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Lesson Seven: THE POWER OF BLOOD, part 1 |
LESSON SEVEN
The Power of Blood, Part 1
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar, to make atonement for your souls; for it [is] the blood which maketh atonement for the soul.” -Leviticus 17:11 YLT
Sinless blood makes atonement for the soul. This is
why up until Jesus Christ, certain specific animals were ceremonially
sacrificed, in a specific way laid out by God, to temporarily cover sins. Animals aren’t created in the image of God,
therefore they carry no free-will to sin in their blood. Animals are unable to sin, as they are only
in the flesh, lacking the capability of walking in the spirit. They are mostly
following instinct.
The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ was sinless; it was
the blood of God, so it transcends time and atones for all sins of every person
who chooses to accept this free gift. If
sinless blood atones for sin, then that means it is somehow counteracting the
sin in our blood – the blood of sinners.
“and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.” Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” And the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen, your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground!” –Genesis 4:4-10 NRSVue
Abel’s blood cried
to God. Did God not know that Cain
killed Abel, so He had to listen for the crying blood? No. God knew.
Like a parent, when their child does something wrong, the parent gives
the child a chance to fess up first.
Personally, I’ve always told my children that if they
did something wrong, it’s better to tell me about it, than to lie, because
usually I consider the lie to be the bigger faux pas. If the child were to just admit the wrong
doing, the punishment wouldn’t be so bad, because I’d see they knew it was
wrong, and that they shouldn’t have done it, and were likely sorry. However, when a child lies about it, then we
are also dealing with pride.
God gave Cain the chance to confess his sin to Him,
and then Cain could have repented, and possibly received God’s forgiveness, or
a lesser punishment, but Cain added lying and pride to his list of sins.
Notice though, that Abel’s blood cried
to God. What did the first part of our Leviticus passage say? It said “for the life of the flesh is in the
blood.” The word “life” here, is from
the Hebrew nep̄eš, which means
soul. The Hebrew word ḥay means
“alive,” and is generally a word used when describing a life. For example:
“and yet, I live (hay)
-- and it is filled -- the whole earth -- [with] the honour of Jehovah” -Numbers 14:21 YLT
Nep̄eš is the Hebrew word for
soul:
“ for the life nep̄eš of the flesh is in the blood,
and I have given it to you on the altar, to make atonement for your souls nep̄eš; for it [is] the blood which
maketh atonement for the soul nep̄eš.” –Leviticus 17:11 YLT
Notice in the above verse, that the Hebrew word for
soul - nep̄eš, is there three
times, yet the above, and many other translations say “life” in the first
instance, and “soul” in the other two.
Let’s see something that is obvious in the Hebrew. Let’s stay consistent, and translate nep̄eš
as “soul” all three times in the above verse.
When we do that, something amazing jumps out at us:
“for the soul of the flesh is in the blood, and I have
given it to you on the altar, to make atonement for your souls; for it [is] the
blood which maketh atonement for the soul.” –Leviticus 17:11
1) The soul of the flesh is in the blood. Where’s your soul? It’s in your BLOOD.
2) When you sin, your soul, which is in your blood, needs
atoned for.
3) Sinless blood must therefore be spilt for your sinful
blood, to atone for it.
How is our soul in our blood, and how does it cry, and
why does sinless blood need to be shed to fix the problem of sin? We’ll get
into all of this in the next lessons.
_______________________________________________________________
Where is the soul of
the human being located?
When you sin, your
________ needs atoned for.
Lesson Six -- Lesson Eight
"It’s like a person building a house by digging deep and laying the foundation on bedrock. When the flood came, the rising water smashed against that house, but the water couldn’t shake the house because it was well built. 49 But those who don’t put into practice what they hear are like a person who built a house without a foundation. The floodwater smashed against it and it collapsed instantly. It was completely destroyed." -Luke 6:48-49 CEB
"The Lord lives! Bless God, my rock! Let my God, the rock of my salvation, be lifted high!" -2 Samuel 22:47 CEB
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." -John 8:32 CEB
"Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." -John 14:6 CEB |
The terms "Christian" and "personal relationship with Jesus Christ" have been thrown around so much, that for many people, they have lost their original savor. What is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Is it going to church? Is it being a "good person?" Is it via doing certain rituals, or following certain traditions? No, it is so much simpler than that.
Jesus says:
"Look! I’m standing at the door and knocking. If any hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to be with them, and will have dinner with them, and they will have dinner with me." -Revelation 3:20 CEB
Let Jesus into your heart and life. Put your faith and trust in Him, and in Him alone.
Why did Jesus Christ come to this earth? He came to pay for our sins. Have you ever broken any of the Ten Commandments? Did you know that Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount that just looking at someone with lust in your heart is the same thing as committing adultery in your heart?
Many people will say I'm a good person. Sure, I've stolen a few paper clips in my time, and I've told some lies, but I've never killed anyone, so I'm good enough for heaven. Don't be so sure. Have you ever felt hatred toward someone? If so, then you are guilty of committing murder in your heart:
"Everyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that murderers don’t have eternal life residing in them." -1 John 3:15 CEB
If you have stolen, lied, lusted after someone, hated someone, loved someone or something more than God, etc., then you have broken at least 5 of the Ten Commandments. Do you really think you'd make it to heaven? Not according to God's Word:
"Don’t you know that people who are unjust won’t inherit God’s kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Those who are sexually immoral, those who worship false gods, adulterers, both participants in same-sex intercourse, thieves, the greedy, drunks, abusive people, and swindlers won’t inherit God’s kingdom." -1 Corinthians 6:9-10 CEB
But there is good news:
"That is what some of you used to be! But you were washed clean, you were made holy to God, and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." -1 Corinthians 6:11 CEB
We are all sinners:
"All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory" -Romans 3:23 CEB
Even Mary, the woman chosen by God to be a vessel that would carry Jesus in her womb, was a sinner, and in need of a Savior:
"In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior." - Mary said this in Luke 1:47 (CEB). Only sinners need a Savior, and Mary also accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior.
We are all imperfect, fallible sinners:
"This is the message that we have heard from him and announce to you: “God is light and there is no darkness in him at all.” If we claim, “We have fellowship with him,” and live in the darkness, we are lying and do not act truthfully. But if we live in the light in the same way as he is in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. If we claim, “We don’t have any sin,” we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." -1 John 1:5-8 CEB
The blood of Jesus Christ is what cleanses us from all sins. Jesus came to this earth to die to pay for our sins. You see, Leviticus tells us that 'the life is in the blood,' and that it takes spilt blood to atone for sin.
When we choose to truly believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and to live our lives for Christ, then Christ's spilt blood cleanses us from our sins:
"Come now, and let’s settle this, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be white as snow. If they are red as crimson, they will become like wool." -Isaiah 1:18 CEB
Jesus tells us this:
"God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life. God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him isn’t judged; whoever doesn’t believe in him is already judged, because they don’t believe in the name of God’s only Son." - Jesus said this, in John 3:16-18 (CEB)
Paul gives us a simple "step by step process" on how to be saved:
"Because if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and in your heart you have faith that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Trusting with the heart leads to righteousness, and confessing with the mouth leads to salvation. The scripture says, All who have faith in him won’t be put to shame." -Romans 10:9-11 CEB
Jesus is our one and only mediator:
"There is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the human Christ Jesus" -1 Timothy 2:5 CEB
Jesus is our High Priest:
"Also, let’s hold on to the confession since we have a great high priest who passed through the heavens, who is Jesus, God’s Son; because we don’t have a high priest who can’t sympathize with our weaknesses but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin." -Hebrews 4:14-15 CEB
We are to follow the Lord and the Bible, not traditions of people:
"Jesus replied, “Why do you break the command of God by keeping the rules handed down to you?" -Matthew 15:3 CEB
Jesus is God:
"Without question, the mystery of godliness is great: he was revealed as a human, declared righteous by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached throughout the nations, believed in around the world, and taken up in glory." -1 Timothy 3:16 CEB
If Jesus isn't the Lord of your life, then I hope that you will let Him into your heart and life this very moment.
"But God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us." -Romans 5:8 CEB
Have you built your foundation on the Rock of Salvation?
Jesus is the way. If you would like to receive Jesus into your heart and life, then let Him know. Pray to the Lord, telling Him that you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and that you believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the death penalty for your sins. Tell this to God in your own words, from your heart.
"The wages that sin pays are death, but God’s gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 6:23 CEB
Believe, and Receive:
"You too heard the word of truth in Christ, which is the good news of your salvation. You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit because you believed in Christ." -Ephesians 1:13 CEB
When you believe on Jesus Christ, you receive the Holy Spirit. You are sealed as a child of God.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ into your heart and life as your Lord and Savior, and you believe that Jesus died on the cross in your place, to pay the death penalty for your sins, and that Christ rose from the dead three days later, and you are ready to let Him lead your life, and you will live for Him, then you are saved, and born again.
