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J.C. Philpot

John 10:30

John 10:30
J.C. Philpot March, 17 2016 3 min read
660 Articles 41 Sermons 54 Books
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March, 17 2016
J.C. Philpot
J.C. Philpot 3 min read
660 articles 41 sermons 54 books
What does the Bible say about the blood of God?

The Bible teaches that the blood of Christ, who is God, contains great power and efficacy for atonement.

The blood of God is a profound theological concept rooted in the mystery of the union of Christ's divine and human natures. As J.C. Philpot explains, 'If it is not the blood of Him who was God, I might just as well rely for salvation on the blood of one of the thieves that were crucified with him.' The blood of Christ is effective for salvation because it is the blood of the Son of God, who is both fully divine and fully human. This union means that what Christ's human nature did in suffering and obedience was done by the Son of God through that nature.

When we examine the expression 'the blood of God,' we see that it emphasizes the divine dignity of Christ's sacrifice. It is not merely the blood of a man but is imbued with divine power and efficacy, making it capable of atoning for sin. As believers, we can see the richness of this sacrifice only as the Spirit reveals it to our hearts, showcasing the unique value found in the blood of the Son of God, which is crucial for the purging of guilt and the redemption of sinners.

Luke 1:35, Hebrews 10:5, Jeremiah 23:6

How do we know the doctrine of Christ's two natures is true?

The doctrine of Christ's two natures is affirmed in Scripture and essential for understanding His role in redemption.

The doctrine of the two natures of Christ—the divine and the human—holds a central place in historic Reformed theology. John 10:30 states, 'I and my Father are one,' which affirms Christ's divinity. Furthermore, the human nature of Christ, described in Scripture as a 'Holy Thing' (Luke 1:35) and a body prepared for Him (Hebrews 10:5), underscores His full humanity. This duality is critical because it allows for a genuine atonement; only a Savior who is both God and man can mediate between God and humanity.

By understanding that Christ’s human nature does not exist apart from His divine nature but instead is in a mysterious union, we affirm the necessary obedience and suffering of Christ. As Philpot argues, to dismiss the concept of 'the blood of God' is to undermine a fundamental truth of salvation. The Scriptures clearly teach that it is through this union that Christ accomplishes redemption, making the doctrine central and irrefutable for faith.

John 10:30, Luke 1:35, Hebrews 10:5

Why is the blood of Christ significant for Christians?

The blood of Christ is crucial for salvation, as it holds the power to atone for sin and purify the conscience.

The significance of Christ's blood for Christians cannot be overstated. It is through His blood that believers find atonement for sin and reconciliation with God. Philpot notes the transformative power inherent in recognizing 'the blood of the Son of God.' Unlike the blood of mere mortals, which cannot atone for sin, the blood of Jesus possesses divine efficacy, making it sufficient for the complete redemption of the fallen.

This is why the blood of Christ is central to the Christian faith; it is the instrument through which God demonstrates His justice and mercy. As the veil is lifted from our hearts, we come to see the true value and glory of Christ’s sacrifice. The blood of Christ not only purges guilt but also grants assurances of salvation to those who believe. In this light, understanding the significance of the blood of Christ becomes a foundational aspect of the believer's confidence in salvation.

1 Peter 1:18-19, Hebrews 9:14, Ephesians 1:7

"I and my Father are one."

— John 10:30

There is a great deal of caviling in some men's minds about the expression, "the blood of God." "How," say they, "could the Godhead bleed? How could the Godhead suffer?" But if it is not the blood of Him who was God, I might just as well rely for salvation on the blood of one of the thieves that were crucified with him. What is Christ's human nature? That is the rock on which many gallant ships have struck. It is not a person, having a distinct existence apart from the Deity of Christ; but it is a nature--what the Holy Spirit calls a "Holy Thing" (Luke 1:35); "a body that God had prepared for him" (Heb. 10:5), taken into intimate, mysterious, and inexplicable union with the Person of the Son of God. So that, whatever that human nature did and suffered, from its intimacy and union with the Son of God, the Son of God did and suffered. Did that nature bleed? It bled as having union with Deity; it being, so to speak, the instrument that Deity made use of.

To use an illustration--as my soul touches an object through my hand, or speaks its thoughts by my tongue; so Deity not being itself able to bleed, bled through the humanity. Did that nature suffer? It was not the mere suffering of a human person, as a man might suffer; but it was the suffering of a holy nature in intimate union with the Person of the Son of God. And did that nature obey? The Son of God obeyed through and with that nature. So that, to cavil at the expression, "the blood of God" is nothing less than to strike a blow at a great fundamental truth. We might object, on the same ground, to the expression, "God our righteousness," as the Prophet speaks, "And this is the name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our righteousness," that is, "Jehovah our righteousness" (Jer. 23:6). Who is our righteousness but the Son of God? And what was that righteousness but the obedience of his human nature, for Godhead could no more obey than suffer and bleed; and yet Jehovah is our righteousness. And if we do not object to the expression, "the righteousness of God," why should we cavil at the expression, "the blood of God?"

Now this is the grand mystery which faith embraces, and which is dear to the heart of every God-taught soul. What a power and efficacy, as the veil is taken off the heart, does faith see in that sacrifice! What a atoning sacrifice does it see made for sin by the blood of the Son of God! Faith does not view it as the blood of man! Can the blood of man put away sin? But when we see it as the blood of the Son of God, oh, what value, efficacy, power, and glory shine forth in it! But until the veil is taken off the heart we cannot see it; nor can we, until the Spirit makes it experimentally known, learn what a divine reality there is in this blood to purge the guilty conscience.

From Through Baca's Vale by J.C. Philpot.
J.C. Philpot
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