Articles
Life-Giving Blood
And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22)
Flowing through our veins is the token of life. Moses wrote many times of the connection of blood and life (Gen. 9:4; Lev. 17:11; Dt. 12:23). Blood moderates our body temperature, cools chemical reactions, and keeps our organ systems running. Blood is our everything; without it, we would surely die.
God perfectly designed blood to provide the life-giving process. Blood is therefore fittingly connected to the superior life that God grants – the more abundant life discussed in John 10:10. Hebrews 9 discusses this rich life in terms of the antiquated old covenant and the superior new covenant. The writer points out that blood granted entrance into the holy place (v.12) and inaugurated the new covenant, which gives cleansing (vv.14-20). This cleansing provides the forgiveness discussed in v. 22.
Sin is costly. Sin cost the lifeblood of the Son of God. For this reason it is our duty to be faithful unto the shedding of blood so that we too may bear our cross (cf. Heb. 12:1-4).
