~ THE PRECIOUS BLOOD ~
OF JESUS
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TO THE CHURCH
REVELATION 12:11 " AND THEY OVERCAME HIM [ THE DEVIL ] BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB,..... "
An argumentative spirit, fighting and name-calling ect. among the body of Christ is a highly destructive thing to the believers. It will not only hurt a believer's witness with the world, but can cause un-imaginable harm to the believer himself even to the point of sickness or death.
It will cause a man or woman to harden their heart and become un-compassionate to others, not caring if he or she inflicts harm on others with their tongue, but only caring that they are proved " right. "
Most of the time being " right " is less important than showing and sharing the love of Jesus.
The Church of Jesus Christ is His visible body here on the earth. Each believer is a member of His body and together the believers are members one of another. All of these members are related by the blood of Jesus Christ. They are corporately and individually totally dependent on that blood for life, nourishment, cleansing and growth. Haven't you heard that " the life is in the blood ? "
These members may be as different from each other as body tissues differ. That could be in color, function and/or structure; but they are all members of the same body and are united by that one tissue, the blood. The Church's members may be black, white, yellow, or red; they may be Indian, Eskimoes, Caucasian, Asian, or any other other race or nationality; they may be pastors, teachers, evangelists, prophets, apostles, Sunday school teachers, intercessors, or many other types of Christian workers; they may be Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal, Church of Christ, Plymouth Brethren, Quakers, Church of God or any other denomination or sect. But. . . .they are all New Creations in Christ, born-again, believers, or whatever other name you may call a person who is a child of the Most High God that has been Redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. All are one through The Precious Blood of Jesus.
WHY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD ?
"Christianity is considered the bloodiest religion in the world", my friend replied when I asked her what she found so offensive about Christianity.
Our root is found in Israel who based their entire life on a system of sacrifices. We drink the symbolic blood of Christ in communion ceremonies, and apply the blood of Christ for protection against evil. We believe the blood of Christ cleanses us of all sin. She is right. It is the bloodiest religion that I know of.
"I can’t worship a god who demands all that blood", she told me. Like many today she chooses to create her own god. One that demands only that she live up to the personal standard that she believes is necessary to get her into the next life. The next person can create their own standard that will allow for "good enough". The great god " Enough" ; reigns in this world and so we have become our own god for who can create a god except they are a god. If we had all the answers of why God is as He is would He still be God? If we can figure Him out and understand all His ways wouldn’t He be equal in wisdom to us. That is a very scary thought.
The word blood is used in the KJV bible 375 times and talked about even more. The Bible teaches that the life of the body is in the blood.
LEVITICUS 17:11
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 maketh an atonement for the soul.Science verifies this fact. The D.N.A. that is our personal signature is unique. By analyzing our blood the doctor can tell our age, sex, race, food preferences, genetic past and potential for our future life and health. The court can hold a man responsible for fatherhood by the blood of his offspring. Diseases of the blood make us an unacceptable candidate to offer our blood to save another. The loss of to much blood is fatal.
The first acceptable sacrifice offered to God was a blood sacrifice.
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:GENESIS 4:5
But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.The Bible is a book that was written in the mid-east. It reflects a culture that is different than our own. To really understand why our God is a " bloody God", ; we must understand the concept of the blood covenant. This concept is almost lost in the western world. The last hint of it being lost is in the marriage covenant being replaced with the marriage contract. A covenant is binding until death, thus "til death do us part" in the marriage vows. By contrast, the contract is only valid as long as both parties are fulfilling the terms of the contract. In the mid-east when a covenant was formed, it cost your life to keep it if necessary and it cost your life if you broke covenant.
Blood puts significant value in a contract. When welcoming a guest into your home the early eastern world would kill an animal with the blood shed on the threshold. Also it was custom that the more honor you wanted to bestow on the guest the more valuable the sacrifice.When the guest stepped over the blood a covenant was made that the host would protect his life with his own and the guest would honor and respect the gift and hospitality of his host. This is the reason why a bride is carried over the threshold of her new home. The groom carries the responsibility of the bride’s life in his hands. It is a symbolic picture of the covenant vow of marriage. Can you see why blood is a symbol of covenant?
To validate a contract in the western world we need a third party to witness the agreement. The more that is at stake the more reputable this witness must be. Usually a seal is placed over the name of the witness so that each party is protected by the participation of the third party who has nothing to gain from the agreement. We honor that seal and enforce consequences on those who do not hold to the terms of a sealed agreement. If one of the parties in an agreement is God, who is reputable enough to hold God to the terms of the agreement? Only God Himself, for there is none greater to oversee that the terms are met. Would a man-made seal be enough to validate this agreement? It seems ludicrous for God to lower Himself to our standards and concepts of His nature. He will be who He says He is. Our designing Him differently in our mind will not make Him change.
The entire Bible has but one theme and that is the covenant contract that God wrote and sealed with His blood. This initial contract was made with Adam who broke the terms of the covenant by disobediance and not remaining in dominion over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Being unable to swear by none greater Christ swore by Himself JOHN 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
The contract was fulfilled in HIS BLOOD
I JOHN 1:7 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 cleanseth us from all sin.
REVELATION 1:5
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,
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