Why the Blood?

by MBG

1 Peter 1:18-21

“Forasmuch 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;

“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,

“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.”

I. Introduction

  A.  We know, hear, and sing of the Blood of Christ

  B.  In doing so, we have neglected the teaching behind its importance

II. The Need for the Blood

  A.  The penalty of sin is Death

      1.  Ezekiel 18:4 – “…the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

      2.  Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death…”

  B.  Life itself is in the Blood

      1.  Genesis 9:4 – “But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof,”

      2.  Leviticus 17:11 – “For the life of the flesh is in the blood…”

      3.  Leviticus 17:14 – “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, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.”

  C.  The “shedding of blood” is death

      1.  Genesis 9:6 – “Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed…”

      2.  Psalm 106:38 – “And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.”

      3.  THEREFORE, the shedding of blood is synonymous with death.

  D.  The Principle of Substitution

      1.  Leviticus 1:4 – “And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.”

      2.  Genesis 22:13 – “…and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.”

  E.  THEREFORE, Blood must be shed in payment for sin

      1.   Hebrews 9:22 – “…and without shedding of blood is no remission.”

III.  A Brief History of the Price of Blood

  A.  God shed the blood of innocent animals to cover Adam and Eve

      1.  Genesis 3:21 – “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.”

  B.  Abel offered “a more excellent sacrifice” of blood

      1.  Genesis 4:4 – “And 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:”

      C.  Noah offered blood sacrifices after the Flood

      1.  Genesis 8:20 – “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.”

  D.  Abraham offered blood sacrifices many times

      1.  Genesis 22:13 – “…and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.”

  E.  Blood is required many times in the Law

      1.  Leviticus 16:19- “And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.”

  F.  The New Testament’s retrospection on the Law and Blood

      1.  Hebrews 9:22- “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”

IV.  The Perfect Blood of Christ

  A.  Christ was exempt from sin’s penalty, for He was sinless

      1.  2 Corinthians 5:21 – “who knew no sin”

  B.  Christ, however, died in our place

      1.  Romans 5:8 – “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

  C.  Christ’s blood is payment for our salvation

      1.  Ephesians 1:7 – “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”

  D.  Christ perfect sacrifice of His holy blood satisfies the payment

      1.  Hebrews 9:11-14 – “But 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; (12) 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. (13) 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: (14) 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?”

V.  What the Blood Does for Us Today

  A.  In Salvation

      1.  Justification

         a.  Romans 5:9 – “being now justified by his blood”

         b.  Justification – “an act of free grace by which God pardons the sinner and accepts him as righteous, on account of the atonement of Christ.”

         c.  Christ makes the sinner’s record clear before God

      2.  Redemption

         a.  Ephesians 1:7 – “In whom we have redemption through his blood”

         b.  Redemption – “buy back, purchase through payment”

         c.  Christ paid sin’s penalty to buy us

      3.  Forgiveness

         a.  Colossians 1:14 – “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

         b.  Forgiveness – “The pardon or remission of an offense or crime”

         c.  Christ no longer holds us accountable for payment of sin’s penalty

      4.  Peace

         a.  Colossians 1:20 – “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross…”

         b.  Peace – “harmony between two parties”

         c.  Christ makes us friends who were once enemies of God

  B.  After Salvation

      1.  Sanctification

         a.  Hebrews 13:21 – “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood”

         b.  Sanctification – “to make a saint; to set apart for special use’

         c.  Christ keeps us from sin and empowers us to do a work for Him

      2.  Cleansed, Washed, Purged

         a.  1 John 1:7 – “…the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin”

         b.  Cleanse – “to remove filth and pollution and make clean”

         c.  Christ is able to remove the spots of sin and its power from our daily lives

      3.  Boldness

         a.  Hebrews 10:19 – “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,”

         b.  Christ’s sacrifice gives us the authority to be who we are/shall be

      4.  Victory

         a.  Revelations 12:11 – “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb…”

         b.  We have victory over:

            i.  Sin

            ii.  Flesh

            iii.  Satan

         c.  The only way we have victory is through Christ

  C.  Summary

      1.  Through Christ’s blood is the only way to Heaven

      2.  Through Christ’s blood is the only way to Victory down here