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/
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