|
Either righteousness or sin is in your
blood and one or the other is controlling your life. In fact, your
blood is the source of all of your life. Your blood is your life and
your body is the temple where that life is manifest. The moment your
blood is drained from your body, the body becomes nothing but a
lifeless skin tent. It is over and in the grave you go. We must
relearn in our church world the value of our blood and how all life
is manifest by the blood. Note what Moses wrote by the Holy Spirit,
"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. For it is the life
of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I
said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no
manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof:
whosoever eateth it shall be cut off." (Leviticus 17:11,14). "But
flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye
not eat." (Genesis 9:4).
All of human life is in the blood and
this fact settles the truth that all of redemption is also by the
blood. The only cleansing for human blood is divine blood. As quoted
above, the Father said by His Spirit, "I have given it (blood) to
you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls." The only
effect that human programs of improvement have on people is cosmetic
and short-lived. Whether it is humanistic psychology or the church's
hybrid version, these programs are totally helpless to change the
human heart. Only divine blood will change the spiritual component
of human blood.
Until the blood of Jesus Christ
redeems a person, they will be shackled by the bent of sin and the
downward pull. Yes, many people have reformed and redirected
patterns of life. A large number of self-help programs and preachers
have aided many in learning how to cope and manage their life a
little better. Because of the sin still present in their blood, most
of these people continue to revert back and forth. They are helpless
to effect lasting change.
The medical profession knows well the
value of blood in the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and
physical problem. Your doctor may listen to all of your pain
descriptions and emotional feelings, but if he or she is a top-notch
professional, they will draw a sample of blood. Once the analysis is
received from your blood, the doctor can then really learn of your
true condition. They will document this information in your files so
that you cannot later sue them for a misdiagnosis and mistreatment.
Your blood is a picture of your condition in scientifically proven
facts. No doctor would dare trust your word over your blood sample.
The emotions of human life are
constantly manifest in the blood. If you become angry, your face
will flush and turn red in varying degrees, depending largely on the
level of your emotional reactions. If, on the opposite side, you are
suddenly frightened, your face turns pale and weakness is evident in
your entire body. Physical sicknesses are more often the result of
emotional condition than physical ones. I remember when our church
family was being sued by our prior denomination. In an effort to
take possession of our large campus and properties, I was the
villain that had to be destroyed. The court required depositions
where I was questioned vigorously almost to despair. Every time
these depositions were conducted, I would be sick to the point of
becoming bedfast for at least one or two days. Emotions are
reactions, good or bad, that are clearly evident in man's very life
stream.
Sin is in the Blood
This obvious fact seems to have escaped most Bible students today.
Sin is not just a free act or expression that has no bearing on the
individual's life. Your life stream is your blood and every emotion
is clearly a reflection of that life stream. This is why sin is so
destructive and impacting. Apostle Paul probably nailed sin and its
effect as strong as any Bible writer in the entire Holy Book. Listen
carefully! "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal,
sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would,
that do I not; but what I hate, that do I." "Now then it is no more
I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me
(that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is
present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not,
that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it,
but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would
do good, evil is present with me." "But I see another law in my
members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into
captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man
that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"
(Romans 7:14-15,17-21,23-24).
This stream of sin that the apostle
identified was locked in his very nature. He was wretched and
miserable. His blood was contaminated and there was no answer until
he identified the "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus."
(Romans 8:2). It is exciting to look at chapter seven where man is a
captive and wretched and then move to chapter eight where he is
"quickened by the same Spirit that raised up Jesus Christ from the
dead." It is very clear that this corruption was in man's nature and
flooded his entire life stream. The blood was contaminated. Sin was
in the man's blood and there was no physical or human escape. But,
the sin offering of the Son of God was uncontaminated blood that can
be applied to man's contaminated blood. When this occurs, there is a
cleansing; sanctification, and a justification, and the creature
becomes a "new creation." The nature is still there, but its power
has been broken and the creature is "quickened" by His Spirit that
dwelleth in the believing soul.
Look at the Holy Spirit's words, "For
the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from
the law of sin and death." "That the righteousness of the law might
be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit." "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually
minded is life and peace." "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man
have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." "But if the
Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he
that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal
bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Romans 8:2,4,6,9,11).
The Spirit of the living God is ready
at your surrender and invitation to break every ounce of the
destruction that operates in your life. The nature of sin is a tool
in Satan's hand to "kill, steal, and destroy." (John 10:10). Our
doubts, frustrations, anger, rebellion, stubbornness, etc. all are
emotions in our blood or life stream caused by this nature of self
and sin. When we live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, pray in the
Spirit, sing in the Spirit, and simply live in the power of the life
of Jesus Christ; then His blood constantly sanctifies our blood and
we are preserved in righteousness. It must become a lifestyle, not
just a visit to church or a few minutes of listless prayer every
day. Living in the Spirit is victorious living all day long.
The Roots of Sin
Now, that we understand how sin contaminates the blood we must know
how that uncleanness passes from parent to child and even from
person to person. Sin does not just contaminate the blood of the
disobedient person; it contaminates their children, grandchildren,
and anyone that allows the spirit of that person to be an influence
on them. If the entire life principle of each of us is in our blood,
and it certainly is clear by Scriptures, then, this spirit of that
unclean person will affect others. Our world is evidence of how all
of us are being affected by the people with whom we have close
relationships.
Every pastor knows the peril of
allowing new people with strange doctrines into the heart of his
congregation. Within a short period, some of the most faithful
friends are contaminated and lost. Parents are weeping today because
teenagers are meeting total strangers on a web site and within days
or a few weeks disappear in the yonder and often are lost forever.
Wives or husbands go to work on new jobs and meet fellow workers and
then suddenly the cords of long happy marriages are broken and
another home is in despair. Understanding sin in the blood and the
life principles that are projected to others helps us understand
what has happened. There is no power in the human life more
overwhelming than the life principles in each of us for good or for
bad.
It also can help us be wise in
protecting our church family, our family members, and our marriages.
We need strong pastors who are wise, kind, and spiritual. We need
dads and moms who understand the influences of sin and the power of
contaminated blood.
Shepherds in God's House
There is no one in God's kingdom that has more potential for good
than pastors and teachers. Much of the church world is made up of
"sheep without a shepherd." They are prime targets for the many
cults and television religion stars that prey on the emotionally
empty and gullible multitudes. The most destructive idea that has
invaded the church world is the non-discerning approach to everyone
and everything. All ideas are equal in the minds of many. But,
allowing that idea to prevail is quickly becoming dangerous and many
are learning of the pain that follows.
Fathers & Mothers in the Home
The Biblical home is a "safe place" where children can grow into
discerning adults. If the home is to be a "safe place," everything
the family does, from entertainment to friends, must be guided by
sound wisdom. Music is not just words of a song, but it is also the
spirits of the singers. I will never forget one young lady
(teenager) in our congregation that developed anorexia and was
deteriorating quickly. Called by the parents, I went to the home and
spent time counseling and learning. Her favorite worldly singer also
was anorexic. When I shared how the spirit of the singer was
affecting the spirit of the teenager and the family and young lady
accepted my pastoral guidance, she was totally delivered. Sin in the
blood of the singer was contaminating and projecting that spirit in
this dear girl. Our teenage world is almost lost to these unclean
influences. It can be found in any kind of music, entertainment,
books, or simply by close friendship with any unclean person.
Separation From the Unclean
No wonder the Bible draws a sharp line of separation for the Bible
believer's life and relationships. "What fellowship hath light with
darkness" is a valid question for every Christian to answer. The
Bible says, "be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers."
Let's look at this powerful passage, "Be ye not unequally yoked
together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness
with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God
with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath
said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their
God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among
them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean
thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye
shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (II
Corinthians 6:14-18).
The apostle was not trying to get us
to ignore the unsaved or to shun and reject the multitudes that need
Jesus Christ. But, he was showing us that our lives must draw a
sharp parallel that does not allow the influences of corrupted lives
to pass into our spirit and person. There must always be a wall
between the sanctified blood (life stream) of the righteous and the
contaminated blood of the unholy. While our compassion and love must
pass across that wall, the darkness must not be allowed to pass
back. It is not always an easy walk, but it is a safe one. Jesus
said it best in His prayer for His disciples. "I pray not that thou
shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep
them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of
the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As
thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into
the world." (John 17:15-18).
The church world has become so
contaminated that there is no difference between those claiming the
light and those loving the darkness. Because of this, we have
nothing to offer the world but the self-help programs of humanism
and psychology. That is why our church leaders have resorted to
psychologists, ten step programs of recovery, and myriads of social
gimmicks to build their churches. They are not building the church
of Jesus Christ, but the synagogues of Satan. (Rev. 3:9). Nothing
but the blood of Jesus Christ can be used to build His church. It is
blasphemy to call a church His church unless it has been purchased
by His blood.
The Blood of Jesus Cleanses From
All Sin
Sin is in the blood, not just in the head or in the emotions. When a
person lives in sin, they have contaminated blood. As Apostle Paul
said of his sins, sins make you wretched and captive. There is no
escape except by the blood of Jesus Christ. Dealing with sin by
trying to turn over a new leaf is utterly foolish. The only power in
God's universe that can wash a sinner clean is the sacrificial blood
of Jesus Christ. Even the love of God requires the blood offering of
His Son.
No writer in the Holy Writ captured
the depth of redemption as well as Isaiah. The Father planned and
executed the sacrifice of the Son of God. The Jews, the Romans, and
every living soul shared in His death, but our part was secondary to
the Father's plan. God the Father crucified His Son. He, Jesus
Christ, was stricken, smitten, and afflicted of His Father. Look at
the exact words, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our
sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and
afflicted." "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him
to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he
shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of
the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of
his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my
righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities."
(Isaiah 53:4, 10-11).
This is why the blood of Jesus Christ
is supernatural. Every soul that is saved and delivered by this
blood is "saved to the uttermost." (Hebrews 7:25) It was a
miraculous decision by a sovereign act of the Heavenly Father to put
His Son to death. He did this so that every living soul might
receive an invitation to become sons of God. If the Jews had killed
Jesus, it would make Him a martyr, not a Savior. If the Romans had
killed Him, it would have been an act of terror. If we had killed
Him, it would have been blasphemy. But, the Father crucified His Son
making His death the greatest act of redemption in human history.
Transformed, Made Whole, No
Condemnation
What's in your blood? Sin is in the blood of every soul before
Jesus' blood cleanses them. Our world is consumed with problems
because of the evil that is present in the blood of mankind. The
church world, as a whole, has turned to every conceivable
possibility to help fallen man to solve their emotional problems,
except proclaiming the mighty power of the blood of the cross. All
of our efforts to rescue mankind without dealing with his
contaminated blood are utterly hopeless. Sin is in the blood, not
just in man's head or his emotion and the only power to cleanse the
blood of man is the blood of Jesus Christ. This article began by
recording the unfailing words of the Creator God, "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).
Conclusion
It is time for the church of Jesus Christ to fire the psychologist,
the sociologist, and the secular humanist and go back to Calvary.
Apostle Paul said it clearly, "But God forbid that I should glory,
save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is
crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Galatians 6:14). Any
church that tries to heal, renew, reclaim, or deliver man from his
problems except by the blood is fooling itself. The endless lists of
so-called psychological problems that have been identified in our
psychologically attuned world are not one thing but the many faces
of sin and evil in the human heart. The spiritual heart of man is
not his physical pump, but his life stream, which is in his blood.
The physical pump may drive the blood, but life is not in the pump
but in the blood. When that person represented in the life of the
blood is transformed by the power of God and Christ's blood, he is a
new creature. He is "born again" from above. "Therefore if any man
be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17). Any means
"any person, man, woman, boy, or girl."
|
