“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
There are at least four significant, major positions faith that are essential to take, and maintain, if one would be assured of consistent victory over sin, self, and Satan, on this earth. The first one concerns the blood of Christ, the second, the cross of Christ. The third position has to do wth the power of the resurrection of Christ, and the fourh, with the ascension and sitting down of Christ, victoriously, at the right hand of the Father. Why are these events, and truths, so very important to the believer? It is because of what is now true of him IN CHRIST. Not only did the believer become a new creation in Christ at the new birth, being born of the Spirit, but many things immediately became eternally true of him that were not so before.
The first great “position of faith” is the truth and ministry of the blood of Christ to the heart and soul of the believer. Scripture tells us that we have remission, or forgiveness of sins, by the blood of Christ. What does this mean and why is it so very important with regard to taking a stand of faith concerning it? When Jesus, after the crucifixion and resurrection, entered into heaven itself, He did so with His own precious blood. The worth, and weight of power in that blood, was such that it would potentially touch every man, cleanse away every sin, and present every man before the Father, accepted and having access, with peace and assurance, into the holy presence of God. The blood of Christ redeemed, or bought, the repentant believer. It cleansed him, past and future of all sin. The testimony of the perfect righteousness of the life of Christ, was in that blood, presented to the Father on behalf of the sinner. Not only this, but because the blood of Christ bought the sinner out of the kingdom of darkness, the hold that Satan had on him was broken. Satan was no longer his master, ever seeking his death and destruction.
But how does all of this become real to the believer? It was Charles Wesley who wrote a magnificent hymn which helps us to understand the way. He wrote: “Behold Him, all ye that pass by, The bleeding Prince of life and peace! Come, sinners, see your Savior die, And say, ‘Was ever grief like His?’ Come, feel with me HIS BLOOD APPLIED: My Lord, my Love, was crucified.” Wesley had a tremendous gift, as did his brother, John Wesley, which enabled him to take great, eternal truths, and bring them down to simple applications of faith “on the earth, as they are in heaven.” Charles Wesley took the meaning of the offering of blood in the Old Testament, and showed that was practically applied to certain objects. Scripture tells us that the tabernacle, and so much more, in the Old Testament, was “sprinkled” with blood. Peter would write in his first letter, addressed to believers scattered throughout Asia Minor, that they had received the “sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:2) Why is this important? It is because of what the blood means, and how the blood has been specifically and effectively applied. The blood of Christ is God’s only remedy for sin, the basis for forgiveness, but also, the only sufficient power for absolute cleansing from every aspect of it. John the Apostle wrote, that for the one who walks in the light as Christ is in the light, “…the blood of Christ cleanses from ALL sin.” (1 Jn. 1:7) Here is the first postion of faith, standing redeemed, justified, accepted before the Father, being cleansed daily from all sin, having fellowship with God.
How is the blood of Christ “applied” to the believer? It is applied effectively, powerfully, by the Spirit of God, in response to the believer’s stedfast faith.
Dear Father, Apply the power of Christ’s blood today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.