Articles
There is Power in the Blood
The blood of Jesus Christ WASHES AWAY sins. The apostle John said, "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and WASHED (emp LS) us from our sins in his own blood" (Revelation 1:5). The blood of Jesus Christ is so powerful that it can cleanse EVERY sin. The apostle John again says, "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 (emp LS) us from ALL (emp LS) sin" (I John 1:7).
Sin is what defiles or makes us dirty. Paul writes, "Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is DEFILED" (emp LS, Titus 1:15). The power of the blood of Jesus Christ will wash us as clean as Isaiah said - "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool" (Isaiah 1:18).
The blood of Jesus Christ JUSTIFIES. "Much more then, being now JUSTIFIED (emp LS) by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Romans 5:9). The term justify means "declare righteous" Thayer. The sinner is condemned, bearing the quilt, having transgressed the law. "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law" (I John 3:4). By the blood of Jesus Christ, one can be declared righteous.
The blood of Jesus Christ also SANTIFIES. "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was SANCTIFIED (emp LS), an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace" (Hebrews 10:29)? "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might SANCTIFY (emp LS) the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate" (Hebrews 13:12). Sanctify means "to make holy" Bullinger. The blood of Jesus Christ can make us holy.
The blood of Jesus Christ RECONCILES. "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to RECONCILE (emp LS) all things unto himself" (Colossians 1:20). Reconcile means "to change from enmity to friendship" W. E. Vine. "That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ" (Ephesians 2:12-13). Sin is what separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2), thus making us enemies of God (James 4:4). The blood of Jesus Christ changes us from enemies to friends of God.
"Would you be free from the burden of sin? There's pow'r in the blood, pow'r in the blood; Would you o'er evil a victory win? There's wonderful pow'r in the blood." L. E. Jones, "There Is Power in the Blood". More next week.
