The Life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6SiuZoFHus&index=28&list=PL5dNRmExdE0D_IYvuXWiy70FhZg__i5CJ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjDQJs2KAFU&list=PL5dNRmExdE0D_IYvuXWiy70FhZg__i5CJ&index=30

 

He lives, the Great I Am

Alive 

By Randolph Gonce 

May 29, 2018 

Just finished my morning coffee, 

I am alive. 

My shoulder and back ache, 

I am alive. 

Visiting with two of my grandsons, 

I am alive. 

Aware of my existence, 

I am alive. 

Thinking about eternity, 

I am alive. 

Knowing His love within me, 

I am alive. 

Filled with hope for eternity, 

I am alive. 

What is life? Physical life is evidenced by activity. Breath, heartbeat, and mental activity evidence the presence of life. 

There is another level of life, which involves our connection with our Creator. The death (end of life), pictured in the Garden of Eden story, is to be disconnected from the Creator. The Great I Am is life, and so long as we are connected with Him, we are alive, even if we have died physically. Our connection with Him must be evidenced by some activity, some spiritual heart beat, some evidence of His Spirit within us, some activity that demonstrates love.

Physical life is important, as it provides us the opportunity to be a blessing to others. But Eternal life is beyond comprehension in the blessing it provides of making us God’s glorious children in Eternity.

As Jesus faced death, He focused upon eternity as He prayed to the Father.

John 17 English Standard Version (ESV)
The High Priestly Prayer

17:1  When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

Yes, Jesus wants us to share His eternal glory. Paul says that our present suffering is not worth comparing with the eternal glory we have in Jesus. 

Treasure in Jars of Clay

2 Cor 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.

13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

So physical life is not the big deal, even though it is important, and gives us existence.  Without first having physical life, we would have no hope of eternal life. But we live our physical lives, and have the hope of eternal life by faith in the blood of Jesus. 

The Preeminence of Christ 

Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 

Jesus shows Himself alive to the disciples following His resurrection.  Seeing, they believe, even doubting Thomas.  Read this interesting story about Thomas in India.
http://rgonce.blogspot.com/2015/01/because-he-lives.html

Jn 20:26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

  

Thomas sees and believes

The Purpose of This Book

Jn 20:30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Believing, have life in His name! 

I believe, I am alive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB4KcleYiWM

The Truth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u_NMSH3hR8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L8f43hTF2Q



 

Jesus Before Pilate

My Kingdom Is Not of This World

John 18:33- So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 

34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 

35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 

37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” 

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 

38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

What is truth?

Truth is what is real. Truth is what exists. Truth is what is.

The modern world of the so called enlightenment laughs at the idea of inherent truth. Especially subject to ridicule is religious and Biblical truth.

The enlightened mind looks to science and the opinions of peers for that which to proclaim as truth. Except they are quick to admit that there is no coherent truth. There is my truth and your truth. Diversity is great, from the secular humanistic view. We need just to love and respect all cultural ideas, and get away from proclamations of established truth based on the Bible. 

But the proclamation that God is dead, and the proliferation of various atheistic humanist movements, brought with it the bloodiest century of history. The rejection of inherited values led to the reordering of governments, as the various socialist new world orders attempted to expand their rule of the world. 

https://islamthought.wordpress.com/2008/12/28/secularism-humanism-and-atheism-their-crime-against-humanity/

My truth and your truth, and a disregard for the evidence of history, leaves no platform for moral values. So everyone doing as they please within the context of secular law attempted to show the way forward. But disrespect for law and lack of respect for legal authority has eroded the historic Judaeo Christian foundations of society.

What does celebration of diversity actually mean? It means that there is no truth, and everyone should do as they please. It is what you feel and think that gives meaning to life; so eat, drink, and be merry. Life is just biology, and there are no eternal consequences.
But examination of history shows clearly that people who  have actually followed Jesus Christ by personal faith are tremendously blessed compared to all other societies that have ever existed.  There is truth that blesses in Jesus.

John 8:28 - So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

The Truth Will Set You Free

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 

33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Free!  The truth will set you free!!

Everyone longs for freedom. We want to be free from that which binds us. But the casting off of restraint, the casting off of God given moral values, produced the worst kind of bondage. Sin destroys. Sin produces shame. Sin brings death and destruction, as witnessed in the twentieth century.

Love is a word easily misused. Love as feeling has no great lasting value. Love as sacrifice, love as putting others first, love as loving God with all our mind, strength, and being, gives life. Love involves giving and discipline. Love requires responsibility.

How does truth set us free? It is Jesus who sets us free. He paid the bloody price for our mistakes by His sacrificial death on the cross at Calvary.

Isaiah 53:4 -Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.

  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly7ZhITWmm0&list=PL5dNRmExdE0D_IYvuXWiy70FhZg__i5CJ&index=52

http://rgonce.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-way.html

The Way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcGF8syDAeA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AufoKyFT2e0&list=PL5dNRmExdE0D_IYvuXWiy70FhZg__i5CJ&index=68

The Road Less Traveled

Proverbs 14:11-13 English Standard Version (ESV)

11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and the end of joy may be grief.

Proverbs 16:24-26 English Standard Version (ESV)

24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
26 A worker's appetite works for him;
his mouth urges him on.

No, all paths do not lead to the same place.  And mankind's perceptions do not establish reality.  Jesus came to the earth to reveal God, and to give us a path to salvation. Only the blood of Jesus can take away sins, so there is no other way to be right with God. All the good thoughts and positive energy in the world will not remove a single mistake.  The one who comes to Jesus and receives salvation will have eternal life.

Galatians 6:6-8 English Standard Version (ESV)

6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

John 14 English Standard Version (ESV)
I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

So take the path less traveled by the world that is seeking selfish pleasure.  Know Jesus and follow Him.  He is the way to Eternal Life.

How can you come to know Jesus?  First you must learn about Him; from family, friends, and from reading or hearing about His life and teaching from the Bible. But knowing about Jesus is not knowing Him.  You must be born again of water and the Spirit in order to enter the way to eternal life. 

Once you come to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He died for your sins, then you are called to repentance. Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of path. You must get off the well traveled road to destruction and decide to follow Jesus.  

So repentance involves a decision that you make to follow Jesus.  When you make that decision, you must listen to the words of Jesus and Peter about baptism.  Baptism is God's work, not man's work.

The Great Commission

Matt 18:16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Acts 2:36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

So those who received his word were baptized.  They chose the road less traveled, the way to Eternal Life. And God added them to the number of His people. They became living stones in the house of God.

And this is how they lived.  

The Fellowship of the Believers

Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

After forty years the temple at Jerusalem was destroyed and believers were scattered into other nations.  Believers were persecuted for their faith.  But all those who faithfully followed Jesus received eternal life. And they will be raised to eternal glory on resurrection day. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW74gxH5jUs&list=PLqk7PmhxKRBdjq3ZZ0MX5fqd2v6G3Ssbk&index=57

The Word

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zayXnKcS88

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-m_6KN5ISA&list=RDa-m_6KN5ISA

In the beginning was the Word

In the beginning, God created.  God spoke the universe into existence. The Word was a part of God’s being.  And the Spirit of God moved across the expanse of the creation.  God the eternal being with His Word and His Spirit, they are One God.

Genesis 1 English Standard Version (ESV)

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

                                                                           

The Word became flesh

The Birth of Jesus Christ

Matt 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 
24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Birth of Jesus Foretold

Luke 1 :26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.


The Word became flesh. A miraculous conception by the Power of the Holy Spirit took place in the womb of Mary. God’s power caused one of Mary’s eggs to begin growing, as Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary. Through Mary, Jesus is the son of David. Through the life giving Power of God, He is the Son of God.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul explains that the Word gave up equality with the Father to become a man, a servant, even to the point of death on a cross.

Phil 2: 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When discussing that Jesus is fully God, we need to realize that from the time of his conception in the womb of Mary until His ascension into heaven, he was a man like us, subject to temptation and death. God cannot die. But Jesus for a time was a man who was tempted in all points like us, so that He can be our High Priest. He offered His own blood as a sacrifice for our sins. And by the Power of God He raised from the grave and ascended into heaven after forty days of witness following the resurrection. 

The writer of Hebrews informs us of the humanity of Jesus.   

Heb 2:5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere,

“What is man, that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man, that you care for him?
7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honor,[a]
8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.”

Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying,

“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”

13 And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”

And again,

“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

“You made him for a little while lower than the angels.” For a little while, Jesus gave up His divinity in order to suffer for us. But now Jesus has been given all power and authority, He is fully God, and will accomplish His purpose in overcoming sin. 

As Paul wrote:

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

  

Jesus ascends from the Mount of Olives

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQmj1RVA6XA

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1TPn98v7O8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBqUwpCvCL8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDqTENtNvKQ

Lamb skin tunics for Adam and Eve

Eating the forbidden fruit did not turn out so well for Adam and Eve.  Ashamed of their nakedness, they hid from God.  And God made some clothing from the skins of animals to cover their shame.  Probably two sheep paid with their life blood to provide the clothing for Adam and Eve.  

Isaac saved by the blood of the lamb

Abraham prepared to kill Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice to God, but an Angel stopped his hand, and called attention to the Ram caught in the thorn bush.  The blood of the Ram took the place of Isaac's blood as a sacrifice to God.  

Why blood?  The wages of sin is death, and blood represents life.. 

Protected by the blood of the lamb

The blood of a lamb sprinkled on the door posts and lintel protected the first born from death, so long as they were inside the blood sprinkled house when the Death Angel passed through Egypt.

Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples before He went to the cross to shed His life blood as our Passover Lamb.

The wine of the Passover represents the blood of Jesus

Heb 9:

Redemption Through the Blood of Christ

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come,[e] then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify[f] for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our[g] conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established.  17 For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.18 Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood.19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Blood and Water

Jesus' Side Is Pierced

31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

Before one can be washed in the blood of the Lamb, one must believe in the power of the blood.  We must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  We must believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  And that faith must be revealed in repentance, a change of mind about how we want to live. We must give up self and look to Jesus.  If we persist in willful sin, living by our own desires, we will die.  But if we are washed in the blood of the Lamb, we have eternal life. 

Paul said this: 

Romans 6 English Standard Version (ESV)

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

6 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Jesus shed His blood in His death on the cross.  In baptism, a penitent believer connects with the death of Jesus, and is given life.  The baptized believer is covered by the blood of the lamb.  

Gal 3:26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

Washed in the blood of the Lamb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDqTENtNvKQ

-- Randolph Oran Gonce CEO, Dead Sea Vision LLC 276 Co Rd 56 Stevenson, AL 35772 USA Phone: 256 437 2687 rogonce@gmail.com www.deadseapower.com