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Basic Discipleship
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

This material is copyrighted c2002 and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of the Berean Baptist Church.

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PHASE 3     CHURCH  ORIENTATION AND EDIFICATION

SESSION 11

BLOOD ATONEMENT

This is a very straight-forward study.  The intent is to get your disciple to glimpse the depth of the great Bible doctrine of the blood of Jesus Christ.  He/she needs to see that it is fundamental to our faith and that there is no salvation apart from it.  The hope is that he will also love and appreciate it more.

Be reminded that this is primarily a discover truth for yourself study.  The intent is to get disciples into God's word.  It is live and powerful.  Divine truth has a way of rooting in hearts.  These studies require lots of Bible inquiry by the disciples (students of God's word).  It is your assignment to help them stay on track. Know what's going on in the life of your disciple.  The deeper we go into the course, there are more and more scriptures.  Discipleship takes time. Stay close to your disciple.  Don't let him fall by the wayside.

Pray for your disciple.  Encourage him.  Let him know you are there and that you really care.  Be sure to get the next exercise session into his hand.

Have you wondered why so many of the great Christian hymns speak of the blood of Christ?  Are You Washed in the Blood?,  There is Power in the Blood, Nothing But the Blood, There is a Fountain Filled With Blood and the list goes on and on.  The great front range of the Colorado Rocky mountains is named The Sangre de Christo.  In English, that's the blood of Christ. The contents of the Lord's Supper cup represents His blood.

Dear brother/sister, the price of your salvation was very high.  It cost the God of heaven His own life's blood.  In death He shed His blood for you. Nothing short of Christ's blood in death could satisfy God's death penalty against you because of your sins.

THE THINKING OF GOD CONCERNING THE SERIOUSNESS OF SIN

 Let the following scriptures tell you how offensive sin is to God. These will give you some idea of why nothing short of the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the behalf of sinners could forgive their sins.

In the order they are listed, answer these multiple choice questions.  The correct answers will combine to give you insight as to why God requires a blood sacrifice to address sin.

1. Genesis 9:5-6.   God's penalty upon one who takes another man's life is:

A.    Life in prison.

B.     Rehabilitation.

C.    The death penalty.

D.    Unclear.

2. Leviticus 17:11.   Man's life is in his:

A.    Brain.

B.    Heart.

C.    Collective body organs.

D.    Blood.

3. Romans 6:23.  The penalty for sin is:

A.    Death.

B.    Time in Purgatory that depends on the severity of the offence.

C.    There is no penalty.

D.    A life of misery here on earth.

4. Hebrews 9:22.  When it comes to the remitting of sins, the blood of Christ is:

A.    Important.

B.    Helpful.

C.    The only way.

D.    An archaic concept.

Facts about the blood of Christ 

Since the life is in the blood, when Jesus Christ shed His blood on the cross, He literally laid down His life for us. 

Use the following scriptures to help you fill in these blanks. 

1.     "But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water" (John 19:34). 

2.     "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us" (1 John 3:16). 

3.     "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:12-14). 

4.     "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:18-19). 

5.     "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 53:10-11). 

A STORY OF BLOODSHED

The concept of the blood of an innocent sacrifice offered on behalf of the guilty is a scarlet thread throughout the Bible.  The following matching exercise will confirm that claim.

1. Genesis 3:21                                ( 4) The Passover sacrifice was one of bloodshed.

2. Genesis 4:3-7 (Heb. 11:4)           ( 7)  Only those who partake of Christ's blood have hope.

3. Genesis 22:1-14                           ( 5)   The blood makes atonement for the soul

4. Exodus 12:13 (1 Cor. 5:7)            ( 2)  Abel offered a blood sacrifice: Cain didn't.

5. Leviticus 17:11                             ( 1)  An innocent animal to address the sins of Adam & Eve.

6. Isaiah 53:7                                     ( 9) All of the saved are redeemed by Christ's blood.

7. John 6:53-54                                  ( 3) The blood of a sheep shed in the place of Isaac.

8. Ephesians 1:7                                ( 6)  Christ was sacrificed like a lamb to the slaughter.

9. Revelation 5:9                               ( 8)  We have redemption through Christ's blood.

10. Hebrews 10:1-4                           (10)  The continual Levitical blood sacrifices never solved the sin problem.

11. Hebrews 10:5-14                         (11)  By offering His own blood, Jesus Christ forever solved the sin problem.

ETERNAL BENEFITS FROM THE BLOOD SACRIFICE OF JESUS CHRIST 

Use these scriptures to help you see some of the great eternal benefits that accrue to believers in view of the one-time blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ on behalf of sinners.

1. Ephesians 1:7            ( 7)  Salvation.

2. Ephesians 2:13           ( 2) Made "nigh" to God.

3. 1 Peter 1:18                ( 4) Cleansed from sin.

4. 1 John 1:7                   ( 3) Redeemed.

5. Hebrews 10:10            (15) Loosed from our sins.

6. Colossians 1:20            ( 5) Sanctified.

7. 1 Corinthians 1:18        ( 1) Forgiven.

8. 1 John 2:2                      ( 6) Have peace with God.

9. Acts 20:28                     (14) Justified before God.

10. Romans 5:10               ( 9) Become the purchased possession of God.

11. John 1:29                     (10) Reconciled to God.

12. Matthew 20:28             ( 8) He becomes the propitiation (go between) for us.

13. Leviticus 17:11             (11) Sins taken away.

14. Romans 5:9                   (13) Sins atoned.

15. Revelation 1:5               (12) Ransomed.

16. Revelation 12:11           (17) Remission of our sins.

17. Matthew 26:28               (16) Victory over Satan.

HEBREWS 9:1  -  10:14

Read this passage of scripture and meditate on it.  Note well the superiority of the shed blood of Christ over the best of animal sacrifices and the covenant of grace based on His sacrifice over all systems of good works.

In view of what you have seen in this study: 

1.     Locate and read slowly the old hymn  Nothing But the Blood of Jesus. 

2.     Why do you suppose so many churches that call themselves Christian are leaving songs about the blood of Christ out of their hymnals and church music? 

3.     Memorize Hebrews 9:22. 

4.     When was the last time you heard a sermon that truly emphasized the blood of Christ? 

5.     Should you attend or support a church that denies the blood of Christ? 

Food for Thought

                You are a disciple of Jesus Christ. He has purchased you with His own blood (Acts 20:28). "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Corinthians 6:20).

1.                In view of the price that was paid for your salvation, how effectively are you glorifying God in your (1) body and in your (2) spirit? 

2 .            Record the time when you last had a serious prayer time with God? 

3.             Record the name of the last person you won to Christ?

4.             Locate your attitude on this scale. 

Very negative<  1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10  >Very positive 

5.             How should the great doctrinal truth of Blood Atonement affect your life? 

6.             Can you remember the last time you thanked God for shedding His blood for you?

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"