"WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD!"

Hebrews 9:15-22                          (ESV)

"15 Therefore HE is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, SINCE A DEATH HAS OCCURRED THAT REDEEMS them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established.

17 For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.

18 Therefore not even the FIRST COVENANT WAS INAUGURATED WITH BLOOD.

19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,

20 saying, "This is the blood of the covenant that GOD commanded for you."

21 And in the same way HE sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship.

22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and "WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD" there is no forgiveness of sin."

What makes you think you will get into Heaven?  Why don't you deserve hell?  What is it about some who try to WORK their way into Heaven when scripture tells us in Isaiah 64:6 that "our righteousnesses are but filthy rags" (KJV) before the LORD.  We can do NOTHING worthy of anything but death and separation from GOD's peace and perfection. Dr. Charles Stanley's recent devotional made this abundantly clear in my mind!

In a recent conference I attended, one speaker offered that when Adam and Eve brought sin to mankind, GOD took "garments of skins" to cover their nakedness, or sin (Genesis 3:21).  Adam and Eve sinned and "WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD" there was no covering, or forgiveness, for their sin!  When GOD made "garments of skins", animals HAD to die!  Those animals had done NOTHING worthy of death, yet "WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD", their blood, Adam and Eve's sin would have ever been before them.  

GOD's Redemptive Plan involved an ULTIMATE BLOOD SACRIFICE for the sins of mankind!  GOD knew, before the foundations of the world, that HIS SON would be required to pay for my transgressions.  Yet HE Created us anyway so that we can worship HIM.  Our worship of HIM is SO important to HIM that HE "gave" a part of HIMSELF to forgive our sins!  "WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD", GOD's own blood through JESUS CHRIST, the price was paid to redeem my soul!  WORTHY IS THE LAMB!!