Austin Bible Church
The blood of Christ speaks of the work of Christ on the Cross. Blood represents the judgment of our sins while Christ was bearing them on the Cross (spiritual death). The phrase “blood of Christ” is a representative analogy to animal sacrifices in the Old Testament, demonstrating the fact that the work of Jesus Christ was presented by means of these animal blood sacrifices. Heb. 9:22.
“And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22, NASB)
The physical death of the animal was analogous to the spiritual death of Christ. Every animal sacrifice spoke of Jesus Christ. John 1:29.
“The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, NASB)
In the Old Testament sacrifices, the animal hadn’t done anything wrong. The animal was judged and died physically. Jesus Christ hadn’t done anything wrong. He was judged. In His judgment, the sins of the whole world were poured out on Him. In His judgment, He died spiritually. No physical blood was involved.
Jesus Christ bled from His hands, from His feet, and from His face where He had been beaten up - literal blood. After He died physically by giving up His human spirit voluntarily, they ran a spear into His side and blood and water (serum) came out indicating He was already truly dead physically. He did not bleed to death. His throat was not slit. John 19:33-34.
“but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.” (John 19:33-34, NASB)
Jesus Christ said, after His work (spiritual death) was finished, “It is finished” and then dismissed His human spirit. John 19:30.
“Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30, NASB)
The bleeding of the animal (its judgment) is analogous to the spiritual death of Jesus Christ (His judgment for us). The judgment of the animal was physical death. The judgment of Jesus Christ for our sins was spiritual death.
The analogy is between the physical death of an innocent animal and the spiritual death of the sinless humanity of Jesus Christ. There has to be a meeting of the two sides of the Cross and that meeting is in the phrase “the blood of Christ,” which refers to the penalty of sin being paid - judgment for the sins of mankind.
In the Old Testament, the mercy seat was covered with the blood of the animal, which had been judged by physical death. The teaching of the death of Christ by spiritual death - His judgment was long before it occurred and was by taught by the use of blood sacrifices. Isaiah 53:5-6.
“But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.” (Isaiah 53:5-6, NASB)
The significance of the blood in the death of Jesus Christ is that it relates to the millions of people who were saved in the Old Testament as it relates to us today. They were saved just as we are. It sets up an analogy (Christ bearing our sins) between those who anticipated the Cross historically and those who look back at it.
One must understand the entire significance of the person and work of Christ. On the Cross, He bore our sins and made provision for our forgiveness and cleansing. This was through Christ bearing our sins, those sins being judged. The blood of Jesus Christ expresses this. There is no need to offer animal sacrifices anymore, because Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross was once and for all.
It is apostacy to “plead the blood” or to ask that the “blood cover us.” One does not “claim the blood.” Instead, one claims the promises of God and erects an edification complex in their soul through the consistent intake and application of Bible doctrine.
In Revelation 12:11, “overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb” refers to a Tribulational person accepting Christ as personal Savior, not because the blood protected them, but because they have entered the plan of God through faith.
““And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.” (Revelation 12:11, NASB)
The blood of Christ (His work on the Cross) keeps on cleansing. 1 John 1:7-9.
“but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:7-9, NASB)
When you believe in Christ, you are cleansed and released from the penalty of sin through the person and work of Christ. When you confess your sins to God the Father, you are cleansed from all unrighteousness and restored to fellowship with God.
Christ bore the unbeliever’s sins on the Cross just as He did the believer’s sins. He also rejected human good. 1 Peter 2:24; Eph. 2:8-9.
“and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24, NASB)
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NASB)
The unbeliever who rejects Christ, stands on their own human good and this does not measure up. Their sins are never mentioned because they have already been judged in Christ. All unbelievers remain condemned on the basis of their free will rejection of the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross for them. Rev. 20:12; John 3:18.
“And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.” (Revelation 20:12, NASB)
““He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18, NASB)