“The Atoning Blood”! (Pt.1)

Text:  Romans 5:11: And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement:  [and] Hebrews 9:22: And “almost” all things are purged by blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Romans (Shows Christ our Righteousness):  Hebrews (our Intercessor):  

Atonement in the Greek is katallage’, meaning to exchange; adjustment (change so as to fit; regulate); restoration to (the divine) favor: reconciliation.

What Katallage’ or the “atonement “does is:

Removes God's displeasure toward us:

·         2 Corinthians 5:19: To wit (know), that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Reconciling is the root word katalas’so, meaning to change mutually or exchange.  In other words Jesus became who we are so that we could become who He is!

·         St. John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  Vs 14: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

·         2 Corinthians 5:21: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

·         Philippians 2:7: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  vs 8: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Now because of what He did on the cross, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:  that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:2-4).

In reality, we are spiritual beings having a natural experience.  We are now, members of His body, of his flesh, and of his bones (Ephesians 5:30).  We are His body in the earth of which He is the Head (Colossians 1:18). 

Jesus could not be “CHRIST” without us!  That was the Man Jesus on the cross, but when He got up out of the grave, He was a many-membered body called Christ!

·         1 Corinthians 12:12: For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body:  SO ALSO IS CHRIST!

·         Galatians 3:27: As many of you as have been baptized (not in water but) into CHRIST have put on CHRIST.  Vs 28: There is neither Jew nor Greek (Gentile), there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female:  for you are all one in CHRIST JESUS!

As he is, so are we, in this world (1 John 4:17).

Jesus moved us from darkness of error and brought us into His marvelous light of truth delivering us from the bondages of vain deceit and traditions of men put on us over the years by the Pharaoh’s of religious order.  Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).  God has delivered us from misery, destruction, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness and obscurity, and brought us into His marvelous light.  His marvelous light being the “illumination” of God’s mind reaching and penetrating our mind by the Holy Ghost or the “Spirit of Truth”, making clear, explaining, informing us by revelation who He is in us and who we are in Him! 

Know assuredly, that this Great God we serve is not out beyond the blue but He resides on the inside of us!  Colossians 1:12: Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:  vs 13: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (methis’temi) [transferred] us into the kingdom of his dear Son.

The "atonement" removed our alienation (estrangement) from God:

·         Romans 11:15: For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life (Zoe) from the dead? 

·          2 Corinthians 5:20: Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us:  we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled (restored back) to God.

·          Ephesians 2:12: That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens (foreigners; strangers) from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:  vs 13: But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Christ restored the creation back to God by paying the ransom in full:  [This “atonement”, makes man “at- one” with God].

·         2 Corinthians 5:18-19: And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit (know), that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Reconciliation stresses the process (method; procedure; course), and atonement (at-one-ment) stresses the end result (conclusion; outcome) of the process.

·         1John 2:2: And he is the propitiation for our sins:  and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

·          1John 4:10: Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation  (atonement; an expiator) for our sins.

·         Hebrews 9:22: And “almost” all things are purged by blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 

The ark that Noah was instructed to build was a picture of the “atonement”, which means to cover.  It was designed to keep out the waters of judgment to make Noah and those within the ark safe.

·         Genesis 6:14: Make thee an Ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

Pitch is the Hebrew word ko’pher, meaning a cover.  It goes to another root word kaphar’, meaning to cover; to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel:  atonement; reconciliation; forgive; purge away; pacify; merciful; cleansed. 

So the blood of the atonement in the Old Testament as shed in the tabernacle services only held back the judgment of God until the blood of God’s perfect Lamb could be shed, and then the atonement would cease, and reconciliation would result.  So under the old covenant there was no full propitiation or reconciliation, but merely a covering and passing over of sin, until the time when the blood of Christ should put away sin, and man and God could be reconciled.

The blood of the Old Testament atonement deferred (delayed; suspended; postponed) the judgment temporarily until the coming of Christ, and then the judgment was fully paid, and for this reason the sacrifices in the tabernacle were never finished.  They were to be repeated day after day and year after year.  The blood of the animal sacrifices merely pointed to the blood of reconciliation and propitiation of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 

·         Romans 3:25: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (atonement; expiator) through faith in his blood, for the remission (par’esis) [toleration] (pari’emi) [to send; to let by] of sins that are passed through the forbearance (anoche’) [tolerance; holding back; delay] of God.

On the basis of the blood of the sacrifices in the tabernacle, God was able to forebear the sins of the Old Testament believer, but propitiation was not made and sins not actually “put away” until the blood of Christ was shed.  This is also the reason why saints of the Old Testament, were kept in Sheol, and in the New Testament Hades, which is the unseen world of spirits; the grave until the Cross.  For until sin had been paid for, and reconciliation made, God remained behind the veil. The blood atonement of the Old Testament then, merely covered sin, while the blood of Jesus under the new covenant took away sin and reconciled man back to God.

·         Matthew 27:50-53: Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.  And behold, the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves (hades) after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

·         1 Peter 3:18-19: Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:  by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.

Those “spirits in prison” were those that had fallen asleep and were in the “unseen world” (sheol or hades).  In that prison (phulake’), they were guarded, isolated, and preserved, until Jesus died on the cross, shed His blood, and rose from the dead (or until the renting of the vail).  The renting of the vail was Jesus' flesh hanging and dying on the cross (Hebrews 10:20).  Then they were able to move from behind that vail and move into the “holy city”, the “new Jerusalem”, not merely the one over in the Middle East, but the one that has come down from God out of heaven that John saw in Revelation 21:2, that comprises us in this natural realm and those in that unseen world that's now one body! 

·         Revelation 21:2: I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

So for those that think that they have to sail off “up yonder” to get to the city, it won’t be there when they get there, because it’s already here, because we the church are “the city”!

·         Isaiah 60:14: The sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, “the city of the LORD, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel”.

·         Isaiah 62:12: And they shall call them, “the holy people, the redeemed of the LORD:  and thou shalt be called, sought out, a city not forsaken:”!

·         Hebrews 12:22: But you are come (present tense) unto mount Sion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels:  vs 23: To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,  vs 24: And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel. 

Back to those that were in the “spirit prison”:

That’s why in Luke 24:13-35 the two disciples on the road to Emmaus were talking to Jesus and didn’t know that it was Him because He had taken on the bodies of those that had come from behind the vail.  But after they had reached their destination and He sat and broke bread with them, it was then that they knew it was Him by what He did in the breaking of the bread!  John 20:11-17 Mary sees Him after His resurrection and supposes Him to be the gardener.  But when He spoke to her, she recognized Him by what He said!  He’s still appearing in His people today and many don’t know who He is, because the majority of Christendom is waiting for Him to appear in the sky, but He is already here dwelling in and appearing in us His people!   Greater is He that is IN you, than he that is in the world (1John 4:4).

Remember, Matthew 27:50-53: Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.  And behold, the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

That which kept those in the “unseen world” and us in this “natural world” separated from God was the “vail” that hung in the tabernacle, typifying “Jesus’ flesh”.  Once Jesus died on the Cross that was the renting (tearing; removing) of the vail (Jesus’ flesh body), then that placed God and man in the same room!  We are all “ONE” now by the Spirit!  1 Corinthians 12:13: For by one Spirit (not water) are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit! 

·         Ephesians 2:14-15: 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.

The “two” here in this verse is not just “Jew and Gentile” being made one, but it includes those of us that are in this “natural realm” and those in the “spirit realm”, all being made “ONE”!  They are right here where we are, not off beyond the cumulus and stratus clouds, but right here.  And we are all in one place in the throne room with the Father and the Son, by the Holy Ghost!!

·         Hebrews 12:1: We are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses! 

This is what the “ATONING BLOOD” has done for us!

·         1 Corinthians 6:17: He that is joined unto the Lord is ONE SPIRIT!

·         Hebrews 9:22: Without the shedding of blood is no remission.

Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel (Hebrews 12:24).

Abel’s blood cried for vengeance, but Jesus’ blood said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:24)!

Jesus did this all for us to make atonement and reconciliation to bring us back to our Heavenly Father!!

·         2 Corinthians 5:18: And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ.

·         Vs 21: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

·         Hebrews 9:11: But Christ being come a high priest of good (beneficial) [useful; helpful advantageous] things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building,

·         Vs 12: 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 (lu’trosis [ransoming; deliverance]) for us.

God knew that only one could do a complete work and this was “God Himself”:

·         Isaiah 7:14: Therefore the LORD himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (with us (is) God).

·         Matthew 1:21: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

·         Vs 23: Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.  [He’s not out beyond the blue]!

·         John 17:4: I have glorified thee on the earth:  I have finished the work which thou gave me to do. 

FINISHED,  in this verse is teleio’o, meaning to complete, accomplish or (fig) consummate (complete; conclude; achieve); make perfect; fulfilled; consecrate.

Jesus doesn’t have to come back and do anything because He has completed the work.  He’s already here by the Spirit and He lives inside of us! It’s up to us now, the church, His body in the earth, to do the work!  So the creation in actuality is not “waiting” for Jesus to come, truly the creation is  waiting for “us” the sons of God to stand up and get busy about our Father’s business! 

·         Romans 8:19: For the earnest expectation of the creature (creation) waits for the manifestation (unveiling; appearing) of the sons of God. 

The “sons of God are now manifested (unveiled; appearing)" in the earth!  1John 3:2: Beloved, NOW are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:  but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is!  He is appearing (present tense) in us His people right now and we by revelation “see Him as He is”, because we know that when we see one another we are looking at Him:  Ephesians 5:30:  We are members of his body; of his flesh, and of his bones!  1John 4:17: As he is, so are we, in this world! 

Back to:  John 17:4, when Jesus said “It is finished”, He was saying to His Father, “I have teleio’o, completed, accomplished, consummated, made perfect, fulfilled and consecrated all that you sent me to do”!

·         John 19:30: When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished”:  and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

FINISHED here in this verse is a little different from “finished” in John 17:4.  Here in John 19:30, tele’o, means to end, complete; execute, conclude, discharge (a debt); make an end; terminate or carry out to the full / (tel’os) to set out for a definite point or goal aimed at as a limit.

The difference between these two words “finished” is:   in John 19:30, “finished” (tele’o) and (tel’os) signifies “to fulfill” and in John 17:4, “finished” (teleio’o) means “to make perfect”!

John 17:4, when Jesus said “I have glorified thee on the earth; I have finished the work you sent me to do”:  finished or teleio’o, He was saying that He had “perfected the work” He was sent to “make perfect” which was: 

He has given us:

·         Perfect peace:  Isaiah 26:3: Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:  because he trusts in thee:  John 14:27: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:  not as the world gives, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

·         Divine health:  Isaiah 53:5: He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities:  the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed!  (1 Peter 2:24)

·         Eternal life:  John 10:10: The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:  I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly:  Romans 8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

He has equipped us with:

·         His power:  Luke 10:19: I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy:  and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  (Acts 1:8)

·         Five fold ministry:  Ephesians 4:11: And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; vs 12: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  vs 13: Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

·         His armor:  Romans 13:12: He has given us the (armor of light):   and 2 Corinthians 6:7 the (armor of righteousness”) which is needed for the other pieces of armor in Ephesians 6:10-18 [to fit and work properly]: (vs 14) Loins girt about with truth and the breastplate of righteousness:   (vs 15) Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace:  (vs 16) The shield of faith:   (vs 17) The helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God :  (vs 18) Praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.

·         1 Peter 5:10: But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

John 19:30: When Jesus said, “It is finished” (discharged the debt; terminated; made an end): and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.  He was saying, He had destroyed the works of the devil!

·         John 12:31: Now is the judgment of this world:  now shall the prince of this world be cast out, vs 32: And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

·         Colossians 2:14: 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;  vs 15: And having spoiled principalities and powers he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

·         1 John 3:8b: For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

When Jesus’ blood, fell into the earth, He paid the earth off and cancelled the debt of sin, death, hell, and the grave!

·         Hebrews 9:11-12: But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 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 (deliverance) for us.

·         Vs 22: And without shedding of blood, is no remission.

Let the “ATONING BLOOD” be applied to your life today!

Pastor Gracie Perry