THE BELOVED SACRIFICE
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”(John 3:16).
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Our individual life circumstances make certain things important and valuable to us. The hungry man thinks food
is the most important. When a person is dying of thirst in the desert, he values water above all else. A person in
poverty looks at wealth to be valuable. The point being, a person cannot truly appreciate the value of a thing until
he realizes and encounters the need for it.
In this article, I would like to address something valuable and precious to all of us. As we renew our contract
with God the Father and Jesus the Christ, we should begin examining ourselves and think seriously about the New
Testament symbols that represent Christ’s sacrificed body. In the next few weeks, we will be reading a lot about
the ordinance of Passover, Days of Unleavened Bread and Pentecost. Why? Because we are in the appointed season
and repetition is God’s way of teaching His called out ones His laws, statutes, commandments and ordinances. Every
7 days we have a Sabbath to learn of God’s ways. Every year by rote, God has us go through the meaning of His
seven step plan for man’s salvation. Each of these seven steps only have a certain amount of scriptures to go with
the subject. Many verses we read over and over each year.
The foundation for this article is found in first Corinthians, 11, “For I have received of the Lord that which
also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He
had given thanks, He brake it, and said, take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance
of Me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, this cup is the New Testament
in My blood: this do you, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread, and
drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till He come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this
cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and
so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation
to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep”
(1 Cor. 11: 23-28).
God’s Word, in both the New Testament and Old Testament, brings our attention to the importance of blood.
The first recorded sacrifice that involved blood was the murder of Able - by his brother Cain as recorded in Genesis
4. This is a story we all know well. Able’s animal sacrifice and offering to God was a demonstration of faith and
thus was accepted by God. In contrast, Cain’s offering to God was an attempt to earn salvation by works. The story
goes this way: Because Able’s offering was accepted by God and his was not, Cain felt fierce resentment against
his brother and toward God. There was apparently no sorrow for his sin, no spirit of self- examination, no prayer
for forgiveness or pardon. Cain’s behavior is a typical example of a stubborn and unrepentant sinner, whose heart
does not melt under correction and reproof, but only becomes even more hardened and rebellious.
The author of the book of Hebrews wrote, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than
Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of His gifts: and by it he being dead yet
speaks” (Heb. 11:4). How was he able to speak being dead? Genesis supplies us the answer. “And the Lord said
unto Cain, ‘where is Abel your brother?’ And he said, ‘I know not: am I my brother's keeper?’ And He said, ‘what
have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries unto Me from the ground’” (Gen. 4:9-10). Cain, the
trembling murderer found an all seeing and all knowing God reading his naked thoughts. Cain had yet to learn what
is said by the Psalmist. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psa.116:15).
History tells us, Noah and his family’s first act upon leaving the ark was to offer a blood sacrifice of animals
“And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered
burnt offerings on the altar”(Gen 8:20).
We read in the book of Hebrew’s, Moses spoke the law to the people, and it was sealed with blood. “For
when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats,
with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying, this is the blood
of the testament which God has enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all
the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood
is no remission [no forgiveness of sin]” (Heb. 9:19-22). Verse 7, in this same chapter, we read of the high priest
that went once a year into the most holy place with blood. “But into the second went the high priest alone once every
year, [speaking of the Day of Atonement] not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the
people.”
Blood has always played a major role in God’s Word, but it has never been permitted, to be eaten. That
command is pointed out to us seven times in the books of the law: Gen 9:4; Lev 3:17; Lev 7:26 - 27; Deut 12:16,
23-24; Deut 15: 23. One more place is found in Leviticus, “And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel,
or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eats any manner of blood; I will even set My face against that soul
that eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given
it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.
Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, no soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourns
among you eat blood. And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among
you, which hunts and catches any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover
it with dust. For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of
Israel, you shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eats it
shall be cut off” (Lev 17:10-14).
These verses are repetitious, but again, by repetition something is learned. God plainly states that the life
of all living creatures is in the blood. Blood holds an important place in the plan of salvation. The blood of Christ
is repeatedly described as the vital element in redemption.
The following scriptures reflect the importance of blood:
1. “Purchased with His own blood” [Act 20:28 ]
2. “Redemption through His blood” [Eph. 1:7]
3. “Peace through the blood” [Col 1:20 ]
4. “Sanctify the people with His own blood” [Heb.13:12]
5. “The blood of the everlasting covenant” [Heb.13:20]
6. “Sprinkling of the blood” [1 Pet. 1:2]
7. “The spirit and the water and the blood” [1 John 5:6]
8. ”Washed us from our sins in His own blood” [Rev. 1:5].
Remove the doctrine of the blood and blood atonement from the Bible and we are left without a Savior. All
the sacrifices of the Old Testament looked forward to the one great sacrifice of Jesus Christ.“It was therefore
necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves
with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures
of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: nor yet that He should offer Himself
often, as the high Priest enters into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must He often have
suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world has He appeared to put away sin by
the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. 9:23-26).
In Luke, we find the story of God's gift to man, “And the angel said unto them [the shepherds], fear not: for,
behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city
of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in
swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12). In Vs. 16-17, we see they wasted no time in getting there.
“And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen
the baby, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.”
Knowing the nature of this miraculous story; we can be certain that this good news reached the ears of the
priests, elders, and rabbis in Jerusalem, but they treated it as unworthy of notice. Why? Because they thought surely
God would not pass them by with this greatest good news ever, and show favor toward uneducated shepherds!
I think you get my drift - because we see the same scenario going on today in the minds of the scholars and
ministers. Let’s continue with our story in the book of John. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,
(and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). The
Eternal Word, who had ever been with the Father in heaven was now to become Immanuel, “God with us.” Christ
was to assume the liabilities of human nature, “tempted like as we are yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).
When Jesus Christ began His ministry, the idea of a blood sacrifice began to be portrayed by John the Baptist
in recognition of Christ being the “Lamb of God.” “‘He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose
sandal strap I am not worthy to unloose.’ These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was
baptizing. The next day John sees Jesus coming unto him, and saith, ‘behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away
the sin of the world’” (John 1:27-29).
This is reminiscent of the blood of the sacrificed Passover lamb that Israel, while in Goshen, was told to put
on the door posts of their houses – for their protection. It typified Israel’s separation and deliverance from Egypt’s
unrepentant sins.
Blood was mentioned by Christ at the last Passover feast He held with His disciples. This is the Passover where
Jesus instituted the new symbols for His memorial supper. “And as they were eating, [this is speaking of them eating
the Exodus 12 Passover meal], Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said,
‘take, eat; this is My body.’ And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, Saying, ‘drink you all of
it; for this is My blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins’” (Matt. 26:26-28).
The whole history and meaning of Christ’s blood sacrifice centers on the stake on which He was crucified.
Peter tell us, the sacrificed blood of Christ is indeed, a precious gift to mankind and that the blood of Christ brings
redemption. “If you call on the Father, who without respect of persons judges according to every man's work, pass
the time of your sojourning here in fear: forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things,
as silver and gold, from your vain conversation [conduct] 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 foreordained before the
foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1 Peter 1:17-20).
The Apostle Paul when speaking to the Ephesians said, “We have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph.1:7). The word “redemption” means, 1). To buy
back; 2). Ransom paid in full; 3). Forgiveness.
From the start of human life, man walked and talked with God. But, as all men have done since Adam and
Eve, they sold their soul into the slavery of sin and Satan.
We must choose who we want to serve. “Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey,
his servants you are to whom you obey; [whom we serve] whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto
righteousness?” (Rom. 6:16). John adds, “Jesus answered them, verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commits
sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34).
Christ’s desire, by the shedding of His blood, is to buy human beings back from the clutches of Satan. God
could have rushed the stronghold of Satan and brought men back to Himself by force. Instead, He chose to redeem
man through the blood of His only begotten Son.
The blood of Christ brings justification. “For 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 has 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; to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him
which believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:23-26). The Apostle Paul continues with the thought, “Much more then, being
now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Rom. 5:9). The Greek word for “justified”
is a legal term which means, 1). To declare just; 2). Righteous; 3). Or not guilty.
Divine justice requires the condemnation and punishment of all who have sinned. But since all have sinned
and transgressed God's law, all are worthy of death. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).
Pointing again to Christ’s ultimate blood sacrifice, God could have placed great, laborious, burdensome
demands on mankind, but the only thing that actually meets the demands of God's justice is the blood of His Son
Jesus Christ and not our works!
Charles Smith, President of the “American Association for the Advancement of Atheism” said, “The whole
scheme of redemption is foolishness to me. Because our parents and forefathers disobeyed God, He would not
be on good terms with us until His son was nailed on a cross. This is not reasonable” (Oliphant and Smith debate,
p. 61).
God's means of justification is unreasonable to most men and women, and they reject it. But, we - you and
I, are extremely blessed to have been given an understanding of the many facets of God’s truth. And one of those
facets of truth is to recognize that the blood of Christ brings reconciliation. “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” (Rom. 5:10).
The word “reconcile” means, 1). To make friends of enemies; 2). Restore friendly relations. When a person
sins, he makes himself an enemy of God. James and the Apostle Paul addressed this: “You adulterers and
adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world [should read friendship for the world], is enmity with
God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). James is saying, when
a church member, who has professed loyalty to God, continues to yearn for personal gratification as supplied by the
world, their love to God is subordinated.
The Apostle Paul, speaks up reminding the Colossians that their entire way of thinking had been in a state
of estrangement and hostility toward God. “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by
wicked works, yet now has He reconciled” (Col.1:21). As a man thinks – so will he act. It is impossible for a
wicked mind to do other than produce wicked works. To be God's enemy means certain and absolute destruction!
The book of Hebrews says, “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there remains no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which
shall devour the adversaries” (Heb.10:26-27). This will be the end result of the person that is in a
continuing state of revolt against God.
Only by the blood of Christ can we be made friends with God and escape the wrath to come. Only the blood
of Christ can bring cleansing to individuals. The word “cleanse” is a household term simply meaning, “to clean,
to make pure.” Sin is repugnant to God. He regards sin as a defiled garment in Revelation 3:4 , a diseased body
in Isaiah 1:6 and as filth and vomit in 2 Peter 2:22.
In chapter 59, Isaiah refers to the administration of justice and the tragic nature of sin. “Behold, the Lord's
hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities [your
lawlessness] have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not
hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue
hath muttered perverseness. None calls for justice, nor any pleads for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they
conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity” (Isa. 59:1-4). Sin separates and alienates us from God.
John the Apostle, writing for our Lord of Lords and King of Kings, said in Revelation, that the cleansing and
washing agent for sin is the blood of Christ. “And 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” (Rev. 1:5).
The New Testament also places great emphasis on the blood of Christ. A few examples: 1). Mark 14:24,
Jesus spoke of His own blood as being “Shed for many.” 2). Rom. 5:9, We are “justified by His blood.” 3). Col.
1: 20, Christ made “peace through the blood spilled on the stake.” 4). Eph. 2:13, Those who were “far off”have
been “made nigh by His blood.” 5). Rev. 1:5, We are washed “from our sins in His own blood.”
Blood holds a high place in God’s plan for salvation. It is repeatedly described as the vital element that saves
a person. As we saw previously in the Old Testament, blood is regarded as representing life. “For the life of the flesh
is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that
makes an atonement for the soul” (Lev.17:11). It also bears repeating, that if we remove the doctrine of the blood
and blood atonement from the Bible, we are left without a Savior.
We are brought to understand in the book of Acts chapter 20, that the Church of God has been “Purchased
with Christ’s own blood.” Paul made it clear in his farewell to the Ephesian elders, “For I have not shunned to
declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which
the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which He has purchased with His own blood”
(Acts 20:27-28).
The death of Christ by His shedding of blood was the atoning sacrifice that made salvation possible for you
and me. It enabled us to be called and given knowledge of God’s soon coming kingdom - the Kingdom we pray to
come!
At every Passover we renew our contract before our God and Creator.
Our commitment contract was to put on the new man. “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord,
that you henceforth walk not as other gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened,
being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But
you have not so learned Christ; if so be that you have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in
Jesus: that you put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that you put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are
members one of another. Be you angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to
the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good,
that he may have to give to him that needs. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which
is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Eph. 4:17-29).
Those cleansed by Christ’s blood will be translated into the Kingdom that is yet to come. “Who hath
delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: in whom we have
redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Col.1:13-14).
Luke, in the book of Acts, tells us those so redeemed are added to the Church. “Praising God, and having
favor with all the people. And The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). Those who
will not submit and obey God, will not be added to His Church of called out ones.
How are the beginning blessings of the blood acquired? There are six steps required by God for baptism:
Step one is: remission of sin. “For this is My blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission
of sins” (Matt. 26:28). “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Step two is: cleansed.
“But 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 cleanses us from all sin” (John 1:7). Step three is: conscience purged. “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. 9:14). Step four is: washing. “And 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” (Rev 1:5). Step five is: purchased. “Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God,
which He has purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). The sixth and last step is: redemption and
forgiveness. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches
of His grace” (Eph. 1:7).
Baptism, in a special way, is related to the blood of Christ. Without baptism, no one receives the blessings
of Christ's blood. A study of the scriptures shows that what the blood does, baptism does also. For one to continue
to receive the cleansing from the blood, one must continue to meet the conditions of forgiveness. “If we say that we
have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but 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 cleanses us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:6-9).
Pardon from sin has come to all men as the result of the blood of Christ. However, one must accept the
pardon on the conditions of the One who shed His blood for us. If we do not comply with the conditions, the
blessings of Christ blood will not apply. ☜
James Russell