The Blood of Christ

Sin, being man’s revolt from God and the setting up of his own independence, has placed a barrier between God and man. This was symbolised in the Old Testament by the veil of the tabernacle, showing that there was no access, no entrance into the presence of God, except in God’s own particular way. This way was that once a year, and only once, the high priest, divested of all his priestly garments, entered into the most holy place with blood. Before him stood the ark covered with gold, and over which was the cloud of glory. All these betokened God’s character of perfect righteousness and holiness. Then the high priest drew near to this throne of God and sprinkled the Mercy Seat, that is, the cover of the ark, once and once only. Thus, God’s eye rested on blood, and His law of righteousness was satisfied, for the blood was the witness of death for sin. The high priest then proceeded to sprinkle the floor around the ark, that is, the sandy deserts, with blood seven times. Why this? It signified that by means of atoning blood the worshipper could draw near to God and stand accepted and complete.

Now see the fulfilment of this in Christ. First, He suffered outside the camp, that is, in this world. Then, having risen, He ascended into Heaven, into the true Holy of Holies, in human form as Man, and there appears in God’s presence for us, our Advocate, our Intercessor, and our Forerunner, the barriers all removed, the enmity abolished. This is what Paul meant when he said, “Having made peace through the Blood of His Cross” (Col. 1:20). This is what he meant when he said, “Ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the Blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:13), and “Through Him we have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph 2:18). Again, “Having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus” (Heb. 10:19). Thus, the veil being rent, the way made manifest, we have peace with God, access to God, boldness to approach Him. Now it is by faith, but ere long by the same Blood we shall enter Heaven, for is it not written, “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God”? (Rev. 7:14, 15).

The Blood cleanses from the guilt through the Death of Christ. This is what Paul meant when he said, “In whom we have the forgiveness of sins” (Eph. 1:7). This is the meaning of Romans 3:25, “A propitiation for the remission of sins that are past.” This is the meaning of the words in the institution of the Lord’s Supper, “My blood... shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28). But we have more than forgiveness, we have justification; we are reckoned just. Not only are we forgiven criminals, but we are regarded as perfectly innocent men, for Paul says we are “justified by His Blood.”

The Blood of Christ releases from the bondage of sin by the resurrection of Christ. By the resurrection He triumphed over sin, hence the apostle says, “In whom we have redemption through His Blood” (Col. 1:14). Redemption is the buying back, the purchase, the deliverance from the slavery and bondage of sin. Hence it is said that the Church is “purchased with His own Blood” (Acts 20:28), and the song of Heaven will be, “Thou hast redeemed us to God by Thy Blood.” Thank God that, once redeemed, there can be no more slavery for us, for it is written that Christ has “obtained eternal redemption for us” (Heb. 9:12).

But this is not all. A slave may be redeemed and yet have no power to live as a free man. Therefore Christ's deliverance includes the restoration of our sin-weakened powers. In union with Him, His life becomes our life, and we have sanctification by His Blood. Lest any sin should afterward defile and weaken us, we have the assurance that “the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from every sin” (1 John 1:7). It is much to know, as we have seen, that His Blood blots out our guilt and opens Heaven but it is much more to know that we are made partakers of His sanctifying virtues, that the holiness of Christ passes into us and that His life becomes the wellspring of a new existence. Thus we go on from strength to strength, until at last it shall be said of us, “They overcame by the Blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 12:11).

This, then, is the need, the meaning, and the power of Christ’s Blood. And now let us accept it. There is no other hope and no other means of salvation.

One Lord, Jesus Christ

“To this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord” (Rom. xiv. 9). “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am” (John xiii. 13).

We see then how the Creed concentrates our attention on the Person of Christ as the Object of our faith. Christianity is best understood as “devotion to a Person,” and that Person a Divine One, and the devotion is the trustful dependence on Him and whole-hearted surrender to Him. Having thus learned to trust in a Person, we are at once led to know all we can about Him, and especially the most important facts of His manifestation which are brought before us in Holy Scripture.

It is necessary to fix our attention first of all on the fact of our Lord’s Death, which is central in Scripture, Prayer Book, and all history. The meaning of the Death is best stated in one word, “Sacrifice.” It was a sacrificial Death, not the death of a martyr or merely of an example, but of One Who gave Himself for a sacrifice. He died, “the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet. iii. 18). “Who His own self bare our sins in His Own Body on the tree” (1 Cor. xv. 3). For this reason we call the Death an Atonement, because it was caused by sin and was for the purpose of putting an end to sin.

The atoning work having been accomplished, our Lord “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High” (Heb. i. 3). He has nothing more to offer, for there is no need of anything beyond that one “full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world,” offered on Calvary. The Lord is our High Priest on the Throne, a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. In and through His heavenly Priesthood we have “access into the Holiest,” and can “draw near in full assurance of faith” (Heb. x. 19,22)… When we realize the power and blessing of our Lord’s heavenly Priesthood and His Divine advocacy on our behalf, we realize the completeness, assurance, and guarantee of our redemption, and can rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (1920)

The Righteousness of God

Righteousness by works would mean that we attain it; righteousness by faith means that we obtain it. There is no virtue or merit in faith, for it finds all its value in the Object the One in Whom we believe. Faith thus implies acceptance, reliance, dependence, confidence, all of which are opposed to self-effort, self-reliance, self-confidence.

Christ thus died for two reasons: to rescue the righteousness of God from all possible misunderstanding and at the same time to provide for and secure the righteousness of man.

The Church

(1) We must not overrate the position and importance of the Church. It is only too possible to do this. But it will mean spiritual loss and disaster. If we exalt the Church we are likely to forget Christ. High views of the Church often mean low views of Christ. If we emphasize the Church as the depository of grace we tend to neglect Christ as the Source of grace. If we place the Church between the sinner and the Saviour we may easily shut Christ out of the sinner's view. But if we exalt Christ the Church finds her proper place. If we honour Christ we shall value the Church aright.

(2) We must not underrate the position and importance of the Church. It is only too easy to do this. But this too will mean spiritual loss. The individual Christian needs the Church for fellowship, growth, love, and progress. The world needs the Church for witness and blessing. We must therefore honour the Church, value her life, further her progress, and enable her to realize God's purpose. We must foster Church life, Church unity, Church fellowship in every possible way. We must pray for the Church, that she may realize her high calling and glorify God in the world. Thus shall we be Churchpeople in the truest sense, members of the family of God, branches of the Vine, members of the Body, and stones in the Living Temple. (1920)