HF136 - What is in the Blood
To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date: Wed, December 22, 2004
Subject: Bible Study HF136 - What is in the Blood
Hebraics,
In this study we want to look at the issue of the blood of Jesus, and where it can be said that the blood of Jesus was [is] God's blood.
This is Bible Study HF136 - What is in the Blood.
Science has long since discovered that a person's lineage can be researched by what is called DNA testing. DNA testing is a pretty exact science. It is well accepted in courts. DNA can be used to prove paternity. It is also used with a high degree of accuracy to determine if an individual was involved in certain crimes. The degree of accuracy is in the millions to one.
[DNA: A nucleic acid that carries the genetic information in the cell and is capable of self-replication and synthesis of RNA. DNA consists of two long chains of nucleotides twisted into a double helix and joined by hydrogen bonds between the complementary bases adenine and thiamine or cytosine and guanine. The sequence of nucleotides determines individual hereditary characteristics.]
I realize all of this calls for questions, but for the sake of the study lets keep things very basic. Included in DNA foundational studies are chromosomes. Women have xx chromosomes. Men have xy chromosomes. Only the male has the y chromosome. The male passes this chromosome to his male children. It never passes to the daughters. The y chromosome remains unchanged through the generations.
Note: Don't confuse what we are dealing with simply with genes. A gene is a portion of a DNA molecule. Every child receives 23 genes from each parent. Each child is equally of the father and of the mother, and receives equal attributes, etc., from both parents. As for bloodlines, all humans are traceable to the line of Adam. Being a Jew or Gentile doesn't enter the picture. We are all equal sinners by virtue of Adam's sin against God.
With this basic information at hand we can now look at how the blood of Jesus can be called God's blood. It will help us greatly to understand in a deeper way God's work of salvation through Jesus Christ. Listen carefully to two seemingly disparate Scriptures:
"For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." (Acts 20:27,28)
"For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well." (Psalm 139:13,14)
Note: Keep in mind the 'weaving' language. DNA is made up of two strands woven together.
First let's look at Paul's statement. The apostle plainly tells the elders of Ephesus that the blood of the cross was God's own blood. But where do we go from here? It is here that we must take a journey.
The blood shed at the cross was precious blood. It was both human blood and God's blood. This is why the apostle said, "You were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold ... but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ." (1Pet1:18,19)
How then did the blood of Christ redeem us? The apostolic writer said that Christ entered into the heavenly tabernacle with His own blood. Out of this came eternal redemption. But we have to keep in mind that Jesus is actually God incarnate. As hard as this may be to grasp, it is yet the truth. And so it can be said that God Himself took our place on the cross. (Cf. Heb9:22-26)
The work of the cross was for the sins of all humanity, from Adam's sin, to our own sins, whether they be past, present or future. In His suffering, Jesus took the place of man. The judgment of all sin was upon Him. The cross was a judgment. Out of His resurrection came justification of life to the whole of humanity. John said, "He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; but not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1Jn2:2)
Because Jesus was both God and man, it was through His cross that heaven is opened for the repentant sinner, that is, the one who will confess Jesus Christ as his own Lord and Savior. Which, in turn, brings us back to the blood.
Since the blood of Jesus was and is God's blood, and since the blood of Jesus also represents the human family, a wonderful thing happens to the repentant person. Peter said that the Holy Spirit takes of the blood of Jesus, which, again, is God's blood, and sprinkles it upon the believing one's heart." (1Pe1:2)
What is in the sprinkled blood? The very life of God. And this is what being born from above entails. Every person born of God has had his or her heart sprinkled clean by the very blood-life of God Himself. This is why we can be called 'children of God.' And this is also why the apostle said that we now share in the divine nature.
Yes, we still have our humanity. But on this planet there are two distinct peoples. You have the Adam race, which includes all peoples, Jew and Gentile. And you have the race of Christians, who take their name from the Christ of God. The race of Christians carry in them the very life of their Father God. It is in this sense that Christians can be called a divine race. (We have to be careful not to go beyond the Scriptures with this idea.)
And now we come to David's statement, where he said, "You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well."
Here is gets even more awesome. It is here that David defines DNA weaving, thousands of years before it was discovered as a chain of life. Isn't the Bible amazing? But there is more. David was a prophet. This means that Christ often spoke directly through David. So in this wonderful Psalm we have a corporate picture of Christ, along with what we can receive to ourselves.
I would encourage our members to take time to meditate on Psalm 139. You will be able to see both Christ and yourself in this Psalm. For the sake of Christ, it can be easily said the He was woven in the womb of Mary, that He was fearfully and wonderfully made, and that His soul knows it very well.
For the sake of Christ there is term used in the New Testament that is used almost exclusively for Him. In the plan of redemption it belongs to Him alone. The term 'monogenes' means unique, one of a kind, one and only. This expression 'monogenes' is used seven times with regard to Jesus. The message never varies. Jesus was uniquely the only one of His kind. This is because in Him was the very life of God. He was fearfully and wonderfully made.
How then does Psalm 139 apply to the person born from above? It applies in a very unique sense, in that each of us is born after the order of Christ. We are each fearfully and wonderfully made. And though Jesus is the monogenes, we are His brothers and sisters by virtue of God's blood.
One final thought --- The reason our salvation is called eternal is because of the eternal sacrifice made by God Himself. The blood is eternal. Our forgiveness is eternal. We now have eternal life. Eternal life speaks of "without cessation." It also speaks of the very life of God.
Paul pretty much nailed it down when he said, "If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us, how will he not also with Him freely give us all things. ... For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Cf. Rom8:31-39)
Well that pretty much says it. How powerful is the blood? It is God's keeping power. For God to lose one of those who have been saved by the blood, He would have to cut off His own hand. Don't believe that can ever happen. We are in the nail prints. All I can say is, "Thank God for the blood."
This is a good place to conclude this part of the study. Feel free to make a contribution, or ask questions.
The Lord bless you,
Buddy
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.christianchallenge.org/
"See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." (Heb12:15)