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Leviticus 17:10-12
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can also download our service at Baptist-Christian at iTunes. In preparing for today I read a sermon by Pastor Jerry Shirley with this title. The sermon was powerful and the outline reminds us of some vital doctrinal truths we must keep in focus. I give him the credit for the outline, but the content is mine. In our 21st Century culture we have become desensitized to violence, crime, and murder. We are therefore casual and fearless in our attitude toward sin. We are no longer afraid of God or sin! That is a fatal outlook on life! Our focal verse today is a clear declaration of the truth that life is in the blood and blood makes atonement for sin. All blood has life giving value, but the only blood that has life saving value is the shed blood of Christ. Why?
- IN ANALYSIS: THE BLOOD IS PERFECT. Since Scripture weaves all doctrine together, when we study the doctrine of perfection, it is almost always in conjunction with the doctrine of sanctification. In Scripture “perfection” doesn’t mean without flaw as it means in English. From God’s perspective perfection means to make complete, full, entire, and without blemish. In the NT it means the same thing but goes further to mean to bring to completion or fullness. Our salvation is (eternally) secure because in every way Christ’s life was perfect from God’s perspective. Only His blood was “perfect” to offer for complete satisfaction of all God’s requirements so our sins could be wiped away, not just covered.
- IN APPLICATION: THE BLOOD IS PURE. This idea is also part of the doctrine of sanctification. It means to separate that which is impure or unclean. Because Israel was chosen by a Holy God She was (is) expected to be pure and holy as God says in Lev. 17. In the NT the writers all use it with the idea of cleansing from sing through the shed blood of Christ. The result of such cleansing is to be shown through our “separation” from all ungodliness in all parts of our lives!
- IN ACTION: THE BLOOD IS PERPETUAL. Read Heb. 7:23-28; 9:11-15; 10:8-18. The book of Hebrews is undoubtedly the greatest treatise ever written on the eternity of God. God is always consistent, meaning, He can never contradict Himself at any time in any way! If His salvation isn’t eternal, then He has contradicted His own eternal nature and character! The truth is if one’s salvation can be lost, a person can NOT go back to the same Cross to “be saved again.” In that case we are lost forever, since God has told us there will never be another Calvary!
- IN ACCOMPLISHMENT: THE BLOOD IS POWERFUL! Read Gen. 1; John 1:1-14; and Heb. 12:1-3. All those passages, and many more, teach the power of God. The ultimate power is power over life and death. Both God The Father and God The Son demonstrate their power over death. Christ’s resurrection (by God’s power) proves that Christ’s life, death, and burial were all completely acceptable to God for our salvation. As Christians our responsibility to God other Christians, and all those who have not yet received Christ as Savior – is to demonstrate the perfection, purity, perpetuity, and power of the redeeming blood of Christ.
If we can help you with your questions about salvation or any other spiritual matter call us at (574) 643-9419.
