The other day, one of the members mentioned that he was enjoying his study of the Book of James. He said there is a lot in common between James’ Epistle and this First Epistle of John. But then he said something that made me snicker. He said that James was probably suffering from ADHD (Attention Deficit, Hyperactivity Disorder). He explained by saying that James seemed to jump all over the map, moving from one idea to another in rapid succession, apparently without any rhyme or reason. Our brother was struggling to maintain the context and the links between one thought and the next.
He was right on several fronts, but not all. First: there ARE many parallels between James and John. Second: it is the responsibility of the Bible student to keep in mind the context of every statement. And third: in God’s Word consecutive thoughts are linked even when we have a hard time seeing them. To that I will add: the Holy Spirit is the author of our Bibles. I don’t believe James had ADHD, but even if it was true, the Lord always makes His revelation perfect. Some of the penmen of the Bible were highly educated, like Moses, Daniel and Paul. Others had only minimal educations, like the fishermen and shepherds. And if God chose to use the demoniac of Gadara to write one His epistles it would have been accurate. None of those men actually created the content of our Bible. God’s penmen were all moved by the Holy Ghost in everything they said or wrote. This means that the very words of the Word of God are inspired by the Lord. The Holy Spirit is the true author of our Bible.
Most Baptist pastors randomly pick and choose the sermon texts from which they preach. And in the process they often take what John or James say out of their context. In this case, when John was talking about Christians having fellowship with God, he didn’t in the next breath jump into a gospel message about salvation through the blood of Christ. “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” When John says, in verse 9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” he was not talking about the day of our conversion to Christ. While both these verses have a much broader application, the apostle was thinking about people who were already saved. These verses have more to do with Jesus and His disciples in the upper room than with Saul of Tarsus on his face in the dirt outside Damascus.
To further show you what I mean, please return to John 13:1-12. The Lord Jesus was with His professed disciples, including the man who betrayed Him, Judas Iscariot. After the Passover meal, the “seder” (say-dr), with everyone reclining next to the table, Jesus arose. He laid aside His outer garments and took a towel which He then wrapped around His waist. “After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.” When Jesus came to Peter, that disciple characteristically refused: “Lord, doest thou wash my feet?” After a brief conversation, Christ said, “He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit; and ye are clean, but not all.” The “not all” referred to Judas whose feet were washed, but who was not “clean every whit.”
While what our King James Bible says is true, there is a depth of meaning casual readers miss. The statement: “he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit; and ye are clean, but not all” might be a bit tough to understand without a little help. Actually, there are two Greek words both translated “wash” in this verse – “lou-o” and “nip-to.” The first could be translated “bathe,” while the other might be rendered “rinse.” They both mean “wash,” but between the two there is an obvious difference in depth or extent. Christ was essentially saying, “In addition to the thorough washing I gave you at the time of your salvation, you also need my daily cleansing.” And the purpose of that daily foot washing is that we might remain in the light and in fellowship with God. JUDAS was walking in darkness; he had no fellowship with the Lord or with the brethren. But even the eleven needed to be regularly rinsed off in order to have God’s fellowship. The One carrying out both washings was, and still is, the Lord Jesus Christ. And the cleansing agent – the only disinfectant sufficient for either washing – is the blood of Jesus Christ God’s Son.
Let’s briefly consider “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son (which) cleanseth us from all sin.”
John’s words suggest that our first consideration must be the SOURCE from whom this blood is drawn.
When it comes to modern blood donations, not everyone in this world is a good source. Some blood is so filled with poisons, drugs and diseases that it should not be given to another person. And when some specific purpose is intended, then the field of donors becomes even smaller. If the blood is to be used to produce a certain antigen, then perhaps only 2% of donees would qualify. And in this case ONLY “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
But is this LITERAL blood, or is John speaking metaphorically? Listen to these scriptures and ask yourself if they refer to real blood? Hebrews 9:11-14 – “Christ being come an high priest of good things to come… Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the BLOOD of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” After speaking about the sacrificial blood of real goats and calves, wasn’t the writer referring to more literal blood – the blood of Christ Jesus?
Acts 20:28 – ”Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own BLOOD.” Christ Jesus made the down payment and then fully paid off our debt with blood drained from His body. If “his own blood” is a symbol of something other than blood, then what is it?
Romans 3:23-25 – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his BLOOD, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” When it comes to salvation from sin, misplacing our faith is a dangerous thing to do. So then again, does “through faith in his blood,” refer to something other than blood?
Ephesians 1:7 – “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 2:13-15 – “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the BLOOD of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.”
Colossians 1:14 – “In whom we have redemption through his BLOOD, even the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:20-22 – “And, having made peace through the BLOOD of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death.”
I Peter 1 – “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the BLOOD of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.” I Peter 1:18-19 – “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious BLOOD of Christ, as of a la mb without blemish and without spot.” Do these verses refer to something mythical and mystical or is it real, red, righteous blood?
It is easy to loose the true significance of a word that we hear really often. It is even easier to loose that significance when we rarely hear the word. And it is also easy to loose the significance of something that gets wrapped up in other things. Did you know that in the New Testament the blood of Christ is mentioned three times as often as the cross? Did you that the blood of the Lord Jesus is mentioned five times as often as Jesus’ death? When we talk about the death of Christ on the cross, let’s not overlook the necessity of the BLOOD. Some people try to tell us that any Bible reference to the word “blood” is really just a synonym for “death.” It is true that sometimes symbolism gets involved in our study of Christ’s blood, but the blood is real. Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.” When Christ spoke those words, the eating and drinking was symbolical, but the flesh and blood were real. By that I mean that we are saved through Jesus’ blood, but that blood is ingested by faith not feeding.
Think with me of the crucifixion and try to picture it without blood. At Gethsemane, while Jesus prayed – what happened? Don’t picture Christ’s forehead covered in sweat as He poured out His heart – it was bright red blood. When Peter cut off that man’s ear intending to defend his Saviour there was blood, and lots of it. When Jesus was beaten, whipped and crowned with thorns, was there no blood covering his face and back? Could He have been nailed to the cross without blood oozing from His hands and feet? After He said “it is finished” the soldiers ran a spear into His side and out poured blood and other fluids. Can you have a crucifixion without literal blood? Can you consider the crucifixion without the smell of blood? Were there no flies drawn to that blood? Were there no ravens near-by or dogs milling about?
The blood of Christ is a summary of the cross. That word links the pain, and the shame, and the bruises, and the open wounds all together. When the New Testament says “blood,” it is speaking of Christ’s blood at the time of His death. The word “blood” is used to represent the whole crucifixion. That blood actually had a specific ministry and role to play: it was shed to cleanse us from all our sin.
But please notice that John doesn’t merely say, “the blood of JESUS cleanseth us from all sin.” While technically that might be true, John was far more specific than that – “Jesus Christ, Son of God.” Do you remember when God appeared to Joseph of Nazareth and dictated the name of Mary’s baby. “She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall SAVE his people from their sins.” But prior to that the Lord spoke to Mary, through the angel Gabriel and said, “Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of Highest… The Holy Ghost shall come up thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
Only the Son of God, can supply the cleansing agent effective in the washing away of sin – His own blood.
So the blood to which John refers was DEFINITELY EXCEPTIONAL – it was UNIQUE blood.
It was the blood of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the anointed by the Father for a special ministry. Christ was anointed – ordained – for special reasons. The first of which was to shed His blood to redeem to Himself His chosen people. And the blood which poured out of His body was special. While it wasn’t extra-terrestrial, or heavenly, or angelic – it was exceptional. Peter recognized that, calling it very precious” in I Peter 1:19. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Peter could have used a long list of superlative adjectives, but under the Holy Spirit he chose that one. It doesn’t refer to a value in the market place, but a value to God and to the believing heart.
The saving blood is the blood of a unique Person. His biology and hematology was not, and is not, that of an ordinary person. Since He had only a mother and no human father, His biological make-up was very different from ours. An expert in DNA would be totally mystified if given the opportunity to study the blood of the Saviour.
The blood of a mere human avails nothing in regard TO sin, because it flows WITH sin. But Jesus Christ is the Son of God – Jehovah – holy and without internal or external blemish. “For unto us a child was born….unto us a Son of God was given.” “The word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten Son of God.” “In the fullness of time God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law.” In one sense, Christ’s was divine blood, while yet in another it was very special human blood.
And it was precious because it was absolutely free from any corruption. The purer the gold, the more valuable it is; the purer the diamond the more expensive it is. Some wonder if Christ’s blood was made up of the same ingredients as our own: plasma, red and white blood cells and platelets. I believe that it probably had what ours has, but whether it did or didn’t have these, it certainly carried no sin. The Bible teaches that sin is passed from fathers to their children. Since Jesus had no human father, He was a perfect human being through his mother. The Son of God remained perfectly perfect through the incarnation. And Christ was thoroughly human – but holy, harmless and undefiled by human nature.
Not only these things, but that blood of Christ was precious in the plan of God. All one has to do is look at the importance of Old Testament blood symbolism. “The life of the flesh is in the blood, and the Lord has given us that blood upon the altar to make an atonement for our sins” – Leviticus 17:11.
And what does this precious blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God do?
It CLEANSETH us from all sin.
John is going to remind us, “if we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” He will conclude that statement with verse 7. God “is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to CLEANSE us from all unrighteousness.” And here he tells us, “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son CLEANSETH us from all sin.”
There are many modern evangelists who are dangling a poor excuse of a carrot in front of their targets. Are you familiar with the image of the “carrot on a stick?” It is an idea easy to understand. The little boy was having a hard time getting his donkey to pull the little wagon he was riding. So he found a long stick to which he tied some string and a carrot. Then dangling it in front of the donkey and enticing the animal with a treat, he urged it forward. The silly beast pulled the wagon in an effort to reach the munchy treat. But that carrot always stayed just a few inches ahead of him, no matter how hard he pulled. There are many evangelists who entice their targets with the idea of forgiveness of their sin. Obviously, that is a perfectly good thought and an important Bible doctrine. But an important corollary to forgiveness is CLEANSING. Not only is there forgiveness in the blood of Christ, but more importantly there is cleansing. The sad fact is, there are millions of people who wouldn’t mind enjoying forgiveness for sin, but they aren’t interested in being rid of those sins. (Or as my old pastor used to say, “to be shed of those sins.”)
Picture, if you would, another little boy. This little guy has been playing outside all day, including spending some time in the mud. After ten hours of play, he is absolutely filthy from head to toe – from hair to heel. His sin has totally defiled him – his face, his hands, even under his shirt and in his pants there is dirt. When his mother calls him to dinner, he is ravenous, and runs to the table ready to eat. “Forgiveness” is what his mother requires before they can have fellowship around the table. “Wash your hands, young man.” Because he is hungry, he’s willing to “nipto” some water over his fingers. But he throws a hissy fit when his mother later demands that he take a bath (“lou-o”) before bed.
Even professing Christians, perhaps even more so because we are professing Christians, we need to yearn for cleansing as well as forgiveness. If we want to have fellowship with God, and with the people of God, we need to be thoroughly clean. Remember, it is in the light that we have fellowship with the Lord. And in that light all our filthiness is exposed.
And perhaps we need to emphasize the word “all.” “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from ALL sin.” This is the blood of God’s own Son, so it is “efficacious” – it is thoroughly effective. There is no sin which is beyond the ability for Christ to forgive and cleanse.
If I can put it this way, if we want our hands to be washed we have to put them under the faucet. But if we want our bodies to be clean we have to get into the shower or tub. And if we truly want to have fellowship with God, we must rest under the fountain of His blood. “Fountain” is a good Bible word in this context. Zechariah was prophesying about the day of Christ’s coming when he said, “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” That has been opened though the wounds of Jesus Christ, the Son of God
We must admit that we can never be clean in God’s sight without the cleaning agent He has ordained. There is a law instituted by God: “Almost all things are by the law purged with BLOOD, and without shedding of blood is no remission” – Hebrews 9:22. Revelation describes those who are in Heaven as people who “have washed their robes, and made them white in the BLOOD of the Lamb.” – Revelation 7:11. In fact Christ’s blood will be a major theme of Heaven – ”And they sung a new song, saying, thou art worthy…for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy BLOOD…” – Revelation 5:11.
If you yearn to have fellowship with God, you must submit yourself and your sin to the blood which Jesus Christ bled while on the cross. There is no back door into forgiveness, purity and the joy of God. There are no exceptions to the rule. “The BLOOD of Jesus Christ his Son CLEANSETH us from all sin.” Are you clean in the sight of God today?