ESOCS Devotional 22 April 2021
TEXT: HEBREWS 9:16-28
MEMORY VERSE: “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood there is no remission.” Hebrews 9:22 KJV
Can you imagine walking into church on Sunday morning and seeing the elder in charge of the branch with a rag in his hand, cleaning the whole church with blood? You will run away and am sure I will too. Yet, for generations this is exactly what the Israelite priests were commanded to do: the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission or forgiveness.
No blood, no remission (forgiveness). But why blood? Why couldn’t God choose something less squeamish and less costly? After all, in order to sacrifice blood, something living has to die. In Leviticus 17:11, He answers the question for us: “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”
Life is in the blood. For God, life and blood are synonymous. His economy of forgiveness is not just a Blood Economy. It’s a Life Economy. When we are given the blood of Christ, we receive the life of Christ. Jesus, in His blood. He washes us clean, and replaces our death with His life. Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many (Hebrews 9:28).
What exactly was accomplished in the shedding of His blood?
- Christians are ransomed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:17–19).
- Christians have redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3–7).
- Christians are justified by the blood of Christ (Romans 5:6–9).
- By means of His own blood, Christ secured eternal redemption for us (Hebrews 9:11–12).
- The blood of Christ purifies the conscience from dead works (Hebrews 9:13–14).
- Gentiles in the flesh are brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:11–13).
- Christ made peace by His blood on the cross (Colossians 1:18–20).
- Christians are sanctified by the blood of the covenant (Hebrews 10:26–29).
Jesus shed His blood for you and is never going to do it again. It is done. So, if you are in Christ, you are completely, absolutely, irrevocably, and thoroughly forgiven. You are the temple of the indwelling Spirit, and you are made perfectly clean by the blood of Jesus.
Read yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
CHALLENGES
Have you been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ? Make amends now before it is too late.
PRAYER POINT
Ask the Lord to forgive you of your sins and purge them with the blood of Jesus Christ.
FURTHER READING: 1 Corinthians 1:18-24; Matthew 16:21-22
Thank you for reading the ESOCS Devotional today. Please share and follow us on all our platforms to contribute to the spread of the Gospel.
ESOCS Devotional 22 April 2021
This is inspirational