1 Peter – The Blood of Jesus Part II (1 Peter 1:2b)

Photo Credit: wordtrace.wordpress.com

Scripture Text

1 Peter 1:2b “…unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ…”

Introduction

In our last post we left off in a destitute state.  We were dead in our sins without hope.  In this post salvation is offered.

Hope in Jesus Christ

Now we see the glorious work of Jesus.  Rom 6:23b…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  We know we start as sinners.  We have shown that we have a sin debt.  We understand that sin’s penalty is death.  We now see that Jesus paid the price on Calvary for us but we still don’t know why the blood? 

We will find our answer in the Old Testament, before Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us, when God required animal sacrifices for sin.  Lev 17:11 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.  We know that if we lose a significant amount of blood we will die.  This is what happened on Calvary; Jesus shed his blood.  Sin’s penalty is death; the blood that Jesus shed represents that death that paid the price for our sin.  The penalty for all sin was paid that day; all we have to do is accept it.  If you are reading this post and are not saved, or not sure, you can receive the gift of salvation made possible by the blood of Jesus or the death of Jesus as we have learned.  With salvation we are restored to God, given the tools to turn a carnal mind into a spiritual mind, and one day, a place in heaven where we shall forever be with the Lord.

Closing Thoughts

We have now covered the steps to salvation but there is one more; it may surprise you but we have a role in salvation.  No, I’m not talking about works here. We have a part to play if we are to be saved.  What is our role? We must accept God’s gift. Without acceptance we will not go to heaven.  God has provided a plan, a way to be forgiven our sin, but our acceptance is required.  We now know that all are sinners, the penalty for sin is death, we cannot pay that penalty but praise God Jesus paid the penalty for us.  Now we find out that we have a part to play.  How can we accept salvation?  Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

I have proclaimed the gospel message; it is now time for the work of the Holy Spirit to penetrate the hearts of those God has drawn to Him. Please listen to that still small voice and allow the blood of Jesus to pay the penalty for your sin.

Until Night,

A Servant

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1 Peter – The Blood of Jesus Part I (1 Peter 1:2b)

Photo Credit: closerdaybyday.info

Scripture Text

1 Peter 1:2b “…unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ…”

Introduction

Our study in verse 2 continues. In this post we cover the blood of Jesus. “The blood of Jesus” is under attack these days.  In this “tone it down” era of time some say we don’t need a blood bath religion.  I’ll let God’s word answer that question. Hebrews 9:22b …without shedding of blood is no remission. We cannot take the blood that Jesus shed out of Christianity, that blood provided the atonement for our sin.  Without the blood of Jesus we remain in our sin.

Obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ

Let’s talk about how the sin debt was actually paid.  We didn’t pay it, we can’t pay it, only Jesus can.  All of our life we have heard about the blood of Jesus.  Why does God require the blood of Jesus to forgive our sin?  I am going to try to answer that but we need to start with the reason there is sin in the first place.  In the beginning of God’s creation man was pure. (God doesn’t create junk) Adam and Eve enjoyed fellowship with their Creator.  Then the tempter came and Adam and Eve disobeyed God.  When they disobeyed sin entered into this world and corrupted it.  From that point forward we all carry the sin curse.  The sin curse caused the spiritual mind God created to become a carnal mind. (Carnal: self-serving and evil) We can see this plainly even in a baby.  You don’t have to teach a child to lie, they already know how.  Each one of us looking back can remember doing the wrong thing, not because we were taught to do wrong, but because it came naturally.  Clearly we each start with a carnal mind.  Now when we read Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  We have to admit that yes, I am a sinner.  If we stop here we still don’t understand the need for the blood.  Well as you know, the bible doesn’t stop here.  In Romans 6:23a For the wages of sin is death;  Wages is what we get paid when we earn something.  As we just read the bible says that sin’s wages is death.  Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  In this verse we see the separation between us and God.  The carnal mind makes us an enemy of God.  We carry a death sentence upon us because of our carnal mind.

There is payment for sin available, a way out if you will, and we will cover that next time…

Until Night,

A Servant

 

Merry Christmas Grandpa

Introduction

On Christmas Eve 2001, and continuing into Christmas day, I spent Christmas alone with my Grandpa.  That’s right, just the two of us.  My wife and children had gone to my in-laws home; my side of the family was gathering at my Uncle’s house.  This Christmas it was just going to be me and grandpa.

Less than two months before my Grandma had passed away.  She died in early November, one month short of their 74^th wedding anniversary.  It wasn’t a misprint, almost 74 years of marriage.  As you might have guessed they started their marriage at a young age.  After a long drawn out courtship, two months, they were married and began their life together.

The Setting

In the 1980s my Grandpa had major health issues that changed him.  The damage sustained during these days quickly took away his ability to function independently and do the thing he loved the most, preaching the gospel message of Jesus Christ.

 

Have You Died Yet?

Galatians 6:14 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.

The modern social gospel being promoted across the land in many churches today speaks of a religion that has no costs, brings no change, and seems to give all glory to the wrong party… us.  In fact, to hear most Christians discuss styles of worship, contemporary or traditional, you would think that worship itself was for the sole benefit of man.  The humanism that has crept into the contemporary sermons, has led many a lost soul to believe that they need only to believe and they have their ticket punched for glory.  Most then fall well short of what the apostle Paul called the ‘new creature in Christ Jesus’.

Why is this so?  It goes all the way back to the Old Testament.  Many of our gospel songs speak of crossing the Jordan River as though it was the passage from life on earth to life in eternity in heaven.  This is flawed because unlike Canaan, Heaven doesn’t have enemies to be destroyed.  Rather, the crossing of the Jordan River in the book of Joshua more aptly typifies our passage from the death of sin to the newness of life in Christ Jesus.