Blood

It is interesting to note the prominence of blood in our culture. The idea of a "blood brother" has been around for most of history and has been commonly held to be the closest platonic relationship into which two people can enter. When speaking of family, there is nearly always a distinction made between those who are relatives by blood, and those who are only relatives "in law" or by marriage. When referring to our blood family, we commonly use the phrase "blood is thicker than water."

The Bible too puts a very strong emphasis on Blood, in fact the Bible's emphasis is much stronger. In Leviticus 17:11 God tell us that "the life of a creature is in the blood." God commanded the Jews not to eat meat with blood in it because he had reserved the blood for use in sacrifices. (Lev 3) We are said to be cleansed, made white, by the "Blood of the Lamb" (Rev 7:14). And when Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, he deliberately chose the word's "this is my blood" (Matt 26:28; Mark 14:24) to describe the cup which he offered to his disciples in the upper room. Those of us who take Christ's words seriously realize that this is no ordinary sip of wine which is received. It is nothing less than the very blood of Christ himself. Christ's blood, which is his very life is given to us in the Holy cup of the Eucharist. Christ's blood, and his life through it, was given and poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins, and still today we are given the life of Christ in the cup.

Throughout the Word, we are commonly spoken of as "Sons of God," and although Adoption is sometimes used to picture how we become Sons, our relationship to God is so much more than an legal arrangement. Through Baptism we are washed with the blood of Christ, and through the Eucharist we receive the blood of Christ, the very life of Christ. Through the sacraments we are not simply adopted sons, but we literally become Blood relatives of God through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus! Christ is not only our brother legally, but through his sacrifice, we are just as much sons of God as is Christ himself. This is is the ultimate and blessed result of Christ's work, that we are granted the right to be Sons of God, forgiven of all our sins and to eventually spend eternity with our true Father in Heaven.

SOLI DEO GLORIA