We live in a society blessed with great material prosperity. A person living just one century ago could hardly imagine the lifestyle we often take for granted. Where there is a need, there is usually a product to meet that need. Even doing laundry has become high-tech. We have many products designed specifically for the care and cleaning of our clothing. If truth be known, there is little difference between many of the products vying for our attention. One may be about as good as another. However, when it comes to spiritual cleansing, there is only one agent that can purify the soul – the blood of Jesus Christ.
Scripture tells us that “all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22). God’s cleansing agent of the soul is blood. However, not just any blood will do the job. The blood of bulls and goats, so prominently displayed in Old Testament sacrifices, could never take away sin (Heb. 10:4). It is the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from our sins (1 Jn. 1:7). In the book of Revelation, when John saw a vision of souls before the throne of God, he asked, “Who are these?” In answer to his question, he was told that these were those who had “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (7:14). The blood of Christ provides spiritual cleansing. We could hardly imagine anyone washing their linens in blood! But, when it comes to spiritual cleansing, only the blood of Jesus can purify our spiritual garments so as to make them white as snow (Isa. 1:18).
All who desire spiritual cleansing must turn to the blood of Christ. How do we make contact with the death of Christ and, thereby, gain the benefit of His blood? Paul tells us that we are “justified
by faith” (Rm. 5:1). In verse nine, we are told that we are “justified by His blood.” Putting the two verses together, we rightly conclude that we are justified through our faith (trust) in the blood of Christ. Or, we could say that our hope is grounded in the fact that Jesus died and shed His precious blood on the cross for us. Such faith leads us to be baptized into Christ whereby we are also united with His death and raised to walk in newness of life (Rm. 6:3-5). But, let us never forget that it is the blood of Jesus that answers our most urgent need – our need for spiritual cleansing.
–Glen Elliott–