Morning By Morning #107

The precious blood of Christ.

1 Peter 1:19

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

When we stand at the foot of the cross we see Christ’s hands, feet, and side, all dripping into crimson streams of His precious blood. It is “the precious blood” because of its redeeming and atoning effectiveness. Through it atonement is made for the sins of Christ’s people, they are redeemed from under the law, and they are reconciled to God—made one with Him.

His blood also is precious due to its cleansing power: it “cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7 ESV). “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isa. 1:18). Through Jesus’ blood no spot whatsoever is left on any believer. We are “without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish” (Eph. 5:27).

Oh, precious blood—that makes us clean, removing the stains of our countless sins, and permitting us to stand accepted in Jesus in spite of the many ways we have rebelled against our God!

The blood of Christ also is precious due to its preserving power, for under His sprinkled blood we are safe from the destroying angel. Remember—the actual reason we are spared is because God sees the blood. This should be comforting to us, for even when our eyes of faith grow dim, God’s eyes remain strong.

His blood also is precious due to its sanctifying power and influence in our lives. The very same blood that justifies us by taking away our sin at salvation continues to work, bringing life to our new nature and moving us forward in suppressing sin and obeying the commands of God. There could never be a greater motivation to holiness than that which streamed from the veins of Jesus.

And, how precious—unspeakably precious—is His blood because it has overcoming power: “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 12:11). How could they do otherwise! Whoever fights using the precious blood of Jesus uses a weapon that can never know defeat.

The blood of Jesus! Sin dies in its presence and death ceases to be death, for it opens the gates of heaven. The blood of Jesus! We shall march on to victory, ever conquering, as long as we trust in its power!

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

Christ…went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made…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. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

Hebrews 9:11 – 14

So why do I value the things of this world? They are nothing compared to the precious blood! May I continually “behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 ESV) and “consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that [I] will not grow weary and lose heart” (Heb. 12:3). And may I remember that “in [my] struggle against sin, [I] have not yet resisted to the point of shedding [my] blood” (Heb. 12:4).

He shed His blood for me!