“God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Because of sin, the world has always been in sinful rebellion against God. But in spite of this, God loves the world. And His desire is that sinful man be reconciled to Him. This has been made possible through the reconciling work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The Bible says, “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:19,20 NIV).
Only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross God is able to show mercy where judgment was deserved. On this basis, a sinful man can be reconciled to a holy God.
The Bible declares: “In [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). Jesus Christ has completely met and satisfied the just and righteous demands of a holy God for judgment on sin, accomplished by Christ on the Cross.
Redemption means to deliver by paying a price. Man is viewed as a slave “sold under sin” (Romans 7:14) and under sentence of death but subject to redemption by the purchase price of the blood of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer “for you were bought with a price” (!Corinthians 6:20).
What the precious blood of Christ has done, the Old Testament sacrificial system could not accomplish because in those “sacrifices there is reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:3,4).
Referring to the blood of bulls and goats, the writer of Hebrews says, “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14).
“God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God” (Romans 5:8,9).
The Bible says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you on the altar to make an atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11 KJV).
“In deed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22).
This is what Christ had done: “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12 NIV). The Most Holy Place is the very presence of God.
The shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ has replaced the animal blood that was shed on Jewish altars during Old Testament times. William MacDonald makes a noteworthy comment on the dissimilarity between animal blood and the blood of Jesus Christ.
MacDonald writes: “Animal blood had no power to put away sins; it was effective only in cases of technical offenses against religious ritual. But the blood of Christ is of infinite value; its power is sufficient to cleanse all the sins of all the people who have ever lived, all the people who are now living, and all the people who will ever live. Of course, its power is applicable only to those who come to Him by faith. But its cleansing potential is unlimited” (Believer’s Bible Commentary pg. 2185 Thomas Nelson Publishers).
The one sacrifice of Christ under the New Covenant is superior to the many sacrifices of the Old Covenant. The animal sacrifices of old which were offered year after year, pointed to Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the Cross, and they were also fulfilled in Him. This means that Christ has offered the one sacrifice for sins forever by His own blood.
The writer to the Hebrews says, “But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God . . . because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:12,14 NIV).
The blood by which our peace is made,
The victory is won;
Great victory o’er hell and sin and woe,
That needs no second fight
And leaves no second foe
— Horatius Bonar 1809-89
It’s a great and wonderful feeling to be aware of the significance of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ who is now enthroned at the right hand of the Father in heaven. And our sins and lawless acts have been forgiven. There is no longer any sacrifice for sin. To God be all the glory, honor, and praise. Amen.