WITH HIS OWN BLOOD

"Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate." —Hebrews 13:12 [KJV]

Sin viewed in the glass of God's holy law, fills the soul with terror, works wrath in the conscience, and leaves the sinner under the curse without hope: but while the infinitely precious sacrifice of Jesus is beheld, sin appears exceeding sinful; the sinner is truly humbled, sin is loathed, Christ is cleaved to, and hope springs up in the sin-distressed conscience.

In the tabernacle of old, as there were no windows in it, a lamp was to burn always, that the house of God might not at any time be in darkness: this the Lord ordained unto the children of Israel—Exodus 27:21. As the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth, we see Jesus, Who is the altar, the Sacrifice, and the Priest, by and through Whom we are sanctified. This truth is to be kept daily burning bright in the lamp of faith, in the temple of the heart. The man Jesus, upon Whom all the sins of the elect were laid, was made a curse for them; He cheerfully devoted Himself, His holy body, His precious blood, His innocent soul, as a sin-offering for them in the great day of atonement. "By His one offering He hath for ever perfected all them that are sanctified;" that is, separated by the choice of the Father as the objects of His love. They are all consecrated to God by the blood of Jesus.

As the bodies of the beasts, under the law, were burnt without the camp, and their blood brought into the holy of holies, and sprinkled upon the mercy-seat, so our dear and ever precious Jesus suffered all the inexpressible agonies of soul and body, from the fire of God's wrath, due to our sin; bore all the scandal, curse, and reproach of it "without the gate of the city," as an alien and outcast of the people. His own most precious blood having once purged, expiated, and taken away the guilt of sin, and made perfect reconciliation for His people, it ever speaks in their behalf, and pleads their cause before the throne; averts all wrath from them, and obtains all blessing for them: thus we are purged from the guilt of sin; thus we are consecrated unto God. In the faith of this, "we have boldness to enter into the holiest, even by the blood of Jesus." Thus purged, thus consecrated, every believer is a priest unto God; he is encouraged to draw nigh to God with confidence of access; and it is his high and peculiar honor "to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."—1 Peter 2:5.

We see the blood of Jesus shed, 

Whence all our comforts rise; 

The sinner views th' atonement made, 

And loves the sacrifice.

By this we're sanctify'd to God, 

A people for His praise: 

Faith takes the blessing from Christ's word, 

And glories in His grace.

-William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)