In our preceding entries on the benefits of the blood, much of what we have dealt with has to do with our salvation. Most of these final benefits are concerned with the life we live after salvation. A scholar friend of mine says that most everyone agrees that it takes the blood to become a Christian, or a follower of Jesus Christ, but then the arguments start over what does a Christian look and live like?
I) Communion First Corinthians 10:16
The word communion is translated as; participation, sharing, fellowship, partaking of the divine life, and being a partaker of the blessings of grace. There are two communions mentioned in the New Testament: the communion of Christ, and communion with the devil or idols. You cannot have communion with Christ and the devil simultaneously. You’re not a duplex, you are the temple of the Holy Ghost. The apostle mentions the blessing of the cup, and teaches us that it is the communion of the blood of Christ. We should always be a thankful people for every blessing bestowed upon us through the blood. Through his blood Christ communicates himself, and every grace blessing, including the gifts of the spirit. It is through the blood that we are connected to every blessing in heaven. It is through the blood that we are a part of God’s family, and can call each other brother or sister. Apart from the blood, we have no right to call God father, or to expect him to grant any request. Thank God for the blood opening up the treasures of heaven to you and me to grant true fellowship.
II) Peace Colossians 1: 20
The scriptures teach us that having made peace through the blood of his cross, Jesus accomplished what no man could ever accomplish: he brought peace between the father, and fallen man by his blood. The just demands of a holy God were met, and satisfied in the blood of Jesus, and the sins of unholy men were washed away in the blood. The terms of peace were met, and brought us into agreement with God. Thank God, we have a mediator, or daysman. Honorable terms acceptable to God were purchased by the blood of his son, who bore the shame of the curse that had been upon mankind. The blood of Jesus is the only acceptable remedy; it is a lasting agreement followed by a trainload of blessings. When I first became a Christian, the first overwhelming blessing that came upon me was peace. Isaiah 26 :3, and John 16:33 were some of the first scriptures that I learned. I learned that there were three aspects, or dimensions of peace: peace with God, peace with myself, and peace with my fellow man. I cannot tell you after all the turmoil, and chaos of sin that I had lived through; how wonderful piece was to me then, and now 32 years later.
III) Claimed Acts 20: 28
To be claimed by God; what an overwhelming thought. From the time I was saved until today, I still cannot believe that God not only wanted me, but he intended to keep me. First Corinthians 6: 20 teaches us that we were bought with a price, and that price was the blood of Jesus Christ. What an overwhelming thought to believe that God the father would pay such a high price for one such as I. The fact that he appointed under shepherds to protect me, feed me, teach me how to walk in the spirit, and in the imitation of Christ still blows my mind. I find it hard to believe that with full foreknowledge of everything about me he still bought me, and claimed me for his own. He has brought me from being an outsider into the church of the living God. The meaning in the Greek, of being claimed by God through the blood of Jesus, is very emphatic. By his appointing overseers over the church he shows the deep level of concern he has for you and me, not just to keep us out of hell, but to see us transformed into his image. First Peter 2:9 teaches us that we are a peculiar people, and we should show forth praises unto him, who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. Overseers; let me warn you, light caring leads to light tending. Be sure to tend the flock, he paid a very high price for it.
IV) Continual Cleansing, 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 from all sin. Darkness is always associated with antisocial behavior. When there were three days of darkness in Egypt no one could move or interact with others. Light expels darkness; the enemy of our souls Lucifer himself can only operate in the dark. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, it does not leave room for willful sin. In this passage “cleanse” is in first continual, it is in the present sense. Fellowship is not just between you, and me, it is you, and me, and the father, it is the ultimate threefold cord that is hardly broken. One of the first things my pastor taught me was, the tabernacle had a dirt floor. That may sound very odd to most of you, but my pastor taught me early on that no matter how involved, or passionate you are about ministry, or living holy you still get dirty. Thank God for the ever-cleansing blood of Jesus. The best thing you can do when you find that you are convicted of sin; is plead guilty, and throw yourself on the mercy of God. While you must be a Christian for this scripture to relate to you; if you are a true Christian you realize how easy it is to get your feet dirty. You do not need to be reborn every time you sin, however you do need forgiveness, and to be washed. I am a man who tries to live a holy life by his spirit, his word, and his blood. I am sanctified; set apart for service to God, but even on my best days I am very cognizant of the fact that the tabernacle has a dirt floor.
V) To Conquer Revelation 12:11
And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they love not their lives unto death. Victory; what a beautiful word, it can only be accomplished through conflict. When Jesus defeated the accuser of the brethren in verse 10, we find that beautiful word (now) not later, not in the future, but now salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. The results of Christ victory, and our purchase by his blood has resulted in Satan being defeated and victory becoming a reality, in our present lives, and testimony to that victory being established in our lives. The old folks used to greet each other with the question have you got the victory? The truth is, as long as I have the victor I have the victory because of his blood, and his word I have the victory. The accuser of the brethren can’t lay a hand on me. The old rabbis used to teach that the devil could accuse the saints every day of the year except the day of atonement, but since our atonement is not based on a yearly renewal I am free to walk in fellowship, and testimony with God, my brothers and sisters. Thanks, be unto God who always causes us to triumph, II Corinthians 2: 14, thanks be to God who giveth us the victory I Corinthians 15: 57. Thank God for the ability to live victoriously, let us not live below our privilege. While these are but a few of the benefits of the blood, I trust they have been a blessing to you, and that you will share them with others. You that know me, know that I am a true storyteller, so I can’t close without a story. Years ago, I read the account of an American minister visiting in the Scottish Highlands. It was the spring of the year, the time of new lambs being born. He was spending time in a very large flock with many shepherds, and hundreds of lambs were being born every day. One day a mother sheep died giving birth, the poor little lamb seemed so helpless and unwanted. It tried to go from mother to mother to receive nourishment and protection. Each mother would turn; smell it, and realize it was not her own, and butt it away. The minister became frantic and ran to the shepherds to tell them about the little lamb, and to see what they would do about it. They remained very calm, and told him this happens every day this time of the year. Later in the day, a mother gave birth to a stillborn lamb, and the shepherds went over and skinned it, the minister was horrified, they then took the skin and wrapped it around the lamb who had lost its mother; presented it to the new mother, and she turned and recognized it as her own, and began to give nourishment and protection. Two thousand years ago, on another hill, not in the Scottish Highlands, but in Palestine another lamb was slain, and his blood was applied to my life. When I was an outsider with no one to care for me, or feed me he covered me in his blood, and presented me to his father, and he accepted me as his own son, Thank God for the blood. From that day to this I’ve always known that I belong to somebody, and that he cares no matter what people may say, or do I belong.
Robert Pilgrim
