Some Accomplishments of Jesus Christ’s Covenant Blood Redemption
The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, as typified in the Old Testament sacrifice of bulls and goats (Heb 9:12), accomplished much for the church of God (Acts 20:28). Let’s consider some of these merits derived from Jesus’ death on the cross (Acts 5:30; 10:39; Phil 2:8).
First, the New Covenant (1 Cor 11:25; Heb 12:24), which is the eternal covenant (Heb 13:20), is “cut” or established by God, who according to His eternal counsel and good pleasure, decreed salvation for His elect people, redeemed by the Son of God (Eph 1:7) and gathered by the eternal Spirit, sent from the Father and the Son (Jn 14:26; 15:26).
The oath and covenant of God is the Word, by which God promises to save many, but not all of fallen humanity (Mt 26:28; Mk 14:24). The promise of God was spoken/written (Heb 1:2; 2 Pet 1:20). It was executed by Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is applied by the Holy Spirit, who gives faith to God’s chosen redeemed (Rom 12:33; Gal 3:22; Phil 1:29). The covenant merits reached men from every nation, tribe, and tongue (Rev 5:9; 7:9) — in every generation, according to God’s purpose (Eph 3:11).
Second, the blood of the covenant purchases the church of God (Acts 20:28; Rev 5:9), as typified in the prophet Hosea purchasing back (redeeming) the whorish Gomer. Christ’s beloved church is cleansed from all sin (1 Jn 1:7c), having received the forgiveness of sins (Mt 26:28; Heb 9:22).
This blood redemption (Eph 1:7) saves the bride of Christ from God’s righteous wrath against sinners (Rom 5:9), who have earned death by their sinful works (Rom 3:23; 6:23), and their position in the family of sinful Adam (Rom 5:12). All we like sheep had gone astray, but being far off, we were brought near to Christ by His own blood (Eph 2:13).
Our Lord obtained eternal redemption (Heb 9:12), when, as the great High Priest representing God’s holy nation (1 Pet 2:9), gained access to the most holy place of heaven (Heb 9:12). There, at the cross, as the one mediator between God and man (1 Tim 2:5), the High Priest (Jesus) offered Himself to God, being the unblemished Lamb of God, as the once for all (Rom 6:10; Heb 7:27; 9:12; 10:10) better sacrifice (Heb 9:23), acceptable to God, demonstrated by His raising Jesus from the dead (Acts 17:31).
Third, the eternal redemption established by the eternal covenant justifies guilty sinners before the righteous Judge of all (Rom 5:9). Having received peace from God, by the sprinkling of Christ’s blood, by the Holy Spirit, the born again are set free from their sentence of death and the severe punishment of eternal hell.
God looks at the guilty sinner, and instead of unleashing His just wrath (Rom 1:18). He has mercy upon whom He wills (Rom 9:15–16). The unjust, dead in trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1), is justified by Christ’s precious blood that is graciously applied to wash him or her clean (Rom 7:14).
Being released from our sins (Rev 1:5), Christians know there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). This is nothing less than life from the dead for the soul (Jn 6:53–56), saved by taking Christ in (eating/drinking) and putting Christ on (clean garments).
Just as Christ Jesus is sanctified, that is, separated from sinners unto God (holiness), by His own works, so the work of God’s Spirit is for God’s elect people to be sanctified (Heb 10:29; 13:12) by Christ’s blood sacrifice (Heb 9:44), which is applied by the Spirit of Christ through the washing of water by the Word of God (Eph 5:26), preached to all (Mt 24:14), with an effectual call for His own to come to the only Savior of sinners, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Finally, the covenant redemption that justifies and sanctifies ungodly sinners, creates a new person and people of God’s own choosing. These people confidently join with Christ, by the Spirit, in the holy place (Eph 2:6; Heb 10:19). Worshiping God in Christ, through the Spirit and in truth (Jn 4:24), believers, by grace, become witnesses to the person and work of God’s eternal and only begotten Son (Jn 3:16; Acts 1:8).
As slaves of God, Christians proclaim Christ, alone, as the Good News of God’s mercy and grace toward elect, redeemed, sinners who hear this Word of truth from the Spirit of truth. By His grace, they believe.
In summary, God established a covenant of grace in eternity that was cut at the appointed time, by His elect Son, whom He sent to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21). Regarding these justified ones, the sheep belonging to the Good Shepherd, the promise of the Savior is that He will lose not even one for whom He died (Jn 10:11, 15).
The Israel of God, which is the church of Christ (Gal 6:16), is God’s beloved, foreknown by Him and predestined before Creation, to so great a salvation that glorifies God the Father (election) God the Son (redemption), and God the Spirit (application/regeneration). It is the joy of every believer to declare these works of our Triune God…to the whole world.
As overcomers, by faith (1 Jn 5:4), we renounce the pride of man and the utter vanity of this world system that is itself appointed for the day of destruction, by fire (2 Pet 3:10–12). Therefore, heed the warning of the wrath of God to come and with God’s grace as the only agent, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and confess Him, alone, as Savior and Lord of all…giving thanks to the Holy Spirit, alone, for the grace of such an utterance of faith. To Him be the glory, alone.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
December 11, 2022
