Saved by the Blood

For me, the symbol of blood in Christianity was one among the vaguely understood concepts. So to speak, almost as mysterious as the Holy Trinity. What did it mean to be cleansed by the Blood? (Imagine washing your robes with blood and finding them clean white!) If viewed apart from faith, it would seem highly irrational. However, thanks to the book I received as a new year gift from a generous person who wishes to remain anonymous, and to my mentor who picked it for me.

Although this book covers a vast range of topics, the section on blood intrigued me the most. I shall put down some interesting insights gathered from its pages, especially for those with whom I share my spiritual growth.

This is the Blood shed on Calvary...For the life and salvation of all mankind.
Shed blood often engenders the image of death. Therefore, it's sometimes difficult to imagine how it could mean life to a christian! In your determination to read the Bible from cover to cover, if you've ever managed to plod through endless laws and regulations in Leviticus, you'd also have come across a stern commandment which forbids us from drinking blood.(Lev 3:17, 7:26,27 17:11,14 Duet 12:23) It was a law to be followed even by the new gentile Christians.(Acts15:29) For the life of a creature is in its blood (so if you drank buffalo's blood, its life would enter into you). No wonder many who followed Jesus silently withdrew from Him after H e made the public statement: I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink from his blood, you have no life in you.
When every Sunday, at the Lord's table you drink from the cup, a blood transfusion occurs! His life is transfused into your pale anaemic spirit man.

Cleansed by the Blood...
There's a wonderful experiment mentioned in the book to illustrate blood's cleansing power. Try it if you get a chance. You'll need a B.P apparatus. Wrap the cuff around your upper arm and pump it up to 200mm - adequate pressure to cut off your blood supply to the lower arm. Now perform simple tasks with that hand, like driving a nail in a block of wood. Initially, you'll notice no difference but almost suddenly, a hot flash of pain strikes you. Your muscles cramp and if you continue with it, you'll probably cry out like a wounded child!
Explanation:
As muscles convert oxygen into energy, they produce certain waste products that normally would have been flushed away instantly in the blood stream. Because of the constricted blood flow, however, these wastes accumulated in your cells. They were not cleansed by the swirling stream of blood, and therefore in a few minutes you felt the agony of retained toxins.
Toxin in christian life is SIN. Is Jesus' blood circulating in all areas of your life?

Overcoming by the Blood...
This can be best explained through 'convalescent serum' used in immunisation. It is simply the blood of an overcomer.i.e, The blood of a person who has experienced a disease and has defeated it. When injected into another person, this convalescent serum with ready antibodies against a particular disease gives the host body enough time to produce its own antibodies. Therefore, the immunised person overcomes a disease not by his/her own resistance or vitality but as a result of a battle that had taken place previously within someone else.
Heb2:18 'Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.'
He has overcome the world!

For more information, grab a copy of 'IN HIS IMAGE' by Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey from your nearest christian book store!

As for me, I'm looking forward to receive the Holy Qurbana... Now with a renewed mind!