The Protective Power of the Blood

The Blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin, "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 us from our sins in his own blood." (Revelation 1:5). The Blood of Jesus symbolizes the New Covenant made between God and us, "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:28), and "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant." (Hebrews 13:20). It is by the Blood of Christ we shall prevail against the devil and all evil, "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." (Revelation 12:11). The Blood of Christ is said by Jesus Christ himself to give us eternal life, "So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever." (John 6:53-58).

The Blood Christ is not a trivial thing. Through it Jesus Christ sanctifies, saves, and killed sin on the cross. And yet many churches do not celebrate this incredible part of Christ, this power filled element of God found in the Communion (Eucharist). The Blood of Christ is important, and those who fail to understand it risk much, "How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:29, NIV). The blood of Christ has protective power. It is what cleanses and covers us from God's wrath!: "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). The Blood of Christ justifies, makes us right in God's sight, and yet so many churches dare to ignore it?! At their own peril, because I think Dante was right, "The Blood of Christ protects us from God's wrath, hell is the consuming fire of God's presence without the protection of the Blood of Lamb. For saved the blood is blanket, but for unsaved fire torments them, forever judging them in damnation." (Dante, Information on the Inferno from a friend and historian, paraphrased). Christ's blood protects us from flames. God's love shed through blood makes propitiation, "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2). How quickly the saints forget, and even condemn those who remember earnestly and with zeal this important tenet, power, and truth of our faith!

The Communion, the Eucharist, The Last Supper is important to all Christians! We are to be doing it, for, "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," (1 Corinthians 11:25) and "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes." (1 Corinthians 11:26). Thus communion is both "abiding in Christ" (John 6:54) and proclaiming the gospel, the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose from dead! We are to remember, proclaim, and drink the Blood of Christ with His Body. We are commanded to do this according to the Apostle John's Gospel, Chapter 6. The Apostle John was the closest disciple to Jesus and so He would know that important information.

The Gospel is contained in the Blood of Jesus, "God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood--to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:25-26). It is through faith, faith in Jesus Christ, His Sacrifice and His Washing Blood and broken body that we have atonement, salvation from our sins! Why do we not celebrate this weekly like the Catholics and Orthodox Christians? Why not even daily if we desire?! Can anyone be excessive in remembering, and partaking of Christ's Covenant? No! While there are many who do not believe Transubstantiation, the Bread becoming Christ's actual body, and the wine his actual blood, there is some presusive arguments that our Catholic friends could be right, particularly, "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him." (John 6:55-56). Even if that does not sway you, why not remember this important event that continues to effect us unto eternity in symbolic act like Lutherans do? Perhaps you've discovered the middle ground disposition that the Communion is supernatural, not Transub or just symbolism, but is powerful in spiritual warfare against the enemy and devils. Whatever disposition, remember this, that you must examine yourself, "So then, 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. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning (honoring is different trans.) the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died." (1 Corinthians 11:27-30).