Blood Covenant

"When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." (Hebrews 9: 11-15 NIV)

"This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep." In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." (9: 18-28 NIV)

"The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." (Hebrews 10: 1-4 NIV)

"And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." (verses 18-22 NIV)

These verses explain in detail how sinners are saved by the blood and death of Christ. The blood and death of Christ is the source and means of cleansing a sinner from sin. It cleanses him personally, in his conscience, and also legally before the law of God. The blood of Christ is that which sanctifies and makes holy the things upon which it is mystically "sprinkled."

The writer of Hebrews shows how the blood sacrifices and the ceremonies involving blood, of the Old Covenant (Testament), were symbolic foreshadowings of the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross, of the shedding of his blood, and of the presentation of that blood to God upon the mercy seat in heaven, the antitypes of the earthly mercy seat and "holy place made with hands."

The verses above also state that it is the blood of Christ that makes perfect, that brings redemption and the forgiveness of sins, and what removes guilt and washes away spiritual and moral filth. It is the blood of Christ that does all these things.

The verses above declare that the blood must be applied by the Holy Spirit's mystically "sprinkling" upon the sinner's heart, mind, and conscience, for it to be of benefit to him. Peter alludes to this mystical "sprinkling" and applies it to the salvation or conversion experience of those who believe in Jesus and trust in his blood.

"...who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance." (I Peter 1: 2 NIV)

This blood trusted in and relied upon for salvation is to avail oneself of this blood, to have it applied to his inner being, thus sanctifying, cleansing, and making holy. Wrote Paul:

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." (Romans 3: 23-26 NIV)

It is the blood that saves everyone who trusts in the blood. Every born again Christian has been shown a revelation concerning how his salvation is all due to this blood. His faith in the blood is his faith in the gospel that has reported the news concerning his blood sacrifice. When the sinner hears the story of the cross and of the sacrificial purpose of his death, then he will mystically receive Christ into his being, in a similar way to the way men eat and drink, or "take in" food.

"Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink." (John 6: 53-55 NIV)

"Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?" (I Corinthians 10: 16 NIV)

"For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself." (I Corinthians 11: 23-29 NIV)

"In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." (Luke 22: 20 NIV)

When a person receives the gospel, and believes it, and receives Christ as Lord and Savior, and trusts in his blood, he is then mystically taking in Christ into his inner being, into his heart, into the very throne of his heart, the place where ego and sin once reigned. The sinner becomes one with (communes) or "participates in" Christ when he eats and drinks in Christ, and he does this when he drinks in the gospel. The eating of the Lord's Supper symbolizes this experience.

"Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!" (Romans 5: 9 NIV)

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." (Ephesians 1: 7 NIV)

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2: 13 NIV)

"...and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." (Colossians 1: 20 NIV)

"This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26: 28 NIV)

"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood." (Acts 20: 28 NIV)

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." (I Peter 1: 18, 19 NIV)

"To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen." (Revelation 1: 6 NIV)

"And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation." (Revelation 5: 9 NIV)

Redemption, justification, cleansing, perfection, holiness, righteousness, reconciliation, and being brought near to God, making peace with God, are all blessings arising from the blood of Jesus!

But what of those who reject the blood of Jesus? What is their destiny?

"Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." (Hebrews 10: 28 -30 NIV)

"When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!" All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!" Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified." (Matthew 27: 24-26 NIV)

"We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood." (Acts 5: 28 NIV)

"But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." (Acts 18: 6 NIV)

Those who reject the blood will find that they are "guilty of the blood" of Jesus, rather than saved by it. His blood will BE ON those who have not received Christ, nor repented of sins in his name.

"...to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel." (Hebrews 12: 24 NIV)

Abel's blood cried for vengeance against his murderer, cried for justice. Christ's blood, however, cries for pardon for all those who trust in his blood.

"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13: 20, 21 NIV)

Friend, will you accept and believe the gospel? Will you trust in Christ's atonement for sin and nothing else? Will you trust in his blood and pray for its application to your own heart? If you do, then you can be sure of having promise and right to all the blessings stemming from that holy blood!