The Blood of Christ

Matthew 26:28, "for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins."

Watchman Nee in his book The Normal Christian life begins with a chapter entitled "The Blood of Christ." It is foundational in the Christian life-cycle and therefore discussed. Equally important as to the effectiveness of the blood is what it does not do.

"The apostle Paul... Galatians 2:20; 'It is no longer I, but Christ.' Here he is not stating something special or peculiar - a high level of Christianity. He is we believe, presenting God's normal for a Christian, which can be summarized in these words; I live no longer, but Christ lives His life in Me...

Jesus Christ... in all His dealings with us, He works by taking us our of the way and substituting Christ in our place... The Son of God died instead of us for our forgiveness; He lives instead of us for our deliverance... I need forgiveness of my sins, but I also need deliverance from the power of sin...

I discover that I have the nature of a sinner... So life goes on in a viscous circle of sinning and being forgiven, and then sinning again..."

And so Nee begins with the obvious. That we all sin, and that we will all sin again because of our nature. He articulates the problem, and is about to discuss God's solution.

Nee gives us a prelude with this, "We shall see that the blood deals with what we have done, whereas the cross deals with what we are. The blood disposes of sins, while the cross strikes at the root of our capacity to sin."

So the blood of Christ deals with the sin itself. It is not there dealing with the nature of sin, but covering, atoning for the act of sin. Nee describes the blood of Christ has having a 3 fold purpose. He says, "In the scriptures the blood of Christ is shown to operate effectually in these three ways; Godward, manward, and Satanward."

The blood operates Godward, because it cleanses us so that we can have relationship with God. To God, post salvation He is unable to see our sin, only that we are covered in the blood.

In a manward sense the blood is there to not only wash away our sins, but to remove the guilt from us. True understanding of the power of the blood of Christ allows us to approach Him, trusting there is nothing in us that is worthy, but that we are cloaked, covered, washed clean in that blood.

Satanward the blood "does so by putting God on the side of man against him (Satan)... If God is for us, who is against us? (Rom. 8:31). God points him to the blood of His dear Son. It is sufficient answer against which Satan has no appeal."

So the blood is there allow us to be in relationship with God, free of guilt, and immune from Satan's accusations if we will allow. What is is not doing is the transformation of our soul. It is not removing the nature of sin. That is the job of the cross.