Nothing but the Blood
ICS Daily Devotions
It is revealed in the Bible that sin can only be atoned for by blood. There is a bloodline running through the Bible which shows that where there is sin, an innocent party must always take the place of the sinner through the shedding of blood, whether it is an animal or the work of the Messiah.
Genesis 3:21 (NKJV) Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
Before Adam and Eve sinned against God, they never needed clothing because the glory of God was their clothing. However, after they sinned, an innocent animal was killed for God to make tunics to clothe them because blood had to be shed for their sin. This was the first shedding of blood for sin where an innocent animal had to die for man’s sin.
Out of love and grace, God clothed them before He asked them to leave the Garden of Eden. God first loved them before enforcing what was necessary—to separate sinners from His holy presence. Adam and Eve must have passed this important lesson onto their children, that an innocent party must shed blood to appease the wrath of God towards sin.
Genesis 4:3-5 (NKJV) And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
Their son Abel understood and accepted that the only way to approach God and to appease His wrath towards sin was by the sacrifice of an animal and its fat. However, Cain failed to be accepted by God through his labour of love. Subsequently, in his anger, he killed Abel.
Hebrews 11:4 (NKJV) By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
Abel had faith that the shedding of the animal’s blood would allow him to have fellowship with God, and he obtained his righteousness before God based on his faith in God’s way, whereas Cain did not accept that forgiveness can only be obtained through the shedding of blood of an animal and not by good works or self-effort.
Many people today are like Cain, attempting to gain acceptance by God using their own strength, such as using philosophy and religion to try to be a good person. Sadly, because of the sin nature in us, we will always have evil thoughts and actions, and our self-righteousness will cause us to be proud and defiant when provoked.
Our sins can only be atoned for by the blood of Jesus, and our salvation is offered to us purely by the grace of God. It cannot be attained by works.
Sermon Series: The Power of the Blood
