Christ, The Blood, the Water, and the Fire

Today I am going to attempt to talk about the blood and the water that came out of Christ as His side was pierced on the cross.  I have known quite a few apologists who get all wrapped up in the proof of the type of death Christ died on the cross being substantiated by the blood and the water.  They go into all the medical science of the death, what kind of death, how dead, what happened in the body, etc.  But is that the important thing here?  I guess it could be if you were attempting to prove to people who think Jesus was slapped, tied to a stick, and then took a nap for a couple of days, only to get up and cruise around town…  But that is contrary to the Biblical account.  So to dwell on the manner of physical death as it pertains to the blood and the water is a waste of head space as far as I’m concerned.  I know he died, the Bible said he died, He could not be offered alive: it would be inconsistent with the nature of God.  (You can read all about how God doesn’t like people being sacrificed – especially children – especially alive – throughout the old testament)

Something really caught my eye this morning in speed reading the psalms.  In we read the following:

20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands
He has recompensed me.
²¹ For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
²² For all His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His statutes from me.
²³ I was also blameless before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
²⁴ Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

Righteousness is in the Blood of Christ

We know that it’s the blood of Jesus that keeps us righteous and blameless in God’s sight.  He took our filthy rags and exchanged for them His robe of righteousness.  It is by Him that we can enter in and speak with God.  There is no other way to the father except through the son.  All things that can separate us from a relationship with God; everything He finds deplorable and wicked, all transgressions from major to minor have been dealt with once and for all with the blood of the one who was, and is, and is to come.  Since we have been released from all bondage and the eternal consequences of our transgressions have been blotted out, why would we go back to being bound?  Christ has paid for us.  We are no longer our own, but have been bought with a price.  That blood poured out to signify the total and complete and perfect covering of our sins.

Is the water Christ?

What was the living water Jesus spoke of in ?  We know that Jesus is the living water.  We have all been taught this since Christian kindergarten.  And what else is Jesus referred to as?  The Word made flesh.  The Word had to be poured out so that “it is finished” could be true.  We are commanded to wash people in the Word.  As a man, I am commanded to wash my wife in the Word of God.  It is living.  It is pure.  It was in Jesus and it was Jesus.  The water had to finish pouring out of Christ so that the Word would be complete in the earth.

By the blood of Christ we have been redeemed, covered, and atoned for. Jesus’ blood was completely poured out for us.

By the water of Christ we are washed and transformed into His likeness. Jesus – The living water, was also completely poured out for us.

Power Anyone?

The only thing missing from this is the power to do something in serving Him.  John spoke of it. Jesus promised it.  The apostles lived it.  James implies “get busy with it”, Paul found some followers of Christ who hadn’t received it and laid hands on them so they might have it too.  The Holy Spirit is the oil, the fire, and the promised helper, comforter, and guide.  His is the power of God which came upon countless people throughout the old testament and now lives in us.  The thing most people take for granted is that the Holy Spirit can be grieved.  Would the Spirit of our holy and righteous God go where we go, do what we do, watch what we watch, read what we read, speak what we speak, think what we think?  If not… Why not?  Christ has set us free, why would we grieve His spirit?  Why wouldn’t we want to heed His call to be changed? We have been commanded not to quench it.  Does the Holy Spirit get quenched when we follow mindless tradition?  What about when we knowingly go against the conviction the Spirit brings? Jesus washed the disciples feet, and Peter wanted his whole body washed too.  But Jesus said if a man is already clean, he only needs to wash his feet to be completely clean.  Our feet are the point of contact with the world – where we have been, where we are and where we are going.  Jesus has atoned for and covered us through His blood. He makes us clean with the water – the living Word of God.  He empowers us and continues to teach, guide and comfort us through His Holy Spirit.

I’m beginning to really relate with Paul’s statement in – “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.”  Our God is the beginning and the end.  Our relationship to and with Him is Christ.