FAITH IN CHRIST'S BLOOD:

KEY TO HEALTHY LIVING

By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

     "Being JUSTIFIED freely by His GRACE through the REDEMPTION that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a PROPITIATION through FAITH in His BLOOD, to declare His RIGHTEOUSNESS for the REMISSION of sins that are past, through the FOREBEARANCE of God." (Rom. 3:24, 25)

      This Scripture Text is so rich in truth and so magnanimous in scope and wide ranging in jurisdiction that it encompasses the entire spiritual world of believing men and women from the beginning of time and reaches into eternity!

   The word Justified means getting straightened out in our thinking and in our relationship with God. It means being made just in the sight of God. Grace speaks of the unmerited favour we have been given from God without having to earn it or pay for it.

   Redemption is the work of God through Christ whereby lost sinners have been freed from the penalty of God's Law through the Sacrifice of Himself; the meritorious and efficacious death of His Son Jesus Christ, thereby meeting the Demands of Divine Justice.
  The word Propitiation means satisfaction, covering and expiation. It means that Jesus Christ's death for us, satisfied the wrath of God against the human race because of Adam's tragic fall and high treason against his Maker and the sins that followed his posterity, even until today!

     Faith is placing total trust in God's Word until it dictates our 
lives in such a righteous manner that we know Him intimately and
pattern our lives after His Son Jesus Christ; and are able to call 
Him Father. It is taking His Word above all competing voices with 
their hollow, pretentious and humanistic ideologies, theosophy and
worthless platitudes!

           GOD IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE!

     Can anyone understand God's Righteousness? Certainly not! We know that righteousness when it refers to us, means a right standing in God's eyes as He sees us through the sinless, pure and perfect shed blood of Jesus Christ. 
     When it refers to His Righteousness, so Holy, Pure, Perfect, Just and Good is He, that all we can do is fall down before Him and like the seraphim cry, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts.” (Isa. 6: 3)

     The word Remission means forgiveness and only through the
shed blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ have we received 
forgiveness for our many sins. The Word of God states: “If we walk in the Light as He is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ God's Son cleanseth us from all sins.” (1 John 1: 7)

     The word Forebearance means patience, tolerance. As touching the Law it has this meaning: 'the action of refraining from exercising a legal right, especially enforcing the payment of a debt.'  The hymn writer penned these words: 'I should have been crucified. I should have suffered and died. I should have hung on the cross in shame and disgrace, but Jesus God's Son took my place.'

     The Bible states: For when we were yet without strength (hopeless), in due time Christ died for the ungodly. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His BLOOD, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” (Rom.5: 6,8,9)

      The BLOOD of Jesus Christ that was shed for the sins of the world - past, present and future - on Calvary's Cross nearly 2,000 years ago will NOT benefit us, unless we have faith in His BLOOD!

     Faith in the blood of Jesus Christ opens the door of Heaven to us by bringing instant forgiveness for our sins, purity of heart and a freedom from guilt, condemnation and shame!

      Faith in the shed BLOOD of Jesus Christ God's Pascal Lamb, breaks the bonds of Sin, opens the Prison doors and liberates the captives held by Satan.

     Faith in the blood of Jesus Christ causes the Devil to flee in terror, destroys the shackles of servitude, opens the heart to sing, rejoice and receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with power.

    Faith in the BLOOD of Jesus destroys evil habits of lust, greed and pride. It breaks the bondage of lying, stealing, gambling, fornicating and carousing! It liberates the spirit from guilt and fear of the past, present and future. It prepares the spirit for fellowship with God and an abundant entrance into the our eternal Home!
         FAITH IN  JESUS' BLOOD BRINGS FREEDOM!

     Faith in the BLOOD of Jesus gives us freedom from rejection and purges our conscience from the lingering bondage of condemnation. It brings joy, peace and rejoicing to the heart and boundless praise to our Creator and Saviour!

     Faith in the BLOOD of Jesus protects us from moral failure, spiritual bankruptcy and evil spirits of depression. It guards our thought life, helps us to have a healthy lifestyle, and wards of a host of diseases as we claim the merits of His precious blood in Christ's holy name!

     Faith in the BLOOD of Jesus gives us authority over all manner of evil and unclean spirits, and the power of God to cast them out of those who are bound, fettered and chained by them! It ensures that whoever calls upon the name of Jesus Christ in faith will be free from the Enemy of their souls!

     Faith in the BLOOD of Jesus brings Peace in the time of turmoil, Assurance in time of doubts and fears, Joy in the time of sorrow, Victory in the time of battle and Freedom from all the onslaughts of the Evil One.

      In the final analysis, there is no human, psychological or spiritual need that the precious BLOOD of our crucified, risen and glorified Jesus Christ cannot or will not meet and remedy, in accordance with His Eternal Living Word! Amen.