Faith in God’s Blood

God is the only true Father. Though spirits do not have blood, God possesses blood. People are quick to deny the existence of God just because He is invisible. However, the image of God, that is, the only begotten God who was in God’s bosom revealed Himself to the world. He came to the world in the flesh with blood, and shed that blood for mankind. There is God’s life in that blood, for it is His own blood (Lev 17:11). When that life came into us, the power of death that used to rule over us could not withstand it and was driven out. The wages of sin is death, but we were liberated from sin because the power of death has been driven away (Rom 6:23).

People are constantly trying to establish their own righteousness (Rom 10:3). However, there is no one who can be saved by his own righteousness. The blood of Jesus Christ is God’s blood, and whoever possesses that blood possesses God’s righteousness. To the Israelites who were enslaved in Egypt, God said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt” (Exo 12:13). And the households that relied on the blood escaped the plague. What God is seeking from us is His blood.

The faith God has given us is concerned with the blood. Jesus Christ is the One who came to the world in the flesh in order to shed God’s blood. Whoever does not rely on that blood denies that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, and thus is of the spirit of the antichrist (1 John 4:3). God deems us as righteous because of that blood within us, not because we have anything else.

We must not be hypocritical. Once we depart the flesh, it will be of no use to regret. In the Bible is a story about a rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). When Lazarus died, he was taken to Abraham’s side. However, the rich man was in Hades after he died, even though he was not a wicked person. The state of believers and that of unbelievers are likewise different. Even now, believers enter Paradise the moment they pass away, whereas unbelievers remain in Hades after they die and then go into the Abyss when the time comes. How fearsome is it to go into the Abyss that some demons even pleaded with Jesus not to send them into the Abyss (Luke 8:31)! On the other hand, those in Paradise will resurrect on the day of the Lord’s return while the saints who are still on earth will be transformed in a flash to meet the Lord in the air. Those that were in the Abyss will finally be brought out and thrown into the lake of fire, and death and Hades will also be cast into the lake of fire on that day (Rev 20:13-15).

The prophecies of the Old Testament prophets have all been fulfilled through Jesus Christ. That is the reason why Jesus said, “it is finished,” before taking His final breath (John 19:30). Jesus also promised us many things, which have all been fulfilled already and there only remains the promise of His return. There will be no more chance when He returns. Though ten virgins waited for the bridegroom, five of them eventually could not go into the wedding because they had later gone out to buy oil for their lamps. God taught us the truth and makes us lead a life of faith so as to prevent us from becoming such foolish people (Matt 25:1-46).

Testify of Jesus’ Blood by the Holy Spirit

Those who have drunk the blood of Jesus must tell others about what they experienced by drinking the blood. Before He was crucified, Jesus commanded His disciples to go out and preach. However after His resurrection, He commanded them, Testify and make disciples. Teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you! We cannot move people’s hearts and save them by just standing in the streets and shouting out, “Come to church!” They will only think of us as preaching our own religion. With such an approach, it is difficult to reach people who consider Christianity as one of many religions. The church may try to attract people’s interest by implementing things that entertain the flesh. However, there is a limit to such things. This world has plenty of things to entertain the flesh. The church must give what the world cannot give. Just as Peter said to the beggar at the temple gate, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (Acts 3:6), if anyone is trying to save souls, then he must testify of what he has.

In order to save souls, we need to have the Lord work with us. Jesus commanded us to raise the dead, heal the crippled and the paralytic, cleanse the leper, and cast out demons. Yet sadly, many people are content with just speaking in tongues and driving out demons, and are not making any further progress. Mark 16:20 says, “And they (the disciples) went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.” We must keep praying earnestly for the Lord to work with us, and also testify.

The world is currently tossed by the hurricane of advanced civilization. People are becoming accustomed to relying on machines. They are constantly on their smart phones even while walking in the streets. It is now commonplace for people to take photos and instantly share them with families overseas. Some people these days are busy typing the sermon into machines rather than receiving the word into their hearts. A certain scholar claims that the development of artificial intelligence could bring an end to humanity. If artificial intelligence continues to develop, a time will come when computers will repair themselves and evolve at a rapid rate. And when that happens, computers will inevitably control humans.

Modern scientific technology is also bringing significant changes to the field of medicine. This is particularly marked in the development of genetic medicine. Present-day doctors place much emphasis on family history when it comes to diagnosis and treatment of diseases like cancer. “Has anyone in your family died of cancer? Is anyone in your family currently suffering from cancer?” These questions are based on the medical findings that there is a higher risk of inheriting a disease if there is a family history of it. If these researches continue, they will soon be developing vaccines and medicines customized for each family.

Considering the spiritual reality divulged in the Bible, the strong emphasis placed on family history in medical treatments today is something that was rather predictable. Since medical science is unable to deal with the spiritual reality, genetics is the only possible explanation. However, the Bible reveals that when a demon enters a person’s body, it can manifest the disease it once had through that person. In fact, people who drive out demons according to the command of Jesus often witness the demons saying things like, “I am his/her (the demon-possessed) grandfather!” Nevertheless, the people who have grown accustomed to modern science and technology are not only ignorant of the spiritual world but they are gradually becoming indifferent to it.

What we have to do in such times is to help the souls become aware of their spirit’s existence, so that they may be empowered by the grace of the blood of Jesus. Insurance brokers do everything they can to convince people to buy insurance products. If those brokers move to a different company, there is no one who can be held responsible for the promises they made to the clients. Even so, their words are so persuasive and convincing that even if people are poor, they will tighten their belts to take out insurance policies. Sadly though, often the words of evangelists are failing to win that much trust from people.

Though the evangelists evangelize, they are unable to bring the souls to salvation because their words are not gaining their trust. Even if the evangelist has good character, he cannot save anyone if his words cannot win people’s trust. He needs the help of the Holy Spirit in order to gain their trust with his words. That is the reason why Jesus urged His disciples not to depart Jerusalem until they receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).

The Meaning of the Lord’s Supper: Testify of Jesus’ Blood

Jesus detests religion and hypocrisy. Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). The disciples realized after Jesus resurrected, that He had spoken of Himself by these words. The Jerusalem temple was a shadow of Jesus. Since the Law, being regulations for the flesh, cannot bring about a fundamental change in man, it can only cause man to be hypocritical.

The Pharisees were people who placed a strong emphasis on holy living. When it came to the flesh, they were close to perfect. They were full of their own righteousness. And Jesus said with regards to them, “Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:20). We need to have the righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees. That righteousness is only in the blood of Jesus. In His blood is God’s life, and that life has delivered us from the power of death.

The Lord’s Supper which Jesus commanded is not a religious rite. Having said to destroy the temple and abolishing all the observances of the Law, would He give us another one again? Jesus is not two-faced. Jesus who died and three days later resurrected to build the true temple has sent the Holy Spirit to the believers. That is the reason we are now able to live a spiritual life.

God seeks those who worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). No matter how hard people try to serve God in their own ways, they will never be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven by that. Jesus said, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matt 7:22-23). Even if a person cast out demons countless times and displayed God’s power, he cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless he does according to God’s will. Therefore, we must forsake hypocrisy.

As we partake in the Lord’s Supper, there is no reason to look sad on purpose or pretend to be godly. The meaning of the Lord’s Supper lies in remembering the fact that the Word became flesh and shed His blood for us. The Old Testament believers observed the Sabbath to remember the Creator God, while New Testament believers gathered on the Lord’s Day to break bread (Acts 20:7). The purpose of breaking bread is to remember the Lord (1 Cor 11:24-25). How do we commemorate the Lord? It is by testifying of His blood (1 Cor 11:26). Some people think that they have become holy by eating the bread and drinking of the cup at church. However, for the Lord’s Supper to have significance, one has to testify of the Lord’s blood thereafter.

Testify of the Blood with Maternal Love

When we testify of the Lord’s blood, we need to rely on the Holy Spirit and have an earnest heart. We must have strong maternal love, just like a hen that embraces her chicks under her wings. The greatest commandment of the Law is to love God with all of our heart, all of our mind, all of our might, and all of our life, and to likewise love our neighbors. However, to love under the Law has its limits. That is because humanly love cannot go beyond empathy and emotions. Jesus abolished this commandment and gave a new one saying, “Love one another! As I have loved you, so love one another!” (John 13:34).

What is the new commandment? Revelation 2:1-4 says, “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”’” The church of Ephesus was exemplary in many aspects and even the Lord acknowledged that. However, He pointed out that they had forsaken their first love, and sternly warned them that He would remove their lampstand unless they repent and restore their first love.

Then what is the first love? When a person is born into the world, the first thing he experiences is none other than his mother’s love. The fundamental attribute of the spirit is maternal love. When Adam ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and fell, instead of saying to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and Adam,” God said, “I will put enmity between you and the woman” (Gen 3:14). The woman is maternal love. In other words, the spirit is maternal love. That is why the Bible refers to Christians as “the rest of her offspring” (Rev 12:17). Our flesh was born through the maternal love of the flesh; however our spirits have been born again through spiritual maternal love.

How passionate is the love between the bride and groom getting married? Yet, many people separate within a few years time. The flesh does not last forever. However, maternal love is everlasting. A mother who lost her child decades ago still cannot forget him even when she is over eighty years old. That is maternal love. A newborn baby cannot stand by himself nor eat on his own. No human being can survive without a mother who understands her child’s needs, when he is hungry and when he is cold. To have lost the first love means to have lost this maternal love.

The Lord asks us, “Do you love Me?” Our love towards the Lord must also be maternal. It should be like the love with which Mary loved her Son. Whoever has maternal love will never abandon the one he loves. The characteristic of a mother’s love is that she can never forsake the child she has borne. The new commandment Jesus gave to love one another means to have maternal love towards souls. What the church needs is maternal love. Man’s empathy, affection and emotions are not everlasting. Although many NGOs are being formed by philanthropists, a considerable number of them fall through and disappear. On the other hand, there are no such letdowns with maternal love. A mother never forgets her child until the day she dies. We need to love the souls with such love, and also love the Lord with that love. And the working of the Holy Spirit is what makes this possible.

1 Corinthians 11:29 says, “For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” The original sin and intrinsic sin that we had were done away with by the Lord’s blood. However, if anyone denies His blood, those sins will return. The unbelievers in the world have not yet saved their spirits and thus, their hearts are weak and in despair, they become depressed, sick, and even take their own lives. These are all the result of receiving the Lord’s judgment. The church will also face such difficulties if it likewise receives the Lord’s judgment (1 Cor 11:30-32). We must not be those who eat and drink our own sins, but testify of the blood of Jesus with maternal love in order to save the souls.