Blood

[RETIREDFAN1]

Blood

By: Jim Crews

 

Blood has always been necessary for sins to be forgiven.

Hebrews 9:22

 

However, the blood of just any random created being is not good enough to cleanse us from our sins. In fact, it is impossible for that to happen.

Hebrews 10:4

 

Only the blood of a divine being has the power to wash away sins.

Hebrews 13:2

I Peter 1:17-19

I John 1:7

 

In order to be saved, in order to have our sins washed away we must be washed in the blood of Jesus. In order to be forgiven for having committed those sins, we must be washed in the blood of Jesus. In order to be added to His Kingdom, the Church of Christ, we must be washed in His blood.

 

Knowing these facts, it then becomes extremely important to find the answers to these three questions: how are we washed in His blood; how are we saved; and how are we added to the Kingdom, which is His Church?

 

We are told that if we really want to know anything about the teachings of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit on any topic, we must seek it out. We are taught that if we seek Gods Truth, we will find it.

Matthew 7:7-8

 

We are told to be good disciples, and to search the Scriptures daily to make sure what we are being taught is true.

Acts 17:11

 

When we search the Scriptures seeking to answer the questions posed earlier, we see that we are not the first to wonder on these things. Nicodemus posed similar questions to our Lord.

John 3:3-5

 

What was the Lords answer? He said we cannot enter the Kingdom without having been born of WATER and the Spirit. He explained that in more detail before His ascension into Heaven.

Matthew 28:18-20

 

He told the apostles to make disciples and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We can see an excellent example of how they carried this out in Acts 8.

Acts 8:26-39

 

From this, we see that being born of water and the Spirit involves water baptism. Jesus stressed the absolute necessity of water baptism to salvation before He ascended.

Mark 16:16

 

It is in the waters of baptism that the blood of Jesus cleanses us. It is in baptism where we are born again of water and the Spirit.

Acts 2:38

 

Calling on the name of the Lord in baptism washes away our sins.

Acts 22:16

Romans 6:3-4

 

It is in the waters of baptism where the Holy Spirit works His cleansing upon us by sharing with us the gift of salvation.

Colossians 2:11-13

 

It is at the point we have submitted to the Will of God and obeyed His command to be baptized, that Grace works through our faith to cleanse us from our sins.

Ephesians 2:8

Titus 3:4-7

 

Since our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus, and since our sins are washed away in baptism, it is logical to teach that we come into contact with the blood of Jesus in the waters of baptism, which is the point at which we are saved.

I Peter 3:20-21

 

Does baptism ALONE save us? Once again, when we seek the Truth on this matter by searching the Scriptures, we find that NOTHING alone saves us. We are not saved by Grace only. We are not saved by faith only. We are not saved by baptism ONLY. We are saved by Gods grace when we believe Him and when we obey Him. We must have faith. We must believe in Him, or hope does not exist for us.

John 8:24

Hebrews 11:6

 

When we do believe Him, we must obey Him, if we are going to be saved.

Hebrews 5:9

 

What did Jesus tell us to do? What was revealed by the Holy Spirit? Seeking those answers by searching the scriptures, we find that we must repent of our sins.

Like 13:3

II Corinthians 7:9-10

 

He tells us we must acknowledge Him publicly.

Matthew 10:32-33

Romans 10:8-10

 

We must be baptized as we have seen earlier, and we must live faithful lives.

Revelation 2:10

I PETER 1:4-11

I Corinthians 9:27

 

Only by being washed in the Blood of Jesus when we plunge beneath the watery grave of baptism can we be saved, cleansed, and added by Him to His Church.

[DaveTV1]

Water is symbolic of Christ's blood, and makes baptism even more important. When we partake of the sacrament wine or water are symbols of His blood as well, with the bread being a symbol of His body.

[RETIREDFAN1]

That's next weeks sermon......Blood this week, Water next.......:)