There's Nothing Like the Blood …
Pastor Jim Stegman, Living Hope Christian Fellowship
(a Free Methodist congregation in Bothell, WA)

Your blood is very important to your life. Simply put, without blood you have no life. Your blood does the amazing work of delivering life-sustaining nutrients to each of your cells while cleansing your body from life-destroying toxins and foreign bodies that can make you sick. Twice a minute your blood journeys through your body doing its work without your even noticing. It's little wonder, then, that the Bible uses blood symbolically to represent important truths about the life of our spirit. But unless we explain what we mean when we use blood as a symbol, it's easy to leave people confused or even repulsed by the pictures it brings to mind.

What do we mean as Christians when we refer to being washed in the blood, saved by the blood or having power in the blood?

When the Bible refers to Jesus' blood as the "blood of the New Covenant" it speaks of His voluntary death that makes it possible for God to forgive our sins. Although He was innocent, (the only one) Jesus gave up His life so that we who are guilty could have our guilt removed. We can only have the toxins of sin removed from our spirit because of the ongoing work of Jesus' life-giving sacrifice.

Two facts are noteworthy. First, the removal of sin from our spirit is costly to God. The agonizing nature of Jesus' death highlights the seriousness of our sin problem. It demonstrates God's great love for us and extreme investment in us! Second, only an innocent person could offer his life in such a redeeming way. No person but Jesus could (or can) pay the price for sin because everyone is guilty except Him. We need outside help to become clean from sin and guilt, and to stay clean in our spirit. God provides that help — through Jesus.

So when we sing or speak of blood, and when we take Communion and receive the blood of the New Covenant, we're talking about the benefits we receive in our spirits and lives because of the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Singing about the blood is a way of remembering and acknowledging our gratitude — and our personal and collective benefit. In so doing, we receive the blood thankfully as a gift that's been offered.

This spiritual blood works in our souls and spirits in a way similar to the physical blood in our bodies. It gives life and takes away impurities. But the effects are so much more significant because the life Jesus' blood gives is never ending. And the purity it provides affects our entire being. Forever.

So sing about Jesus' blood and righteousness. Celebrate the blood of the New Covenant. And do so with a renewed understanding that it all points to Jesus and His great unending love in your life!