WHY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS POWERFUL

By Wayne Camp

I come before you to set forth some reasons WHY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS POWERFUL.

Down through the ages many gallons of blood were shed in the sacrifices offered up by the people of God. In none of that blood and in all of that blood combined, there was not the power that was in the blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Men have shed their blood, but no blood, be it the blood of men or beast, no blood could equal in power the blood of Jesus Christ. So I propose to set forth some of the reasons the blood of Christ is powerful.

THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS POWERFUL BECAUSE IT IS THE BLOOD OF GOD'S APPOINTED SACRIFICIAL LAMB

Before there was ever a mountain on earth, yea, even before the earth was created, God appointed Jesus Christ to be the Person of the Godhead who would come into the earth, live, suffer, shed his blood, and die, to make atonement for those given to him in the covenant of grace. Peter affirms that he is the spotless Lamb who was "foreordained before the foundation of the world" (I Pet. 1:18-20).

He is the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" and there has never been a time when his blood was without the power to save. His blood was not actually shed until the human family was at least 4,000 years old. But, because of the Divine ordination of his suffering and shedding his blood, it was as though it was already shed. I have said and have heard others say, "Men were saved on the credit before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ." The very fact that God had purposed and ordained that his blood be shed was enough for it to have the power to save even before he came and actually died.

I am reminded of those familiar and wonderful words of John the Baptist. "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." The fact that he designated him as the Lamb indicated that he would be sacrificed for sin. The fact that he was designated as the Lamb of God is further evidence that he was the divinely appointed Lamb. And then, he proclaims the marvelous power of Christ to take away sin. Such powerful blood that was shed when the sinless Son of God died on Golgotha!

He was the Lamb whom God sent into the world and given authority over all flesh so that he could and would give eternal life to as many as the Father had given to him. He said the Father had given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as the Father had given to him. The most stubborn thing in the world is the fleshly nature of man. God gave Christ power over all flesh in order that and for the purpose that he give eternal life to all whom the Father had given him. No flesh can resist his power to give eternal life to those given to him by the Father. Yes, my dear reader, there is power in the blood of Jesus Christ to give eternal life to every one of his people. "For he shall save his people from their sins."

THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST IS POWERFUL BECAUSE IT IS THE BLOOD OF GOD'S SPOTLESS LAMB

The blood of a sinner could never take away sin. I say this because the blood of a sinner could never have the power to take away sin. But, the man Christ Jesus was without spot or blemish when he shed his blood. No other sacrifice was ever so spotless and so without blemish. He was the impeccable Lamb. Not only was he without sin; he was incapable of sin because of the union of the Divine nature with the human nature.

While our Lord knew about sin and would die for sin, he was so without sin that Paul declares he "knew no sin." (II Cor. 5:21). It was not even within his nature to sin. Satan had no place to work in his nature to entice him to sin. He never new a sinful thought. He never entertained feelings of covetousness. He never lusted after nor even desired that which was sinful. "He did no sin" (I Pet. 2:22). He committed no act of violence, according to Isa. 53:9.

When Jesus was being taunted by the religious leaders of Israel, he was so assured of his perfect record that he asked, "Which of you convinceth me of sin" (Jn. 8:46). If there had been any flaw in his character or any waywardness in his conduct you can be assured they would have found it. They always listened to him with a critical ear and watch him with critical eyes. When they sought to convict and crucify him they had to employ professional liars to bring a charge against him.

Even the most godly saint of God is so sinful that he must sometimes cry out as Paul and say, "O wretched man that I am." He is compelled, in all honesty to say, "When I want to do good, evil is present with me." Not so with our blessed Lord and powerful Saviour, Jesus Christ. We might deceive ourselves and say we have no sin. We might even deceive others for a while and make them think we live without sin. But, sooner or later the truth will reveal itself and we will be revealed as guilty of sin, and that often. This was never true of our Lord. He never sinned and no one could convince him of sin.

As to human nature (not sin nature) "it behooved him to made like unto his brethren" in all things (Heb. 2:17). And "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers (sharers) of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same" (Heb. 2:14). He was "in all points tempted (tested) like as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15). This one who was God incarnate in human flesh and blood was "holy, harmless, and undefiled," and was therefore qualified to offer up his powerful blood for the cleansing of our awful sins. Such powerful blood never flowed in the veins of another man.

THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS POWERFUL BECAUSE OF THE UNION OF THE HUMAN NATURE AND THE DIVINE NATURE IN THE ONE PERSON, THE MAN JESUS CHRIST

"Great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh." Now, Jesus was not two persons. He was one person. But, the two complete and distinct natures (Divine and human) were hypostatically united in the one person. "In the beginning was the word . . . and the word was God . . . and the word was made flesh" (Jn. 1:1, 14).

Even though the blood of Christ was human blood, it drew its efficacy from the Divine nature with which the human nature was united. I like the way Spurgeon said it. "The blood that Jesus shed was Godlike blood. It was the blood of man, for he was man like ourselves; but the divinity was so allied with the manhood, that the blood derived its efficacy from it."

A. W. Pink wrote, "It was the theanthropic (Divine-human) constitution of his person which qualified him for his mediation, for as the God-man nothing could be too difficult for him to effect or too great for him to accomplish" (The Doctrine of Reconciliation, P. 61). When God laid the work of redemption upon the Lord Jesus Christ he truly "laid help upon one that is mighty" (Psa. 89:19). His blood is powerful blood because he is one who is mighty in a way that no other man could ever be.

THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS POWERFUL BECAUSE IT IS SHED BLOOD

Regardless of its mighty power, the blood of Christ could not cleanse from sin if it still flowed in the veins of Jesus Christ. It must be shed blood if it takes away sin. "This is my blood . . . which is shed for many" (Mat. 26:28). "Without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb. 9:22). See how vital the shedding of the sacrificial blood is to the remission of sins. Without his blood being shed Christ could have saved no one. It is not enough that such powerful blood flowed in his veins. That blood must be shed if there is to be remission.

Let us cast our mental tents back to Egypt for a moment. It is the day of the first Passover. Here is a man who has chosen out of his flock a fully qualified lamb. It is without blemish. It is a male of the first year. He put it up on the appointed day. Now, it is time to slay the lamb, according to God's instruction. But, this man says, "That lamb's blood will do me just as much good flowing in his veins as it will sprinkled on my door posts and lintels. I will just tie the lamb to the door latch and the blood will be there, the only very minor difference will be that it is still in the lamb's veins. The problem is simple. God said he would see the blood on the doorposts and lintels and would pass over them. He did not say the blood, where ever it was would do the job. It must be shed blood, sprinkled blood.

Did the blood of Christ meet the qualifications of shed blood, sprinkled blood? YES! ABSOLUTELY, YES! He shed his blood on the cross. He gave his blood up for the remission of sin. He is the door and his blood was sprinkled over his body in his sufferings. He is the mercy seat and his body was sprinkled with his own blood at Calvary. Only as SHED BLOOD could it cleans from sin.

I realize that I said earlier that men have been saved by the blood of Christ since the foundation of the world. And, you may be thinking, "If shed blood is the only blood that can wash away sin, how could the blood of Christ cleanse sinners long before it was shed at Calvary. The answer is simple, though marvelous. God, from the foundation of the world looked at his people in "the lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8). Since he had foreordained the death of Christ he could deal with his blood as though it had already been shed. That must be the case for "without shedding of blood is no remission."

THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS POWERFUL BECAUSE IT IS ACCEPTED BLOOD

There are numerous evidences that the blood of Christ is accepted blood. God raised him up from the dead because it was not possible that he should be held in the grips of death. The very fact that God raised him up is evidence that he accepted his work of redemption and his precious, powerful blood for the remission of sins.

That he ascended into heaven is evidence that his blood had been accepted at Calvary. God had seen the travail of his soul and was satisfied with his work. He was "taken up into heaven." This indicates that there was a power outside himself that was operating in his ascension. Though he could have ascended of his own power, he was taken up. The Father, no doubt, took him up.

He now appears in the presence of God for us. He ever lives and makes intercession for us. His very presence in glory is evidence that God accepted his blood and sufferings on our behalf.

The eternal redemption which he has obtained is evidence that God has accepted the blood of Christ. It is so powerful that by it he was able to secure the eternal, everlasting redemption of every one of his chosen people. Not one for whom he obtained eternal redemption will ever be lost in the lake of fire. Not one will ever face the wrath to come. Not one will cry out in torments. Not one who comes to him will ever be lost again. For, believing reader, when he shed his blood at Calvary, he obtained eternal redemption for us.

Have you ever wondered how many times those priests of Israel offered up sacrifices. Every year on the day of redemption they must make that sacrifice again. It was repeated over and over. Not so with the sacrifice of the blood of Christ. It was so powerful that by one offering it put away sin forever. Never again would there be the necessity of a sacrifice for sin. One time he shed his blood. One time he offered it up to God. One time satisfied every demand of Divine justice. One time he met ever requisite of God's holy law. Yes, there is real power in the blood of Jesus Christ.

May I suggest also, that every promise that he will come again and receive his saints unto himself is evidence that his blood was accepted by the Father. "I will come again," he faithfully promised. He will come and will not tarry. He will come in power and great glory. There would be no ground or reason for such promises if his blood was not accepted. For if his blood was not accepted we are yet in our sins and are men most miserable.

Through the inspired writers of the New Testament the Holy Spirit has born witness to the acceptance of the blood of Jesus Christ. All those things we have cited such as the eternal redemption he has obtained by his once for all sacrifice of his blood are the Holy Spirit's testimony to the acceptance of the blood of Jesus.

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Last updated on Friday, March 04, 2011

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