The Blood Of God

Why does it have to be blood that cleanses and covers our sin?

I often wondered about that in the early years of my walk with God. I thought the whole idea of the blood was crass and crude—actually kind of grotesque. I mean, when a kid skins a knee and is bleeding, the idea is that a parent—or whoever is caring for that child—will clean it up with some type of disinfectant and then shields it with some kind of bandage.

If it’s more severe, there may be stitches to close the wound; and then a bandage to cover and protect it. Most people don’t walk around openly hemorrhaging as if nothing is wrong. An open cut or sore needs to be treated and covered in order to heal. At least, that’s what I was taught and passed along to our girls.

The idea that Jesus’ blood is the healing element that covers over all our wounds and sins we have in this life—well, that never would have occurred to me. Even as a believer I was put off by people who prayed about being under the blood of Jesus, the sinless spotless Lamb.

I grew up in a fairly liberal Jewish home, celebrating the major holidays. Many years we sat at table for the Passover and told the story. The most memorable part of the Seder was telling how the blood of the lamb had to be applied to the doorways of each of the Israelite houses, if they wanted the Death angel to pass over them.

In Leviticus 17 God tells us about the blood quite directly and in verse 11 He says: For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.

I have pondered this idea through the years, alongside the extreme woundedness, deception and depravity of humankind. And my continued realization is that there is nothing stronger to purge our stains than the blood of God. No animal could provide that kind of complete covering, no man in his broken state could make that sacrifice.

Only God in His perfect, sinless state could give Himself in the person of His Son. And whether we believe it or not, His blood is enough.

We often treat sin very lightly because we don’t understand its power and the goal of the one who knowingly led humanity into rebellion in the first place. He is no lover of mankind. His stated purpose is to kill, steal, and destroy. He knows no mercy.

We think that just because we say a prayer and begin to go to church we are “saved.” But there is a war on—even within our very souls. Paul spoke of it in Romans 7, saying the things he wanted to do he did not do. But the things he didn’t want to do—those things he did.

And so it is with us.

But Jesus tells us clearly in John 15 the way we stand against temptation’s siren call is to abide in Him, remain in Him, dwell in Him, like a branch connected to the vine which is then able to bear good fruit. It’s the sap running from the vine into the branch that preserves, sustains, and causes new life.

Without that sap the limb begins to lose leaves, flexibility, withers and fades. So, we too, need to remain, abide, dwell, stay joined to Jesus the True Vine. Apart from Him we can do nothing.

And what is that sap running from the Vine to the branch if it isn’t His blood? It is His very life. And those of us who believe He is Messiah and Savior, Lord and Lamb, have also come under that protection and covering of His blood—His very life—in us. Christ in us the hope of glory.

" . . . If we walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin." —1 John 1:7 Click on the picture below to hear Sally sing Nothing But The Blood

-Sally Klein O'Connor

3/11/24