In today's sanitized world, most people don't have much
to do with blood, but that was not always the case.
As explained in the Bible,
prior to Jesus' cruxifiction, sacrifices were required
if people were to receive forgivness from God for their sins,
and generally these were animal sacrifices.
The one seeking forgiveness would bring an animal, often a lamb, to the temple in Jerusalem, for the priest to sacrifice. Not just any animal was good enough: There must be nothing wrong with it, not even a blemish. These sacrifices were a reminder to people of just how serious sin is, in God's eyes.
But the sacrifice of animals, even perfect animals, could only provide a temporary solution for a person's sin. They, like us, would eventually sin again, so these sacrifices would have to be made again.
Jesus, conceived by the Holy Spirit and
born of a virgin, lived a sinless life,
and He was the only man or woman ever born who ever had or ever would.
That made Him, as expressed by John the Baptizer,
"The Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the
world."
During the three years Jesus taught here on earth,
He escaped the murderous plans of others many times.
But on the night of the Last Supper, Jesus
willingly gave Himself up to a bloody and horrible
death.
Now maybe you see why the Blood of Jesus is so important among believers. It's a marvelous thing He did, that sacrifice: it paid the price none of us could pay, so that you and I could get into heaven.
*Not the same John.
Wait a minute, what about the "washed" part?
Oh, yeah, it's a figurative thing. Because He gave Himself up - shed His own blood
so that we could be forgiven,
we who have accepted His Gift have been "made clean."
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