Wednesday, June 21, 2006

The Price of Blood


Gold. Diamonds. Silver. Emeralds. Bronze. Opals. Precious commodities that connote wealth, affluence, extravagance. What makes these materials of value and great worth?

Part of it is scarcity. The less there is of something, the more its worth. That's why various kinds of wood are generally valued less than metals of the finer sort.

Another factor in appraising that which is valuable is demand by way of desirability, attractiveness and or need.
Yet what is THE most valuable commodity there is in all the world? In all the universe?

To answer that, one must consider what is the rarest substance there is, and how much of a demand there is for that substance.
Consider the spiritual values that the BIBLE deals in, most especially where the righteousness of the souls of men are concerned. 

ROM 3:10
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

ISAIAH 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

So righteousness in the terms that the Bible describes is not only scarce, but non-existent. Or is it?
There is not a single individual within all the realm of humanity that is righteous, and before God, our very best morality, ethical standards, and nobility are wretchedly pathetic and deficient of any value. And did you notice that "righteousness" is in the plural form? "Righteousnesses"! There are various brands and levels of quality among the many human standards of righteousness. Some people are extremely moral, others less so. There are even some to claim to be amoral (without any morals at all). But all of them fall deplorably short of GOD's own standard!
With the exception of one individual:


The LORD Jesus Christ!

He and He alone is righteous before the eyes of the Holy God of creation. He is the spotless and holy Lamb of God! He and He alone could stand before GOD and claim that He fulfilled the Law in every respect of conduct, action, word, motive and thought!

MATTHEW 5:17
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

Compare this to what the Word says about the rest of us where the Law is concerned!

ROMANS 3:20
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Imagine in the teeming oceans of humanity, this one drop alone possesses pure and holy blood! The value of this innocent blood is literally inestimable! How utterly precious before the eyes and heart of the Father this Man is!

And yet the blood of Christ was shed! This precious, pure and chiefest of goodly commodities was poured out freely on OUR behalf! This blood, spilled over us, cleansing us from our sins, washing us pure of iniquities, removing every indelible stain and ruin that marred our souls, seemingly for all eternity!

1 JOHN 1:7
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 PETER 1:18-19
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

There is so much talk about "self-esteem" these days, and yet if we only understood the value that GOD places on us, how He esteems us so greatly, NOT because of our inherent worth, but because of the worth He has invested us with by the precious blood of His Son!

Now consider this: The LORD Jesus Christ told us that there are few that make it into heaven, for the way is narrow; many are those that go into perdition, for that way is wide and easy (MATT. 7:13-14). So of ALL of humanity, only a comparative few actually receive the salvation and redemption that GOD offers through the life and blood of the LORD Jesus Christ, GOD the Son (bear in mind that in the great tribulation period alone, there is a multitude beyond count who are saved. This is to say nothing of the numbers saved from Pentecost to the present; and the saints who have by faith been saved from Genesis to John).

Thus because of our rarity, how much MORE are we valued by the Father! Christian, if you are feeling worthless, and unworthy, if you think you will never amount to anything in the Kingdom of God, if you believe that the LORD looks upon you disparagingly then reexamine what has been done on YOUR behalf!

The price of Christs blood was not paid because we are worthy, but rather we are made worthy because of the blood of Christ which He shed for us.

Consider the acronym for G.R.A.C.E. (G.ods R.iches A.ttributed at C.hrist's E.xpense) given freely to YOU! You wear the righteous garb of the LORD Jesus! You bear upon your brow the Holy Writ and the Seal of God's Spirit in your own spirit!

When GOD sees you, He sees someone whom His Son purchased Himself with His own blood, and stands as righteous as the LORD! This is something done apart from your own efforts, something attributed to you without any works accomplished through spiritual sweating, and grunting and exhaustive exercise and the hollow tenacity of human frailty to live holy in ones own strength!

Scripture says, "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins." No common blood was shed for you, but the greatest treasure in all the world below and in heaven above! Sins are washed, iniquities cleansed, unrighteousness scoured clean, and with these all the penalties of eternal death and hell are done away with! In their place: righteousness, holiness, sanctification, purity. These cover us as we are found "in Christ"!

Now smile child of God! Rest assured, that you, as you are now, bathed in the blood of Christ, are approved by your Father! And you are as esteemed by God the Father as He esteems His only begotten Son, the LORD Jesus Christ!
In weakness like defeat, 
He won the victor’s crown, 
Tread all our foes beneath His feet, 
By being trodden down.
He, Satan’s power laid low, 
Made sin, He, sin ‘oerthrew, 
Bowed to the grave, destroyed it so, 
And death, by dying slew.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

THE BLOOD IS THE ONLY ELEMENT IN THE BODY THAT REACHES, AFFECTS,& FUELS ALL OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY, THIS RICH REDDISH-PURPLE ELIXIR FLOWS SIENTLY THROUGTH THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS LIKE HIGH POWERED CARS MOVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS. IT CARRIES THE CARGO OF OF MUCH NEEDED OXYGEN MOLECULES & NUTRIENTS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN LIFE IN EVERY CELL OF THE BODY.
IF THE BLOOD IS RESTRICTED LONG ENOUGH FROM ANY MEMBER OF THE BODY, THAT MEMBER WILL INTERNALLY ASPHYXIATE, & BEGIN TO CHANGE COLORS. ITS ASPHYXITATED CELLS CAN QUICKLY DIE -EVEN WITHOUT AN EXTERNAL ASSAILANT --FOR THEIR AFFLICTION IS THE RESULT OF INTERNAL DEPRIVATION.

(EXCERPT IS FROM TD JAKES DEVOTIONAL & JOURNAL 365 DAYS TO HEALINGS BLESSINGS AND FREEDOM)


Anonymous said...

Some people put no value on the blood that Jesus shed, but we can see from T.D.Jakes message just how value the blood really is. It reminds me of the stanza<?
O the wonder working power>>OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS