Brought Into Relationship By His Blood Shed On The Cross!

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:13 NIV)

Relationships--of all kind--have historically been cemented by the shedding of blood. The significance of the blood is apparent throughout the Bible.

Sacrifices--to pagan gods and in the law given to Moses--were by made by the shedding of blood.
Even before The Law was given, Abraham was told to sacrifice his son to demonstrate his obedience, but God provided the ram for the sacrificial offering.

Circumcision--requires the shedding of blood.

For hundreds of years, people have cut themselves and shared blood to indicate a new-found relationship with each other as "blood brothers."

The bloodshed when the hymen in a woman was broken on her wedding night was significant in the new relationship between a man and wife. Unfortunately, most females are never taught the significance of being a virgin when they marry in order to solidify the new relationship with her husband.

When God made the decision to come down to earth to fulfill The Law--making the ultimate sacrifice for us--by the shedding of His blood on the cross--solidified our relationship with Him, when we choose to accept the finished work of making blood sacrifices.

Notice--the finished work of blood sacrifices is no longer necessary for anyone to make in order to prove a relationship with God. What has to happen now is for anyone proclaiming a belief in Christ Jesus, must accept His sacrifice as the means to having a relationship with God. If we are not willing to understand the significance of the work on the Cross, we lie when we say we have a relationship with God. It is not possible to have a relationship with God without acceptance of His sacrifice on the cross.

Paul reiterated the importance of recognizing that we who were not born culturally or biologically into the first family (Israel), now have access into that relationship through the blood of Jesus Christ. We are joint-heirs with Christ--when we acknowledge Him as our Savior because of the work on the cross. There is no other way to get to the Father, except by the Son, no matter what others may teach or preach. There are no more sacrifices that can bring us into right relationship with God. There are no more acts of piety or any other act--no symbols, no beads, no crystals, no statues, no emblems, no repetitious rituals, nothing but the blood of Jesus brings us into relationship with God.

If we deny the importance of the work on the cross, we deny knowing the Truth about God and can have no relationship with Him. It is not baptism that solidifies our relationship--it is the shed blood of Jesus Christ and our acceptance of that sacrifice that solidifies our relationship with God.

It is the blood--flowing naturally through our bodies---carrying needed oxygen that makes living possible. It is the blood--shed on the cross--that makes living worthwhile, in Him.

I know it was the blood, shed for me on that cross, that saved me and brought me into a right relationship with God that will sustain me for all eternity. Hallelujah!