What is the blood of Christ?

When the New Testament speaks of the blood of Christ it means his death as a sacrifice for sin. The Greek word is haima,¹ and it carries the Old Testament teaching that "the life of the flesh is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11). Horatius Bonar explained the connection: "But the blood is the 'life made visible'--the liquid link between body and soul, which, once broken, brings death."² To say that Christ shed his blood is to say that he laid down his life, really and violently, in the place of sinners.

Why blood?

From Genesis onward God taught that sin costs a life. He told Israel, "I have given it to you to make atonement for your souls upon the altar; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul" (Leviticus 17:11). Hebrews sums up the whole system: "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22). C. H. Spurgeon said, "God has attached awful sacredness to the shedding of blood."³ The sacrifices showed that God is holy, that sin is deadly, and that forgiveness is never cheap.

The Passover lamb

On the night Israel left Egypt each household killed a lamb and put its blood on the doorposts. God said, "when I see the blood, I will pass over you" (Exodus 12:13). Roy Hession described the father killing the lamb: "And as he put the knife into the breast of that little creature, judgment, that should have been his, fell on the lamb."⁴ The blood on the door meant something definite: "It's a token that the destroying angel, that judgment's already been here."⁴ John the Baptist used the same picture of Jesus: "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).

The blood of the covenant

At the last supper Jesus took the cup and said, "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28). The old covenant was sealed with the blood of animals. The new covenant, with its promise of sins forgiven and God's law written on the heart, is sealed with his own. The church remembers this whenever it takes the cup: "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me" (1 Corinthians 11:25).

Precious blood

Peter says believers were redeemed "with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot" (1 Peter 1:19). Its worth comes from whose blood it is. Paul speaks of "the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28). Henry Klassen said, "The blood of Christ is precious, because that was the plan of God from eternity past."⁵ The blood has no power as a substance apart from Christ. It is precious because it is the life of the sinless Son of God, given willingly.

Redemption and forgiveness

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7). Watchman Nee wrote, "The Blood is for atonement and has to do first with our standing before God."⁶ Before it does anything in a person's feelings, it settles the question of guilt before God. Spurgeon preached, "Jesus' suffering, bleeding, dying, has procured for sinners the forgiveness of their sins."⁷ Paul says, "we have now been justified by His blood" (Romans 5:9).

Cleansing

"If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). Spurgeon held this out to the worst: "The blood of the covenant takes every sin away, be it what it may; there was never a sin believingly confessed and taken to Christ that ever baffled his power to cleanse it."⁷

The cleansing reaches the conscience. The blood of Christ will "purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God" (Hebrews 9:14). Zac Poonen applied the verse: "The blood of Christ is to cleanse us from dead works, things that we do as a matter of routine."⁸ He also drew the line between condemnation and conviction: "And if it's conviction, and you know that the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse you, you go away with hope."⁹

Brought near

Under the law only the high priest entered the Most Holy Place, once a year, and never without blood. Now "we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus" (Hebrews 10:19). Gentiles who had no part in Israel's covenants are included: "you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ" (Ephesians 2:13). God has made peace "through the blood of His cross" (Colossians 1:20). The believer does not come to God on the strength of his own record. He comes through Christ's death.

Victory over the accuser

Revelation says of the saints and Satan, "They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony" (Revelation 12:11). Derek Prince explained how: "We overcome Satan when we testify personally to what the Word of God says the blood of Jesus does for us."¹⁰ Keith Malcomson said, "The blood of Jesus Christ is where we gain a victory."¹¹ When the accuser says a believer is guilty, the answer is not a defence of oneself. It is that Christ has died.

Nothing added

The blood needs no supplement. Christ entered the Most Holy Place "once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption" (Hebrews 9:12). Spurgeon said, "The blood is the only Atonement—the blood, without any mixture of anything else, completes and finishes the work!"¹² Roy Hession wrote from the East African revival that "the blood of Jesus has never lost its power".¹³

The blood and obedience

Trusting the blood is not permission to go on sinning. The promise of cleansing in John's letter is for those who "walk in the light." Jesus "suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood" (Hebrews 13:12). Prince warned, "The blood is not sprinkled on the disobedient."¹⁰ Hebrews speaks soberly of the person who has "trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace" (Hebrews 10:29).

The song of heaven

The praise of the redeemed is about the blood. John writes, "To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood" (Revelation 1:5). The elders sing to the Lamb, "You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation" (Revelation 5:9). And of the great multitude it is said, "they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:14).