Over the next few months, I will be teaching on the four cardinal doctrines of the church. They are as follows, Jesus the Savior, Jesus the healer, Jesus the Holy Ghost baptizer and Jesus our soon coming King. I will do my best to keep it free of personal opinion and germane to the subject.
It breaks my heart that the very foundational doctrines of the church are being omitted in most pulpits. I don’t know which is sadder the fact that they are not being preached or that most of you have not noticed they are not being preached. Please wake up and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
The blood of Jesus Christ is the foundation of the salvation of mankind. Matthew 26:28 Jesus said, for this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins. We are today going to begin to look at the benefits of the blood. While they are numerous and I could never tell you all of them, I will do my best over the next three parts to list you at least 15.
Some people teach today that we should not mention the blood; for people find it offensive, coarse, and have gone so far as to deem it unnecessary and called a slaughterhouse gospel. May I remind you what you have been taught that salvation is free while that is true; it cost God everything. Remission of sin is predicated on the fact that man has sinned against God and needs forgiveness. God forbid that today anyone should ever be made to feel guilty in church and to seek the remedy. A simple definition of the word remission simply means a dismissal or release and forgiveness of sins. My first question, have you been washed in the blood? If so , thank God for his forgiveness.
The second benefit of the blood that we will look at today is redemption. Ephesians 1:7 in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; we can stay on the teaching of redemption for months, however in an attempt to keep it simple redemption simply put is the paying of a ransom for the release of a slave. I can’t speak for you, but I was certainly a slave to the devil, to sin, and to myself until Jesus paid the price in his blood for my release. Thank God I am free and you can be too.
The third benefit we will look at is reconciliation. The simple definition of reconciliation is to exchange. To exchange our enmity with God for son ship, alienation for intimacy, and wrath for love. His change in attitude towards us is for only those who changed by the blood towards him. Colossians 1:20 And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him, to reconcile all things unto himself; I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Let us not forget that he is given all of us the ministry of reconciliation, so spread the news. Sin does not have to destroy you or bring God’s wrath upon you provision has been made through his blood.
The fourth benefit is justification. A simple definition of justification is the act of pronouncing righteous through acquittal to set one free from the guilt of his crimes. The old-timers used to simply say that justification was just as if I had never sinned. Hezekiah taught us that God puts our sins behind his back. I’m glad that he didn’t put them behind my back, because I would always be looking backward rather than looking forward to eternity with him.
The final benefit we will discuss today is removal. Hebrews 9:14 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. It is a mind relieving thought to know that he has not only washed away my sins, but has purged my conscience. Over 31 years many people have asked me; does your past haunt you? My answer is no, my sins have been washed away I am justified, reconciled, redeemed, and my conscience has been purged. You can be as clean and live a pure life just as he has helped me to live. If you will just ask him to wash you and keep you washed in his blood.
Under the Old Testament economy, you had to bring a lamb every year to the priest. It was not a matter of what sins you had committed no matter how bad or how many. The priest was not interested in examining you or in hearing your excuses, he simply examined the lamb to make sure that it was spotless., If the lamb was spotless then your sins were put away until the next day of atonement. Unfortunately, in our walk with God we sometimes stumble and fall, we don’t practice it, but we still sin. When we come before God the enemy of our soul is always quick to accuse us to God and tell God we have no right to be there or to make petition for any of his blessings. When this takes place the mediator of the new covenant, the lamb himself, stands up and tells the devil we’re not here to discuss what they’ve done. It is covered in my blood and my blood is sufficient. So Mr. devil the next time you try to tell me how unworthy I am, and have no right to expect anything from God. I would just like to tell you one thing. Take a look at the lamb, he’s perfect in every way. It is on the basis of his blood that I can walk into the throne room of God.
