Whose Blood Saves?

There is a story of a man named Bill.  Bill was well-known for being an avid and consistent blood donor.  He was very proud of this fact.  He gave, for nearly every year of his adult life, over a hundred pints of blood.  Untold people have been helped by Bill's kindness.

One day, a reporter who was doing a story on Bill, asked him why he donated blood.  To which Bill replied, "Well, when I get to the pearly gates and ole' St. Peter checks my account, I figure I'll be able to point out how I've given my blood and that'll be enough.  I mean, if you add it all up I've given a couple thousand pints of blood.  That ought to get me in."

And while it is unclear whether he is joking or not, it is not that far from how many people still think about matters of heaven and of salvation.  But, in truth, no matter how great or numerous are the works of goodness that a person does, salvation comes by the name of Christ Jesus and by no other means.  Grace alone received through faith.

As for Bill, if he thinks that giving over a hundred pints of blood a year is going to save him, then he is trusting in the wrong blood.  Only the blood of Christ Jesus saves. This is essential, foundational, fundamental, and immutable.  Let us then spread the word that Jesus and only He saves.  But praise be to God for revealing Himself to us in this way, that while we were still sinners He sent His Son to die and to pay propitiation for the iniquities of mankind.  Praise God!

Praise God Who Saves His Dirty Kids

Paul, in his letter to Titus, writes:

"For we ourselves were once foolish, obedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.  But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Tit. 3:3-7)."

Often the Word is so clear that it speaks for itself with a piercing tone.  This is one of those instances.  Paul states it clearly, that we who have been saved by the blood of Christ were once hostile and fleshly.  And it was nothing good in us or any good that we had done to earn or cause God to offer us grace.  Rather, it was God's good mercy and compassion that washed over us who have faith in Christ who receive His grace.

This is comforting to know that God does not require sinners to get clean and healthy before He will come to save them.  Instead, God takes our degraded, our diseased, our dilapidated, and our dysfunctional.  He saves us during our despair and in the midst of our depression and sickness.  This is beautiful and we should never lose sight of it.  God loves us so much that He is willing to pick us up from the mire and bog of our messy lives and to cleanse us in Jesus' blood.  Let us then always keep this in mind whenever we feel unworthy or too-dirty for God, for He is a God who loves us!