THE BLOOD
The first thing we want to establish is the importance of Water Baptism.
1 Pet 3:20-21
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
The writer here is pulling from the story about Noah in the book of Genesis, how eight people were saved by water. God spoke to Noah and instructed him to build an ark. The reason why God had Noah to build the ark, was because the people was very wicked (Gen 6:5-7), and God was preparing to destroy the earth. Since Noah and his family was obedient to God’s plan, when the floods came, it caused the Ark to float and he and his family were saved by water. But the same water that Noah was saved by, destroyed those that were disobedient to God’s plan.
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
The word of God compares Noah being saved by water, to us being saved by water baptism. If we are baptized by water according to the word of God, we shall be saved. If not, we shall be destroyed like those who were in the days of Noah.
When we are baptized, it is not the putting away of flesh or like taking a bath. Our conscience is clear because we have been baptized according to the word of God.
Mark 16:16
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
(KJV)
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; not he that believeth is saved.
Everywhere in the book of Acts when a person believed, they were baptized. Again he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.
Acts 8:12-13
12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
(KJV)
Acts 8:35-38
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
(KJV)
Acts 16:30-33
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
(KJV)
Acts 18:8
8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
(KJV)
What happens when a person is baptized?
Heb 9:22
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
(KJV)
The word remission means forgiveness. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. In order to be forgiven, blood must be shed and applied.
Matt 26:28
28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
(KJV)
Jesus is speaking here that he is shedding his blood for the New Testament. A testament is a covenant or contract between God and man on what man must do to be saved. The Old Testament is the old covenant, contract or agreement between God and man; and the New Testament is the new agreement between God and man on what he must do to be saved.
At the time that Jesus made this statement, he had not shed his blood. He was talking about a future event. But when he shed his blood; that is when the New Testament started.
Again the word remission means forgiveness, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. (Heb 9:22).
When does New Testament or new way into the kingdom start?
Heb 9:16-17
16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
(KJV)
A testament or will can only be of force after men are dead. It was not until Jesus died and shed his blood that the New Testament got started. While he was still living, he was fulfilling the law while living up under the law.
The first testament was not dedicated without blood.
Heb 9:18-20
18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
(KJV)
The Old Testament is a type and shadow of things to come in the New Testament.
Exod 12:1-14
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD's passover.
12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
(KJV)
What would have happened at midnight if they done everything that Moses instructed them to do, except put the blood on the top and the side of the door? Their first born would have died. It was not enough that the blood was shed but that blood had to be applied to houses that they were in.
It is the same way for us today, according to John 1:29.
John 1:29
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
(KJV)
It is not enough that Jesus shed his blood, but his blood must be applied to the houses that we are in, just like in the Old Testament. Our house is our body; the blood must be applied to us.
1 Cor 6:19
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
(KJV)
Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost or the dwelling place of God’s presence, so the blood must be applied to your body. It is not enough that Jesus shed his blood but it also must be applied.
Luke 24:47
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
(KJV)
Jesus is speaking to his disciples here and he is telling them that they must preach repentance and remission (forgiveness which cannot happen without the shedding of blood) of sins in his name beginning at Jerusalem.
Again I repeat, that a person cannot have remission (forgiveness) without blood being shed and applied. (Heb 9:22).
We will go to the book of Acts and see how the disciples preached the remission of sins.
Acts 2:36-38
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Peter is explaining through the preached word how they crucified Jesus Christ.
Now when they heard this, they were pricked (Convicted) in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
They realized that they had sinned and they wanted to know how to get the guilt of sin off of them.
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission (forgiveness, which we can’t have without the shedding of blood Heb 9:22) of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(KJV)
The blood is only applied when we are baptized in Jesus name. And when we are baptized in his name, our sins are washed away because the blood is applied. Peter did this according to Jesus’s commandment in Luke 24:47.
Acts 22:16
16 And now why tarriest (wait) thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling (invoke) on the name of the Lord (Jesus).
(KJV)
In other words, he said what are you waiting for? Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the name of Jesus. The ones that called (invoke) on the name of Jesus, are the ones that were doing the baptizing.
So if your sins are to be washed away, you must be baptized in the name of Jesus because the blood is applied when you are baptized in his name.
There are other places in the book of Acts where they were baptized in Jesus name.
Acts 8:16
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
(KJV)
Acts 10:48
48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
(NIV)
Acts 19:1-5
1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
These disciples had been baptized once before, but not in the name of Jesus, but look what happened.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
(KJV)
When they heard the truth of God’s word about Jesus Christ, they were rebaptized in Jesus name.
In the Old Testament, in order to be one of God’s people you had to be circumcised.
Col 2:11
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
(KJV)
Gen 17:10-14
10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
(KJV)
The foreskin of the flesh of the male was removed from his body by a sharp object, which caused blood to be shed.
In the New Testament, a person must be spiritually circumcised to be one of God’s people. This spiritual circumcision happens when we are baptized.
Col 2:11-12
11 When you came to Christ, he set you free from your evil desires, not by a bodily operation of circumcision but by a spiritual operation, the baptism of your souls.
12 For in baptism you see how your old, evil nature died with him and was buried with him; and then you came up out of death with him into a new life because you trusted the Word of the mighty God who raised Christ from the dead.
(TLB)
Col 2:13-14
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Why? Because you were baptized)
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
(KJV)
Here is another reason why we are baptized in Jesus name. We put on the proper wedding garment.
Rev 7:13-14
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
(KJV)
The only way a person can wash their robe and make them white in the blood of the lamb is by being baptized in Jesus’ name, because the blood is only applied when you are baptized in his name.
Matt 22:1-14
1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
This has not happened yet, but this will happen. The king is Jesus and he spotted a man that did not have on the wedding garment. In those days, the groom provided all the guests with the wedding garment, but this man chose not to put it on. It is the same way when a person chooses not to be baptized in Jesus name; they refuse to put on the proper wedding garment.
And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Jesus asked a question that he could not answer because he had no excuse, for he had the chance to put it on but refused not to. If we are to have the proper wedding garment, (Rev 7:13-14) we must be baptized in his name or else we cannot make it to the kingdom of God.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
(KJV)
The ones that are chosen are the ones that obey the total word of God.
Matt 7:21-27
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
They did everything in Jesus name except being baptized in his name, that is why iniquity was still there.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
If you are to build a house, do it on the total word of God, be baptized in his name!
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
(KJV)