The Blood of Jesus Christ

Twice scripture says that Jesus cleanses or washes away all of someone’s sin with His blood. First, you read that in 1 John 1:7: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Second, you read that in Revelation 1:5: “Unto him (Jesus Christ) that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.”

When Jesus shed His blood that washes away sin, He also died for us. Both His death and shed blood are necessary for man’s salvation. Consider how the Apostle Paul puts both of these together in Colossians 1:20-22: “20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.”

One, Jesus “made peace through the blood of the cross.” Two, “you, that were sometimes alienated and enemies. . . [Jesus]. . . reconciled in the body of his flesh through death.” So, you see shed blood and death both necessary.

God also portrays both death and shed blood in the ordinance of the Lord’s Table or Communion with the two elements: bread and cup. Bread represents death and the cup represents blood. The death is Jesus’ substitution and the shed blood is Jesus’ sacrifice. The blood of Jesus does something unique for believers in their salvation by grace through faith.