By God's Blood!
"Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His
own blood He entered the heavenly Most Holy Place
once for all, having obtained eternal redemption."
Hebrews 9: 12
Christianity has been called a ghastly religion because of its
emphasis on the shedding of blood. Indeed, the writer to the
Hebrews says, “Without shedding of blood there is no
remission of sins” (Hebrews 9: 22).
Here’s where theology takes a serious turn. The image of
blood is no more ghastly than what it corresponds to: the
ghastliness of sin. We forget, at times, just how serious
sin is in the face of a perfectly holy God.
It was God’s plan to enjoy fellowship with His creation for
eternity, and He ultimately will. But when man sinned—a
ghastly offense in the sight of our holy God—it required a
correspondingly serious solution.
A perfectly sinless Man had to die—that’s what “shedding of
blood” means—for a perfectly sinful mankind. So Jesus shed
His blood instead of God shedding ours. And in doing so, He
“obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9: 12).
Contemplate today what God did to ensure
eternal fellowship with us. He allowed His
own Son to die that we might live.
Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place
condemned He stood; sealed my pardon with
His blood. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Philip P. Bliss
