Various attempts have been made to do away with the blood of Christ and you rarely hear lessons on the blood of Christ any more. However, salvation is connected to the blood of Christ and to eliminate the blood is to eliminate salvation. It is not possible for one to be saved from sin without the blood of Christ.

Under the law of Moses, there was a remembrance of sins once a year when the blood of bulls and goats was offered which could not take away sin. “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:34).

Christ sacrificed his blood for the remission of sins. “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). It was necessary for Christ to die on the cross so that men may have redemption and forgiveness of sins. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7). Christ died on the cross so that men can have eternal redemption through His blood. “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered In once Into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Hebrews 8:12).

Many claim to believe in the blood of Christ and try to claim salvation without reaching the shed blood of Christ. Those who claim to be saved by mentally accepting Christ, praying the sinners prayer or just believing, in him, have not reached the saving blood of Christ. After hearing the truth, one must believe in Christ, repent of all past sins, confess Christ as the Son of God and then be baptized for the remission of sins (Hebrews 11:6; Acts 17:30; 8:37; 2:38). The shed blood of Christ cannot be accessed until one is baptized into Christ and into his death. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death” (Romans 6:3)? “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).

Christ purchased his church with his own blood, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28). Unless one is a member of the church which Christ purchased with his blood, he has not reached the blood of Christ. The forgiveness of sins can only be enjoyed by those who have been baptized into Christ and into his body or church (I Corinthians 12:13).

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). We must do what God requires in order to receive the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life.

Charles Leonard, Danville Church of Christ