BLOOD, it’s so valuable! Never a day goes by that someone, somewhere has need of it. Some blood types are common, some rare, and others very rare. Those who have a rare blood type will go to any expense or length to locate someone with the same type, for they know that their very life depends on it. The American Red Cross continually requests donations of blood, especially around holiday weekends. Blood is that liquid substance in the veins without which mankind could not survive. The very life of our flesh is in the blood. Without blood, man will die.
SINCE the beginning of time when Adam and Eve first sinned (Ge. 3:6), blood has played a major role in the salvation of man. God made clothes for Adam and Eve from the skins of animals; a life was given and blood was shed (Ge. 3:21). From that time forward, man has been born with a sinful nature (Pr. 20:9; Is. 53:6; 64:6; Ro. 3:23; 1 Jn. 1:8), the penalty of which is death (Ez. 18:4; Ro. 5:12; 6:23).
THAT man might find relief from the penalty of sin, God made a provision for atonement. It involved the shedding of the blood of certain animals on the altar. A life had to be given that the blood might be shed (Le. 17:11). At best, this was only temporary, for at certain times these sacrifices were required, that atonement could be made (Ex. 30:10; He. 9:7). If a man were to sin again, then a sacrifice was required, more blood had to be shed. The demands of a just and holy God had to be met.
BUT then the time came when the shedding of the imperfect blood of animals should cease, for God sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the sin debt once and for all. Because Jesus Christ was (is) perfect and without sin (1 Pe. 2:22; He. 4:15), He was able to do this. For the last time in the history of mankind a blood sacrifice for sin would be made. As the Son of God hung there on that cursed cross, He took upon Himself the sins of the world, yours and mine, that we should not have to die (Ga. 3:13; 1 Pe. 3:18; 1 Pe. 2:24; Titus 2:14; Ep. 5:2). The blood that flowed from His wounded side (Jn. 19:34) was perfect and free from sin (1 Pe. 1:19).
WE read in Hebrews 9:11-14 that Christ secured our eternal redemption with this once-for-all sacrifice, without which there could be no remission of sin (He. 9:22). The love of God compelled Christ to do this for us (Jn. 3:16) because He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pe. 3:9) The blood of Christ was full payment for the sins of the world, but it is efficient only to those who place, by faith, their trust in Jesus Christ.
DEAR one, have you been to the Cross of Calvary, or are you still carrying your burden of sin? You need not carry it any longer, for Jesus Christ bore it on the Cross.
–I do not know who wrote this, only that I emailed it to myself in 2008. Thought I’d share for Good Friday.
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