27. January 2018 · Comments Off on It’s Not Under the Blood · Categories: Bible Teaching

It’s Not Under the Blood

By
Tony McCanless

On January 01, 2015, I was alone in a room sitting at my computer doing some writing. I had written, “If you’ve repented, it’s under the Blood.” I had paused for a moment, reading what I had written, and thinking about what I would say next. My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a voice. To me, it sounded like a man standing behind me. I don’t know if you had been there if you would have heard it or not. I was alone in the room, but to me it sounded audible. This voice spoke clearly and distinctly. “If it’s under the Blood, then it’s still there.”

I knew immediately what He meant. I had taught on the differences between Old Testament blood sacrifices and the Blood of Jesus Christ. Old Testament blood sacrifices only covered sin, but the Blood of Jesus Christ completely removes, cleanses, and washes sin away. It’s not under the Blood. It’s gone!

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; Colossians 2:14

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. Hebrews 9:12

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Revelation 1:5

The word “atonement” is often misunderstood. We should realize that in the light of the New Testament, our atonement through Jesus Christ and His precious Blood is far different from that in the Old Testament. According to Leviticus 16:34, the sin offering of the blood of bullocks and goats was to be made yearly. However, in Hebrews 9:12, Jesus entered in once and obtained an eternal redemption for us. His precious Blood is not to be equated with that of the Old Testament. Old Testament blood sacrifices could not eternally remove sin. They merely covered sin so that God would not see it. This allowed God to have fellowship with His people. Metaphorically, the sin was cleansed, but it was only temporary. This was a type and shadow of that which was to come. We are not to equate the blood of goats and calves with the precious Blood of Christ. With His own Blood, He entered in once and for all, and obtained eternal redemption for us.

The word “atonement” is in the King James Version of the New Testament one time. However, in the original Greek text, it has a different meaning than its Hebrew usage in the Old Testament.

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Romans 5:11

In the above passage, “atonement” in the Greek means “restoration” and “reconciliation.” Every other place that this Greek word is used in the King James Version, it is translated as “reconciling” or “reconciliation.” By the Blood of Jesus Christ, we have been reconciled to God. The New Testament teaches that we are in Christ and He is in us. We are one in Him. We are in Him! In the Old Testament, when God looked at His people, He saw the blood. That blood covered their sin, and instead of sin, He saw the blood. However, for us, it’s different. When God the Father looks at us, He sees Christ. It might be said that we are covered by Jesus Christ, but it’s more accurate to say that we are in Christ. His Blood has washed away our sin, and in Him we are new creatures (2 Cor 5:17), born again (1 Peter 1:23), and reconciled to God by Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:18).

Now, when God looks at His people, He sees Jesus Christ. He is the Head and we are the Body of Christ. God the Father sees us in Him, not covered by Him as much as in Him. Our fellowship with God the Father is through Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit. Our life is to be lived to please our Lord Jesus Christ.

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Acts 17:28

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Colossians 1:10

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10

The world will stand before the Great White Throne for judgment, but we will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Yes, God sees us in Christ, but we are still to walk in this life in Him, and worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. And praise God, when we see that we have missed it, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:2). After we have been born again, we are in Christ. As we walk in the Light, His Blood continually cleanses us even of those things we might be doing wrong without knowledge. We’re walking in all the Light that we have, as He is in the Light (1 John 1:7). His Blood is continually cleansing us as we walk, not unlike that day that Jesus washed His disciples’ feet. That was metaphorically speaking of our walk of fellowship in the Light of Christ. However, when we have knowledge of sin, we need to acknowledge it and appropriate His grace provided for us through His Blood and by faith in His Blood (Rom 3:25). If we continue in the knowledge of sin, we are no longer walking in the Light. While in this condition, if we say we have fellowship, but walk in darkness, “we lie” (1 John 1:6), and if we say we have no sin (while in this condition), “we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). But praise God, if we acknowledge our sin, that is, if we confess our sin, then He is faithful to forgive us and to cleanse us. The sin is not under the Blood. The sin is not covered. The sin is cleansed! It’s gone! Thank God for His unspeakable Gift!

Order this and other books and tracts here: www.mccanlessministries.com/books.htm