Many non-Christians look upon
Christians as having a “bloody religion” and want no part of it. We are
considered to be out of step with modern thought and therefore ignorant in our
beliefs. Unfortunately, many who “claim” they are Christians echo the same
attitude.
It isn’t that Christians do
anything that is bloody. Christians are peace loving. No animal sacrifices are
made, nor even thought of. But we do believe in the Word of God, and in the
following verse it cannot be more clear concerning the blood.
“And almost all things are by the law purged
with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Hebrews
9:22)
The very first sin against
God resulted in an innocent animal being slain by God to provide covering for
the naked bodies of Adam and Eve. God has said that this is what must be done,
and there is no other way. An innocent life must pay for the guilty. Why you
ask? The Lord provides the answer in the following verse.
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood:
and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls:
for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”
(Leviticus 17:11)
I have read of several
churches who have removed every song from their worship service that speaks of
the blood. I must ask, “How can you call it a “worship” service and not mention
the blood?” How can you refuse to acknowledge the blood of Jesus Christ that
was shed for our sins and call yourself a Christian? I will say very
emphatically that to refuse Christ’ offering of His shed blood for our sins is more
than clear that you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.
Regardless of anything else you say, your father is Satan, not God. You do not
know Jesus Christ.
Following are church hymns
that I recall from my childhood that were faithfully sung in our worship
services: Are You Washed in the Blood, At Calvary, At the Cross, Because He
Lives, Christ Arose, Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Glory to His Name, He
Lives, Jesus Paid It All, Near the Cross, Nothing But the Blood, Onward
Christian Soldiers, Redeemed, The Old Rugged Cross, There is a Fountain, There
is Power in the Blood, The Way of the Cross Leads Home, and When I Survey the
Wondrous Cross. There are more, but every one of these hymns refers to the
blood of Jesus that was shed for us.
Many churches have replaced
these hymns and others with what they call “praise music.” Explain to me, “How
can you praise God in song, but remove every song from your repertoire that
speaks of the blood of Jesus?” You cannot. It is a farce. It is a lie. You are
singing to the wind, and the Spirit of God does not exist in your assembly. You
are not a Church. You are just a group of people playing church.
Good luck, by the way, if you
can find a church in your community that still faithfully sings these, and
other, great old hymns. Most of us have gotten too “sophisticated” for them.
Now before some of you start
hyperventilating, I am not saying that all “praise music” is bad. I am
referring to those who use “praise music,” but
refuse any song that mentions Christ’s blood. If you like praise music, I
recall a wonderful old hymn called “Praise Him, Praise Him.” What’s wrong with
that one?
Those who ignore the blood
are refusing to accept what it represents. What does it represent you ask? As
the animal had to die by God’s hands to clothe Adam and Eve, Jesus Christ had
to die to clothe all of us in righteousness. To refuse the greatest gift God
could give mankind is to remain in our separated condition from God and leave
this world spiritually naked, facing judgment in hell.
The blood tells us that
something or someone died. In this case, that someone is the Son of God, Jesus
Christ. He freely died upon a Roman cross and took our penalty upon Himself.
Let’s not leave it there though. Three days later, as He said would happen He
rose from the grave. Without His death, shedding of His blood, we cannot be
saved. Without His resurrection from the dead, on the third day, we cannot be
saved.
Consider the lyrics to the
following hymns.
THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
On a hill far away stood an
old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and
shame;
And I love that old cross
where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners
was slain.
O that old rugged cross, so
despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for
me;
For the dear Lamb of God left
His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
In that old rugged cross,
stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross
Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
To the old rugged cross I
will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly
bear;
Then He’ll call me some day
to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll
share.
CHORUS
So I’ll cherish the old
rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I
lay down;
I will cling to the old
rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for
a crown.
CHRIST AROSE!
Low in the grave He lay,
Jesus, my Savior
Waiting the coming day, Jesus,
is my Lord!...
Vainly they watch His bed,
Jesus, my Savior
Vainly they seal the dead,
Jesus, my Lord!...
Death cannot keep his prey,
Jesus, my Savior
He tore the bars away, Jesus,
my Lord!...
CHORUS
Up from the grave He arose
With a mighty triumph o'er
His foes
He arose a Victor from the
dark domain
And He lives forever with His
saints to reign
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!
WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS?
Jesus is standing in Pilate’s
hall,
Friendless, forsaken,
betrayed by all;
Hearken! what meaneth the
sudden call?
What will you do with Jesus?
Jesus is standing on trial
still,
You can be false to Him if
you will,
You can be faithful through
good or ill:
What will you do with Jesus?
Will you evade him as Pilate
tried?
Or will you choose Him,
whate’er betide?
Vainly you struggle from Him
to hide:
What will you do with Jesus?
Will you, like Peter, your
Lord deny?
Or will you scorn from His
foes to fly,
Daring for Jesus to live or
die?
What will you do with Jesus?
“Jesus, I give Thee my heart
today!
Jesus, I’ll follow Thee all
the way,
Gladly obeying Thee!” will
you say:
“This I will do with Jesus!”
CHORUS
What will you do with Jesus?
Neutral you cannot be;
Some day your heart will be
asking,
“What will He do with me?”
To deny the blood is to deny
the sacrifice. To deny the sacrifice is to deny the Savior. To deny the Savior
is to deny the most precious Gift the world has ever known. To deny the Gift is
to deny the salvation offered by God’s grace. To deny salvation is to choose
judgment in hell.
Grant Phillips
Pre-Rapture Commentary http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html
