1818Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. (Job 36:18)). When God requires your soul, who or what shall hinder Him? And once you are in hell, you are lost forever, far, far beyond the reach even of the precious blood of Christ.
"Not without blood" is indelibly written in the Word of God as the only basis upon which men can come to Him, whether in the past, the present, or the future (Heb. 9:2222And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22)). Works follow as the fruit of faith. And should you be the vilest of the vile amongst men, who read these lines, let me repeat to you again His own eternal Word.