The Blood of God purchased the Church

[Vine Abider]

I read this in a devotional today and wanted to present it here.  Acts 20:28 is such an interesting verse, and as it says below, it's the only time that God is connected "with His own blood" in the Bible.  It's also interesting regarding how this is related to the ekklesia and how much we are on God's heart and His desire. 

How does this strike you?

The blood of God

"Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." Acts 20:28

Here the blood is spoken of as the blood of God. How could that be? It is very simple. Christ, in His Person, is a complete human being. He is fully human, yet fully divine. He is a man and He is God. In His one Person are two natures, the human nature and the divine nature. In this Person, Jesus Christ, God is manifest in the flesh. He is the God-Man. And the two natures, both the human and the divine, participate in each other. There is a communication of all the attributes of one nature to the other. Everything that is true of Him in His divinity is communicated to His humanity. And He has also brought humanity into God in a proper sense. Thus, we have the communication of all the attributes of both these precious natures in one Person. The blood is the blood of Jesus Christ and the blood of God. This indicates that in His life there is a mingling of God and man. Not only is the soul-life of Jesus in His humanity our portion; but that soul-life, as it is in union with the Father's divine nature and with God Himself, is also our portion. So when we are drinking the blood and enjoying the blood, this is not only the blood of Jesus Christ, but the blood of God, because you cannot separate those two natures in His one Person.

Christ is not two persons. That is a heresy. Christ is one Person, and each nature participates in the attributes of the other. This is the divine/human Jesus. In Acts 20:28 the church is identified as the church of God which He obtained, or acquired, with His own blood. The blood and God are not mentioned together in any other place in the Bible except this verse related to the church. This reveals to us that the church is deeply embedded in the Father, Son, and Spirit. It is Their pleasure and Their desire. The blood of the eternal covenant is related to God and all that He is. The blood of Jesus is the blood of God. This means that when we partake of the blood, we receive all that God is.

[PATrobas]

This verse has been my "tip of the spear" verse for showing the triune Godhead of the New Testament and the deity of our Lord Jesus. It also reminds me of 1 John 5:7  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. :8  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

Jesus couldn't have just come to earth, lived a perfect life and then declared us righteous if we believed in Him. He had to shed His blood for us to be saved also. He had to be fully human, conceived in a virgin woman by the H.S., born human by water, and die human shedding His blood.

God is so unfathomable! Hallelujah!

[Marilyn C]

When I was in hospital a nurse swore and said `blood...` this. I said to her, "Being a nurse you know that life is in the blood, so it is very precious. And when Jesus shed His blood, it covers our sin and gives us eternal life." 

Jesus` blood -

`If the Blood of Christ was only sinless Blood it would be unique, because it would be the first and only time since the Fall of man that such had ever been in the world (Rom. 3: 23); that would have made it intrinsically precious beyond degree. But it was more than sinless Blood, it was holy Blood; for Christ`s life was a holy life in peerless and matchless degree (Heb. 7: 26).

Before the Fall, the blood of Adam was sinless and innocent blood; but there is no suggestion that he attained into a state of holiness and that, therefore, his blood was holy. The Blood of Christ was the first holy Blood; that multiplies the intrinsic value.

Then, to crown it all, in some unparallel, inexplicable way it was divine Blood; it is described as the blood of God (Acts 20: 28). Therefore, the Blood of Christ that was shed on the cross of Calvary for the salvation of mankind, was sinless, holy and divine.

The intrinsic value of the Blood of Christ was infinitely above that of a righteous or a good man or that of a martyr; it was the precious Blood of the divine and holy Saviour of the world. The shedding of that Blood, the pouring out of that life was an act once for all - never could it be repeated (Heb. 9: 26).

The revelation of the Word of God is that the intrinsic worth of any human blood is of utmost value. The intrinsic value of the precious Blood of Christ is above imagination, assessment and degree.` 

(ref: W.A.C. Rowe - One Lord, One Faith. My first Pastor/Apostle. 1966)

[AnOrangeCat]

20 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

I read this in a devotional today and wanted to present it here.  Acts 20:28 is such an interesting verse, and as it says below, it's the only time that God is connected "with His own blood" in the Bible.  It's also interesting regarding how this is related to the ekklesia and how much we are on God's heart and His desire. 

I Corinthians 6 adds to this notion: "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."

In context Paul is speaking against sexual sin. There's so much that stands out in there but what I think stands out the most is "You are not your own; you were bought at a price." Maybe it's just me but that seems like such a powerful thought and one that seems worth taking to heart even beyond the context it was presented in.

[Vine Abider]

23 hours ago, PATrobas said:

This verse has been my "tip of the spear" verse for showing the triune Godhead of the New Testament and the deity of our Lord Jesus. It also reminds me of 1 John 5:7  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. :8  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

Jesus couldn't have just come to earth, lived a perfect life and then declared us righteous if we believed in Him. He had to shed His blood for us to be saved also. He had to be fully human, conceived in a virgin woman by the H.S., born human by water, and die human shedding His blood.

God is so unfathomable! Hallelujah!

 

7 hours ago, AnOrangeCat said:

I Corinthians 6 adds to this notion: "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."

In context Paul is speaking against sexual sin. There's so much that stands out in there but what I think stands out the most is "You are not your own; you were bought at a price." Maybe it's just me but that seems like such a powerful thought and one that seems worth taking to heart even beyond the context it was presented in.

This whole idea - that we are the temple of God - is beyond astounding and inexpressible!  This verse in Acts is soooo deep . . . i,e, the blood of God!?!? And with His own blood He purchased the church!?!? 

Makes me wonder: "What is man that Thou art mindful of him?"  Psalm 8:4

[AdHoc]

1 hour ago, Vine Abider said:

 

This whole idea - that we are the temple of God - is beyond astounding and inexpressible!  This verse in Acts is soooo deep . . . i,e, the blood of God!?!? And with His own blood He purchased the church!?!? 

Makes me wonder: "What is man that Thou art mindful of him?"  Psalm 8:4

Now you are talking deep things. One of the reasons that men want idols is that they can form them (the idol) according to their (men) concepts. But I rejoice that my God is above my concepts and understanding. He is altogether mysterious and altogether real.

[Michael37]

On 11/2/2023 at 4:11 AM, Vine Abider said:

I read this in a devotional today and wanted to present it here.  Acts 20:28 is such an interesting verse, and as it says below, it's the only time that God is connected "with His own blood" in the Bible.  It's also interesting regarding how this is related to the ekklesia and how much we are on God's heart and His desire. 

How does this strike you?

The blood of God

"Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." Acts 20:28

Here the blood is spoken of as the blood of God. How could that be? It is very simple. Christ, in His Person, is a complete human being. He is fully human, yet fully divine. He is a man and He is God. In His one Person are two natures, the human nature and the divine nature. In this Person, Jesus Christ, God is manifest in the flesh. He is the God-Man. And the two natures, both the human and the divine, participate in each other. There is a communication of all the attributes of one nature to the other. Everything that is true of Him in His divinity is communicated to His humanity. And He has also brought humanity into God in a proper sense. Thus, we have the communication of all the attributes of both these precious natures in one Person. The blood is the blood of Jesus Christ and the blood of God. This indicates that in His life there is a mingling of God and man. Not only is the soul-life of Jesus in His humanity our portion; but that soul-life, as it is in union with the Father's divine nature and with God Himself, is also our portion. So when we are drinking the blood and enjoying the blood, this is not only the blood of Jesus Christ, but the blood of God, because you cannot separate those two natures in His one Person.

Christ is not two persons. That is a heresy. Christ is one Person, and each nature participates in the attributes of the other. This is the divine/human Jesus. In Acts 20:28 the church is identified as the church of God which He obtained, or acquired, with His own blood. The blood and God are not mentioned together in any other place in the Bible except this verse related to the church. This reveals to us that the church is deeply embedded in the Father, Son, and Spirit. It is Their pleasure and Their desire. The blood of the eternal covenant is related to God and all that He is. The blood of Jesus is the blood of God. This means that when we partake of the blood, we receive all that God is.

As well as its purchasing power, I am reminded that the blood of the Lamb that was slain, also has protecting power, pardoning power, purging power, and dare I say it, prospering power. A good 5-point sermon right here 😊

[Neighbor]

Leviticus 17 : 11

For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul.

 

[Neighbor]

Hi, I do think the fall of creation took place even before the formation of earth as it is thought of today, even while it was still void.  

The need for redemption of creation predates the actual creation of mankind. Though created innocent by Yeshua , man was not in a perfect and perfectly innocent place as it housed Lucifer and his minions.

Innocent mankind along with the forming of substance from nothing including the forming of earth were all part of God's plan of redemption of his innocent creation soiled and spoiled by Lucifer  in his act of pride in his exalted position.

That plan, of God, is the redemption of Yeshua's creation through Yeshua Himself doing His Father's will. Enactment of that redemption  completed at the cross at Calvary yes, but known to God alway with  provisional, covenant, protection  from the very day of man's creation.

The protection ( Eternal life) through Yeshua  has always been. It has always existed. 

Rev. W. A. Criswell in his  sermon " The Scarlet thread  Of Redemption" highlights the presence of Yeshua from before the void earth was formed. The manifestation of Yeshua serving His father's will is declared throughout the Bible, from Genesis through Revelation. One may look up The Scarlet Thread Of Redemption sermon online at various sites. One being https://wacriswell.com/sermons/1995/the-scarlet-thread-through-the-bible/

 

 

 

[Vine Abider]

3 hours ago, Neighbor said:

Hi, I do think the fall of creation took place even before the formation of earth as it is thought of today, even while it was still void.  

The need for redemption of creation predates the actual creation of mankind. Though created innocent by Yeshua , man was not in a perfect and perfectly innocent place as it housed Lucifer and his minions.

Innocent mankind along with the forming of substance from nothing including the forming of earth were all part of God's plan of redemption of his innocent creation soiled and spoiled by Lucifer  in his act of pride in his exalted position.

That plan, of God, is the redemption of Yeshua's creation through Yeshua Himself doing His Father's will. Enactment of that redemption  completed at the cross at Calvary yes, but known to God alway with  provisional, covenant, protection  from the very day of man's creation.

The protection ( Eternal life) through Yeshua  has always been. It has always existed. 

Rev. W. A. Criswell in his  sermon " The Scarlet thread  Of Redemption" highlights the presence of Yeshua from before the void earth was formed. The manifestation of Yeshua serving His father's will is declared throughout the Bible, from Genesis through Revelation. One may look up The Scarlet Thread Of Redemption sermon online at various sites. One being https://wacriswell.com/sermons/1995/the-scarlet-thread-through-the-bible/

 

 

 

Indeed . . . what a mystery!  I'm always amazed by this verse in Revelation 13:8: "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."  Who (human) can grasp this!? The eternal God evidently always knew there would be need for the blood redemption of Christ. This is because God is love!