But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Redemption was bought not with perishable silver or gold but only with the precious blood of Christ, an infinite and incalculably costly ransom given through His suffering and the giving of His own life. Without blemish and without spot means He was perfectly sinless, spotless and pure without the least taint of sin, though He took fallen human nature with its infirmities and temptations yet remained obedient, making Him the holy substitute able to save to the uttermost. That blood was the infinite price that satisfied eternal justice on Calvary, giving Him the right to take captives from Satan and to ransom people from sin, death and ruin. His blood is the cleansing fountain that removes defilement, blots out the record of sin, and makes the repentant sinner pure, complete in Him and accepted with God. Those bought by that blood belong to God and to Christ and are no longer their own, which gives every soul infinite worth and calls the redeemed to willing obedience, holy conduct and entire devotion of body, mind and powers to His service.
Spotless Lamb Described
Redemption was not bought with perishable silver or gold but only with the precious blood of Christ, an infinite, costly and incalculably great ransom given through His suffering and the giving of His own life, which is the life of God and bears the mark of the cross on all it purchases. That blood is presented as the great sacrifice made on behalf of sinners, planned through sacrifice from the beginning to free people from iniquity and from the vain way of life inherited by tradition from the fathers. Only His sacrifice could redeem transgressors and bring the gift of eternal life, and this redemption calls for girded sober minds hoping to the end for grace at the revelation of Jesus Christ, living as obedient children not shaped by former lusts in ignorance but holy in all conduct like the holy God, passing earthly sojourning in fear of the Father who without respect of persons judges every man's work. It leads to purified souls obeying truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, loving one another with a pure heart fervently, with discord and variance as most objectionable, such love being the most convincing evidence that Bible truth is brought into practical life and that there is a people who believe in Christ and live out His Word.
Without blemish and without spot means He was perfectly sinless, spotless, blameless and pure without the least taint of sin. Though He took human nature in its fallen condition with its infirmities, weaknesses, sicknesses and temptations, He did not share in its sin but remained obedient, which made Him the holy substitute and atoning sacrifice able to save fully and to the uttermost. People cannot atone for themselves by human effort but receive the redemption He provided by faith, accepting the atonement He made as the innocent bearer of guilt and punishment to bring them to God. His redemption was made available through infinite sacrifice and suffering, and His spotless innocence qualifies Him as the sacrifice for sinners while making that redemption a gift from God received by laying hold of it.
Without blemish and without spot also describes His physical condition with no deformity in body as well as soul. His body was strong and healthy, and even while weighted with responsibilities, carrying the heavy burden of the world's sorrow and sin, and toiling with self-consuming zeal for the good of men, His was a life of health in body and purity in soul. His lifelong conformity to nature's laws and His life of bodily health and purity of soul through obedience to nature's and God's laws exemplify what God designed all humanity to be through obedience to His laws.
The fallen race was purchased with His own blood and He is sinless as a lamb without blemish and without spot. The human nature of the Son of Mary and the divine nature of the Son of God were mysteriously blended in one person, the Man Christ Jesus, in whom dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. When crucified it was His human nature that died, for deity did not sink and die because that was impossible. He will save every son and daughter of Adam who accepts the salvation proffered them by consenting to become children of God, a great mystery whose power and greatness and efficacy will not be fully understood until the translation of the redeemed takes place.
If any sin had been found in Him divine wrath would have come upon Him as it came upon Adam and human hope and the hope of the church would have perished. Because He knew no sin Satan could only touch His heel and could not bruise His head or strike His head. His sinless humanity vindicated the honor of the law, forever settled the controversy watched with intense interest by heavenly angels and unfallen worlds and the universe, exposed Satan's true character before heaven, cut off his future influence with heavenly beings and created worlds, and defeated the confederacy of darkness seeking triumph over Him, demonstrating the settlement for eternal ages and for all eternity through His humanity.
He alone by His spotless character, exalted authority and office could be the acceptable offering to ransom fallen humanity, for His worth exceeded humanity's as the express image of the Father. No smaller or lesser sacrifice could suffice or atone or save the sinner from ruin, for redemption required Him to take the transgressor's guilt upon His sinless soul. As Mediator and as both priest and victim, holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners, He alone opened the way for guilty sinners to approach God by an offering equal to the demand of the divine law. The symbolic sacrifices had no power to save apart from Him but represented Him and kept before people the separation sin caused between God and humanity, continuing only until Christ the perfect Offering came, and the infinite value and cost of His voluntary sacrifice, exceeding the full understanding of angels, reveals the terrible cost of sin and the immense cost of salvation.
His sacrifice was the offering of a spotless and innocent victim, facing Satan's efforts from childhood through Calvary yet remaining faultless and completing His work giving His life without a murmur. If He had stained His life with even one sin or failed under trial, the offering would have been imperfect and redemption would have failed. Though He could have used divine power to escape or retaliate He endured reproach, insults and suffering with perfect calmness and remained faithful to His Father, and His self-denial and love for humanity even while taking fallen human nature make His spotless character shine more clearly under suffering.
He is presented as the pure and spotless Lamb and the great, effective sacrifice for humanity, whose image as the Lamb identifies Him with the great sacrifice. His humility in serving His disciples and His suffering on the cross reveal the spirit of that sacrifice. The comparison to a lamb without blemish or spot presents Him as the spotless sacrifice whose precious blood purchased believers so they belong to Him.
He offered Himself to God as a sacrificial lamb without blemish or spot, and this great sacrificial work was completed in His death. In spotless purity He was killed by wicked hands as bearer of human sin, and His crucifixion and lying in Joseph's new tomb paid the full price to buy back a fallen world and completed the offering for sin. His death opens a grave for the sins of all who accept Him as personal Saviour, bringing triumph in heaven even in the church's darkest night after the crucifixion, and after this sacrificial work He rested in the tomb on the Sabbath and completed the great plan of salvation. His self-giving life and death, complete and without defect or blemish, made salvation possible for a world perishing in sin.
His perfect human character and obedience show that repentant believers may be made righteous in Him and share the divine nature and become complete in Him through His merits and virtue. By that sacrifice every provision has been made for believers to receive all things that pertain to life and godliness as the source of strength for godly living. He is the divine pattern humanity is to become like through obedience, and the perfection of His character makes it possible to reach the highest standard of glory and virtue and Christian perfection through learning His meekness and lowliness. His sinlessness and death make it possible for those who have no merit of their own to rely on God through His imputed righteousness, so that looking to Him in faith leads believers to become like Him and fully satisfies the Father for everyone who believes.
Foreshadowed by Sacrifices
The requirement that every sanctuary animal be without defect symbolized perfect moral purity, and the lamb burned every morning and evening expressed constant dependence on the atoning death. The unleavened bread and unfermented Passover wine represent the unblemished sacrifice, since fermentation as a symbol of sin and death would make them unfit to represent it.
The spotless precious sacrifice was represented and foreshadowed by unblemished animals offered to God. Bringing an offering confessed sin and deserved judgment while expressing repentance and faith in Jesus whose blood removes guilt, the laying on of hands represented transfer of sin to the victim whose suffering pointed to giving Himself for sin, and acceptance was shown when it was consumed on the altar. Those ceremonial sacrifices fulfilled the sacrificial laws pointing forward to Him as types and were to cease and be brought to an end at His death at the cross. His priceless gift calls followers to offer God what they most value and to withhold nothing given for His honor.
The first sacrifice taught Adam that death results from sin and that disobedience had brought death, and killing an innocent victim made him feel the gravity and cost of transgression. The animal's death reminded of guilt and acknowledged sin, teaching that sin requires the blood of an innocent victim and that only the death of God's Son could atone as the remedy. The sacrifice also revealed God's goodness in giving His Son to save the guilty, pointed forward to Christ's death as promised Redeemer, expressed repentance and faith, and gave hope of salvation for the future.
As spotless Lamb He fulfills the Passover type, where the lamb and the blood on the doorposts prefigured atoning blood. On its merits sinful people continually depend for safety from Satan's power and for final redemption, and as the marked doorways in Egypt were spared so those who believe may be saved because Christ was slain like a lamb. His death on the cross brought the type to its fulfillment as the sin-offering to which the Passover and earlier system of types and ceremonies pointed, and the Lord's Supper commemorates His death and keeps that deliverance fresh until He comes again.
The blood shed for the life of the world was foreshadowed by the blood of sacrificial animals, whose sacrifices made clear that sin requires bloodshed and were meant to direct people to the crucified Redeemer. Their victims symbolized Him as the Lamb of God without blemish or spot, pointing beyond themselves to Him as the better, more perfect offering. He is the holy Saviour foreshadowed by divinely appointed animal sacrifices to remind sinful people that sin brings death, and the blood of an innocent animal or beast could atone for the transgressor's guilt only because of and by virtue of the great sacrifice yet to be offered.
God delights in obedience to His commandments more than in the shedding of beasts' blood and required obedience rather than sacrifice, and since all the riches of the earth and all cattle upon a thousand hills are already His He had no need of such spoil to represent Christ. Because He is perfectly holy, the cursed spoil of a doomed and corrupt people such as the Amalekites, upon whom curse rested even to utter extinction, could not fitly foreshadow Him nor be required or accepted to prefigure Him.
Redemption comes through the precious sacrifice, for the Son was given to die before the foundation of the world and before the world was created God had prepared an offering to accomplish redemption for fallen humanity. The blood as of a spotless lamb was the appointed offering for this purpose, foreshadowed by sacrifices offered since Adam's transgression. His suffering and death fulfill the types and symbols that pointed to Him, making His sacrifice the foundation of God's purpose to redeem and save a perishing world, while the cross reveals God's character and the sinner's need for a sin-pardoning Saviour.
He was the sinless spotless sacrifice like a lamb without blemish, and a single stain of sin would have made His sacrifice unable to save humanity. Though under no obligation to become a sacrifice He took a servant's form, bore reproach outside Jerusalem's gates, and died for the whole world, with His spotless purity shown in humble service. His death fulfilled the sanctuary offerings so the ceremonial sacrifices were no longer needed and ceased, ending the sacrifices offered for four thousand years and opening salvation to every nation, tongue, and people.
Forgiveness of sins comes through His blood alone, for the least sin and for the greatest sins, and the many slain animal sacrifices were required to fix in mind that without shedding of blood there is no remission. Justice asked for the sufferings of a man, and He who is equal with God gave the sufferings of God, needing no atonement for Himself so that all His sufferings were for man and His free pardon is accessible. His sufferings corresponded with His spotless purity and the depth of agony was proportionate to dignity and grandeur of character, and the intense anguish cannot be seen and comprehended until how deep is the pit delivered from is felt, how grievous sin is felt, and the full and entire pardon is grasped by living, acting faith.
Believers are purged from the old leaven of sin through priceless blood, and by His own blood He entered heaven's sanctuary once for all and obtained eternal redemption. Those washed in the Lamb's blood are joined in Christian brotherhood. Forgetting redemption by the Son of God leads to treating sacred things as common and losing spiritual discernment.
Infinite Price Paid
The ransom that preserves the honor of eternal justice is an infinite sacrifice, the blood of the Son of God rather than corruptible silver and gold, paid on Calvary where He became obedient to death, even death on the cross. That sacrifice satisfies the principles of justice by which heaven is governed and gives Him right to take captives from Satan and rescue them from the great deceiver who caused the fall by a lie framed against God's government. Satan holds them as jailer through belief of his lie, gained not by lawful conquest but under false pretenses with no right to demand a price, while God as creditor had right to provide redemption at a price only the Son could pay. The Son volunteered to come over the ground where Adam fell to conquer by steadfast allegiance to right and save all who accept Him, bearing the penalty at the cross so justice could forgive without surrendering holiness, drawing sinners from sin to be cleansed and made new.
He became humanity's surety and substitute, laying aside royal robes and glory, taking human nature and entering the depth of human suffering and temptation so He could reach people, join fallen humanity to God, lift the fallen and win them back to allegiance. Through Him fallen people may overcome and become children of God and heirs of the eternal kingdom, for He came to show how they may live to secure immortal life at infinite cost of His precious blood as of a spotless lamb. He left heaven and suffered and died as the just One for the unjust, bearing the sins of the whole world, His blood given for sins as a sacrifice for human sin in which He gave His precious life. Remembering that suffering lays a holy restraint and awakens desire to suffer for Him, and that self-giving death for each person lays direct claim on the heart and calls temporal interests to second place in giving and labor for His kingdom.
With its surrounding verses it teaches He was foreordained before the foundation of the world and manifested in the last times so that faith and hope are in God who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, redeemed not from the vain tradition of the fathers with corruptible things but with His precious blood as a lamb without blemish and without spot. He was ordained to work through cruel suffering and crucifixion as part of the covenant because continuing transgressors must die, and His death on Calvary looked like defeat, the temple destroyed and the head bruised. In the very act of grasping his prey Satan demolished his own throne, for Christ in dying agony was victor over earth and hell, reinstating humanity from Satan's slavery by perfect obedience to God's law, breaking the spell that held millions under Satan's rule and leading to glorious eternal victory which His followers continue.
Youth were bought with an infinite price that includes the Father permitting the sacrifice and giving His only beloved Son for every soul. It includes Christ laying aside royal robe and kingly crown, clothing Himself with humanity, leaving heaven's courts and throne to be a daily sacrifice and live a human life from babyhood to crucifixion. There nails were driven through hands and feet amid reproach, abuse, insult, mockery and derision from those He came to save, with the hiding of the Father's face on the cross. Seeing such sacrifice shows all human sacrifices are of very little worth and calls for living connection purged from worldliness, making it possible for all who will to have life that measures with the life of God.
People are purchased by His blood, and His life, mission and death together make the one great saving sacrifice that nothing else could replace, no possession or human life taking its place. The sacrifice at Calvary shows God's love for the straying and reveals the greatness of salvation, for He gave His humble suffering life to redeem the fallen race. They were bought with the precious blood of the Son of God given without solicitation or merit as an infinite gift in which God gave all heaven in His beloved Son. Because of that cost God has claims requiring willing obedience and right use of privileges and God-given intellectual and moral faculties as entrusted talents for wise improvement, not left dormant for want of cultivation nor crippled and dwarfed by inaction.
His precious blood is the atonement God gave in His Son for the world's sins, through whom the Father created the world, the light and way to eternal life. Everyone must believe he is bought with the only begotten Son's blood, for without that belief he will surely be bound with the wicked one, left to Satan's temptations and lose his soul. Believers were ransomed by nothing less than that blood through His self-denial and self-sacrifice as substitute and surety, from which all blessings come. Because such a price was paid those ransomed are to stand in right relation to God and manifest the same self-denying spirit while the universe watches with intense interest to see how they will act.
Redemption cost so much that it brought Christ the Commander of the heavenly hosts from the royal courts, His blood the precious price, His sacrifice revealing the Father's infinite gift of His Son. This makes possible restoration of God's moral image in humanity and points to eternal life. The precious blood as of a lamb without blemish and without spot is the price paid to redeem, purchase and ransom people from sin and ruin, His precious life given in shameful death on the cross to save souls. This purchase makes them His property under obligation to active service, forbids any low view of man, calls for right estimate and respect of brethren even when erring and tempted, and ransoms from sin's service into obedience with His sufferings as example of sacrifice. It purchases union with God and separation from sin and sinners, secured for orphaned and outcast children and every sinner regardless of land or color, depending on each person's acceptance through entire surrender and opening the heart for the Holy Spirit's mighty renewing power in faithful soldier service.
The precious blood, His own precious life, is the infinite price to secure people to Himself and ensure eternal salvation, the Son yielding honor, glory, royal throne and court and for men's sakes becoming poor, giving all riches and glory that through His poverty they might be made rich. He endured agony in Gethsemane where the mysterious cup trembled in His hand, praying three times with pale quivering lips for the cup to pass then submitting to the Father's will, strengthened by an angel to tread the bloodstained path to Calvary and drink suffering's cup to its dregs. All that torturing agony was that by sacrifice of Himself His love might stand revealed and move men from transgression, with arms outstretched to clasp repentant believing ones to His heart of love, and because man cost so much He will not leave him now but remains faithful. A costly ransom was thus paid to forgive sin and rescue from destruction, whose value and suffering must be appreciated and not seen merely as a way across the gulf, and the atonement made by that price is complete so that believing in Christ as complete Saviour gives rejoicing and knowledge that the Father loves believers even as He loves His Son.
The price paid was the precious blood of Christ, who suffered and was crucified despite being declared faultless. Christ, who is equal with God, pledged before humanity was created to give His life to redeem the fallen human race, and though rich He became poor so that through His poverty people might be made rich. Having given His life and shed His blood to ransom sinners and bring the dead to life, He now appeals to each heart for a return of love and giving in answer to what He has given. His death was the infinite price paid to redeem humanity and demonstrates His love, for He does not want anyone to perish but invites all to believe and receive eternal life, unmistakable evidence of God's love in that Jesus bought people with His own blood.
The precious blood was given at the infinite cost of the life of God's only-begotten Son, and those daily sanctified by that blood will not work against God's plan of redemption. Christ alone can redeem humanity and satisfy the claims of justice, laying aside honor and glory, taking humanity, humbling Himself and shedding His blood for the human race. Human beings may work with Him through mercy and generosity but they cannot redeem others, for the sinless Christ suffered for sinners to deliver the family from the destroyer and make restoration to God's image possible. Jesus purchased people at infinite cost to Himself suffering and dying on Calvary so they can by faith claim the merits of His blood pictured as a spotless lamb, giving His life and shedding His blood to redeem them from ruin and purchase true honor.
Cleansing and Salvation Offered
His blood is the cleansing fountain shed to take away sin, removing defilement from soul and mind and heart and making it possible for guilt to be borne in another's place, for sins to be cleansed and the record blotted out, for the ransomed to be accounted pure through merit, and for their lives to show goodness and righteousness and godliness and self-sacrifice by grace. It is the ground of the sinner's hope, so that even one who knows unworthiness may claim salvation and trust to be cleansed rather than relying on personal merit. His precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb can cleanse from impurity, remove defilement, make perfect in Him, and purge the old life of sin. That cleansing puts away fretfulness and quick temper and impatience and fault-finding and forms a new character. Forgetting that cleansing by the Son of God's blood leads to treating sacred things as common and living without His unselfish love shaping character.
His precious blood is the means by which sins are blotted out, and forgiveness and help follow thorough conversion and reformation, while past efforts to obey truth cannot cover past wrongs. The precious blood of Jesus cleanses the sinful unworthy soul, and salvation is claimed by virtue of the atonement through that blood rather than personal merits. Even with a deep sense of unworthiness bringing terror, with feelings of peace and joy gone, and with the suggestion that sin is too great for Christ to save, the sinner can trust Christ and hang the helpless soul on Him in darkness as fully as in light without trying to force emotion. Such constant living faith and firm reliance brings peace and assurance. His own blood by giving His life ransoms fallen humanity in human flesh and connects it to God, and without that connection no one can be happy. Through His merits the repentant sinner is transformed so the Father embraces him, revealing God's love and Christ's grace, with heavenly intelligences working under Christ to reclaim those separated by transgression in a plan ample to save the whole world and make fallen man complete through forgiveness and imputed righteousness.
The marvelous plan of salvation in the great sacrifice of the King of glory has merits that elevate sinners and bring them into favor with God, a high ennobling theme, and those so elevated who continue in obedience will finally be exalted to His throne to share the everlasting reward of the righteous abode. Because the ransom has been paid no one needs to remain enslaved by Satan, and those bought are adopted into God's family and transformed by His Spirit from self-indulgence and love of self to self-denial and supreme love for God, with Christ as divine example and all-powerful helper, since no one inherits holiness by nature and weak erring man overcomes besetting evil only in the Redeemer's strength. That redemption grants a new lease of life, a probation to develop characters of perfect loyalty, making it possible to live regenerated transformed lives of service. He is ever working for those He purchased, having ascended to plead before the Father in behalf of the purchase of His blood in the heavenly sanctuary, pleading the agonies of the crucifixion and raising His wounded hands to intercede that His church may be kept from falling under temptation. Through that intercession He presents them to God as sons and daughters, and through His merits they receive power to become members of God's family.
His blood is the Lamb's blood and is the ground for pleading its efficacy before God. Its precious virtue is what a person with nothing else to bring can plead before God in humble prayer, as one who has given himself to do God's will irrespective of consequences comes broken to Jesus bringing no price and clinging simply to the cross. The precious blood was shed for the sinner and is his only plea for coming to God just as he is, bringing the wanderer near to God again with rejoicing and song. The blood of the crucified and risen Saviour is the only hope of salvation and the atoning price of redemption and foundation of Christian hope on which people must depend. Trusting one's own efforts or human merits to serve God or earn favor hides the atonement and robs Christ of His glory, for Jesus' blood alone atones for transgressions. Salvation rests not on human righteous works which are like sliding sand but on God's mercy and love, requiring building securely on Christ as the only sure foundation by living faith and continual dependence that scatters self-sufficiency and pride.
His merits are the whole ground of acceptance with God, and those who trust wholly in them and not in themselves are accepted to defend truth as co-laborers with God in a sacred elevating ennobling sanctifying work that transforms character after the divine likeness. He redeemed His chosen people by the precious blood of the Lamb, making them His and giving reason to plead the blood's efficacy before God, and earthly possessions cannot be a god but His blood is to be magnified, with human arguments and customs not displacing God's word authority. Pardon is received only by those who feel their sinfulness and realize sin's sinfulness, repent sincerely, cast themselves wholly on Christ's mercy feeling that unless He saves they perish, and yield will and way for Him to control. Faith in Him as propitiation leads the sinner to cease from sin, for He gave His blood as ransom not to justify continuing in sin but so repentant sinners who receive and believe may have sins taken away. His blood ransoms lost humanity from death to receive pardon, and through its merits and His obedience to God's law people may have God's favor and be restored to the garden and the tree of life.
Through that redemption people may again eat the life-giving fruit of the tree of life which sustains life and immortality, access to which was lost when Adam's disobedience brought death into the world. The precious blood was the price of His atoning sacrifice by which He rescues people from Satan and makes them His own, so those bought belong to Him including bodies and minds and powers and should not let harmful appetite enslave them or use what belongs to the Lord for its gratification. Though His blood frees from Satan's bondage, ransomed people may refuse that freedom and turn from becoming God's children and heirs to live for earthly possessions and status. Christ's precious blood was the price paid to purchase and ransom people from Satan's power and perdition and control, so the soul belongs to Him and not to Satan but to God, and He can take the person by the hand and lead to eternal life. Those so redeemed are to glorify God in body and spirit and serve Him willingly, owing Him service.
The precious sacrifice redeemed people from Satan's power and hopeless misery, and remembering it should keep them from selfishness and weariness in doing good. His act of seeking and buying gives hope and comfort to those weary or sad. Eternal life is the priceless gift of the blood of the crucified and risen Christ, and salvation was purchased at infinite cost so humanity could be saved and united with divinity. His blood paid the redemption price for His people and made His atoning sacrifice effective across every age, as the basis of redemption and of His continuing intercession for the church. The redeemed will know throughout eternity what salvation cost and will praise the Lamb who redeemed them by His blood. Jesus is the great antitype of the spotless lamb whose precious blood believers apply to their hearts, and beholding Him gives life and hope with assurance that He who died is risen and alive forever at God's right hand interceding, so because He lives believers shall live also.
The infinite cost of ransoming sinners is shown in His pierced hands testifying to His power to save so no one who submits to be ransomed need doubt salvation. Jesus gave His precious life so believers can trust Him through every trial and adverse circumstance, knowing suffering as a tender sufficient support. It is rich food from the living Word that comforts and strengthens and blesses feeble and afflicted believers and hungry souls with little preaching, showing God's large love to His chosen. The Saviour who was tempted as people are and knows how to help the tempted bought believers with His blood by dying for them, so they can share the divine nature and overcome worldly corruption through lust, including hatred toward a brother, and gain entire victory. Jesus is the Redeemer and only hope, the chief and great all-powerful physician, so the individual He bought can present himself to Him for healing of infirmities, relief from pain and weariness, strength, clearness of mind, His Spirit and healing virtue, with confidence that He hears believing prayer.
He paid with His own blood to secure willing obedience personally for each person at the infinite cost of the only-begotten Son's life, laying direct claim on the heart. He gave His precious blood personally for each person and therefore is a shepherd full of kindness and care and mercy and tenderness to be trusted every moment even when imprisoned and suffering for truth, since what is done to make His saints suffer is done to Him. Gratitude should lead believers to honor and uplift Him before others through faithful service, putting His kingdom before temporal interest and giving and laboring to sustain His cause. Realizing Christ bought believers with His own life is a daily infinite source of comfort through faith, calling for true surrender and belonging, refusing despondency, being cheerful, holding Christ as light and life, obeying all His commandments without grieving the Spirit, laying down complaining and opening the heart to the Sun of Righteousness. Jesus loves the afflicted sufferer and paid the dear price of His blood for redemption, giving reason for simple earnest childlike faith and confidence and for holding fast to God's rich full free promises even when heart and flesh fail in sickness and deep affliction.
Children are purchased for God by Christ's blood even when they have a godless father, for grace is not inherited through family lineage. A believing mother can seek the Lord in faith for their salvation and for their father's repentance. Separation from the world is through the blood of Jesus and children are to be brought under its protection as the Israelites were in Egypt. The verse shows the great sacrifice made to redeem humanity and open future glory, that glory is offered but enjoyment of it rests with each person and to obtain it the will must be subjected to the will of Christ. The rebellious cannot enter heaven because Satan was first in rebellion and his work is to lead others to disobey the commands of Jehovah. The life of Christ was sacrificed to redeem people from wrongdoing and His precious sacrifice is the price by which they are bought.
Christ's precious blood was the dear price paid for redemption, which is reason to take hold of Jesus and break free from Satan's power. His own blood by giving His life is the costly means of emancipation purchasing people from sin and the enemy's power, giving even those enslaved by intemperance hope of rescue to be drawn from ruin, become victors and be transformed with God's help, and His saving love is especially drawn toward those most hopelessly trapped so they are not to be surrendered to ruin. He purchased sinful people with His precious blood by giving His spotless life so they can repent and be converted and be saved, and paid the soul's ransom price so believers may have eternal life. His blood purchased salvation so the redeemed through His blood who overcome do not bear final punishment but their sins are charged back to Satan as sin's originator who must bear them, whereas those who reject salvation will suffer their own penalty.
His blood paid for sinners including societal outcasts, who through His sacrifice can be rescued, restored to God's moral image, precious to God and counted among His elect. The precious blood redeems people to God and makes them His purchase, so Satan cannot claim those Christ has redeemed even when they feel unworthy to be with Jesus, for those redeemed are God's own purchase whom Christ will save. The precious blood is the purchase price that saves every repenting believing soul because God loves the purchase of that blood, revealing the glorious plan of redemption whereby sins are pardoned, sinners cleansed from all sin and drawn near to Infinite Love. It shows God retains all justice and holiness and reveals holiness in greater glory while pardoning transgressors, meaning far more than escape from penalty, for those bought are accepted in the Beloved, taken back to confidence and love and friendship and trust, welcomed as accepted children with abundant entrance to the mansions of the blest where they shall be amply satisfied. His death brings life and immortality to light and through Christ believers are complete in every grace, share His throne, and are to become overcomers pure and one with Him bearing God's likeness.
By shedding His blood Christ obtained those who are His both by creation and by redemption, making salvation possible so those who live by faith in His merits may have everlasting life. The purchased person entrusts the soul to Christ confident He will keep it. Each soul is valuable to Him, and by faith people may lay hold of the merits of the crucified and risen Savior, with obedience leading to immortal life and imperishable treasure. Believing in Christ, learning from Him, following His steps, abiding in Him and trusting Him continually regardless of feelings is the basis for salvation and grace and righteousness and peace and love, leading to eternal riches and a life lasting as long as God's life with imperishable treasures of heaven. Trust in the merits of His blood with conviction and repentance of sin and renunciation of self unfolds and calls out mental energies and makes a person more thoughtful and intellectual, for connection with God is connection with all true wisdom. Those redeemed by His precious blood have reason to praise God and look forward to everlasting salvation.
He is the spotless Lamb, the surety and substitute, the righteous one full of mercy and goodness and excellency, so the depressed and unbelieving dwelling on unworthiness should stop talking and pondering self and instead direct faith to Him, meditate on His character, and hang helpless care-troubled souls upon Him as burden-bearer, finding relief and cheer and strength and hope. The blood of the Son of God purchased individual sinners showing a personal love greater than that of father and mother, reaching to save those He bought and holding the trembling hand until feet are on firm ground, to be trusted against the enemy with an example that helps others believe. Christ died to free sinners from slavery to sin and bring them into God's favor, revealing the Father's deep love, and through transforming grace sinners can become what God desires. Christ's offering was accepted and His blood paid the full price to redeem the lost human race, so through faith and obedience people can once more become members of God's family. God's people as the purchase of His precious blood have reason to plead for Him to save them and to offer themselves in grateful service.
Christ's blood is the ransom by which people are saved, no person can pay a ransom for his own soul or another's, each is responsible for accepting the benefits provided, salvation is received through faith in Jesus, and refusing brings just retribution. The redemption treasure is received as God's free gift when people lay hold of it. The merits of the blood of Christ are the only sufficient ransom to wash guilty stains from hearts, Christ died so people might partake of the divine nature, and He will judge them, acquitting or condemning them before the Father and the holy angels. The precious blood was the heavy ransom paid to redeem people and bind them to Himself, and this redemption calls the redeemed to show love for Christ by extending to fallen humanity the love He showed them. The precious blood was given to ransom people and bring them from death to life, calling the redeemed to put the kingdom of Christ before temporal interests. John's love for Christ exemplifies the love of a repentant sinner who feels redeemed by His precious blood.
Purchased Worth Honored
Those bought by His blood belong to God and to Christ and are no longer their own, for His precious blood as of a lamb without blemish or spot is the price by which they are redeemed from silver and gold and empty tradition, entrusted to Him by purchase as well as by creation and by choice, which gives Him rightful claim to their willing service, gratitude, reverence, love and obedience and grounds love for their own souls and a conscientious Christlike life of service. Because they are purchased, right worth is placed only by looking to Calvary, and what Christ paid there measures the worth of one soul, proving one soul is of infinite value greater than property and every other interest, more precious than gold, silver or precious stones, so its loss is deep concern, its keeping is committed to Him, and personal effort for individuals matters beyond estimate since one soul won will win others. Humanity has been purchased by the precious blood of the Saviour at infinite worth, so humanity is of great worth and is to be highly estimated, and this calls believers to value those Christ has redeemed, for the price paid reveals the value He places on people and the cross reveals His self-giving love. The precious blood was the ransom paid for people who had perverted God's gifts through sin and given their powers to evil, calling those who live because He died for them to serve Him rather than themselves, while a human soul is of infinite value because the Son of God sacrificed honor, riches and glory to ransom it from the bondage of sin and hopeless despair. The precious blood is the price by which God has bought every person, and because God gave Christ He purchased the will, affections, mind, soul and strength, so a person is safe when these are under God's control and devoted to His service, and people belong to God both because He created them and because Christ purchased them, so even the deeply degraded bear His image and must be treated with respect and tenderness without contemptuous words. The precious blood paid the price for His people, and because they were bought at infinite cost their time, strength and abilities are not their own to spend on selfish desires but are to be used in serving God and helping the souls for whom Christ died. Every soul is precious because purchased by a crucified and risen Saviour's blood which no gold, silver, intellect or education could replace, and eternal life is the Saviour's free gift gained only through entire surrender to God, while the soul is worth more than gold and silver because it was purchased through the agony and blood of the Son of God. The blood is the price by which the soul is purchased and the soul is precious to God because the Son of God gave His life for it, with value far exceeding money or earthly possessions, calling a person to value salvation and center life in Jesus, for the precious blood paid the ransom for human lives and Calvary explains what a soul is worth.
Because the redeemed are precious to God at such a price, every person without distinction of birth, wealth, education, nationality, color, race, status or social position is to be respected, loved tenderly and treated with great care, patience and kindness, including the most hopelessly trapped, the oppressed, outcasts and those in error, and they must not be treated as unimportant, neglected, despised, mistreated or injured with bigotry, cruelty or fierce opposition, for such treatment offends God and stands recorded in heaven, despises what He purchased, and can drive souls away from Christ. This redemption calls believers to obey the truth and love one another sincerely and fervently without distinctions, treating every believer as precious and impatience and harshness having no place. The blood is the price paid for salvation equally for colored and white people, so those who claim redemption by that blood must not slight people because of color, doing so misrepresents Jesus and shows that selfishness, tradition and prejudice still pollute the soul, and Christians redeemed by the blood of Christ the Lamb shamefully contradict it when they treat others as inferior because of race, for to slight a brother because of color is to slight Jesus. People are redeemed regardless of race or social position, and those converted from sin to holiness belong to Christ and become members of God's family, with the Lamb's blood making their robes white so they will walk with Christ in white, while all believers purchased by His blood are put on the same ground, high and low, rich and poor, learned and unlearned, meeting as equals around the communion table with controversies hushed, injuries forgiven, difficulties settled, and no malice or hatred cherished. Because every person was purchased at Calvary, no low view of people is allowed, and believers must place a right estimate on others even when they err, fall into temptation and fail to watch and pray, without feeling strong in self, depreciating those thought in error or magnifying supposed errors, but respecting brethren as children of God, discerning precious traits despite defects, keeping faith in God and man, respecting others in order to respect self and repent of past mistakes.
Calvary reveals the measure of redeeming love and lifts up humanity, so those bought by His blood are to be treated with respect and love, not oppressed, and having redeemed people He identifies His interests with the oppressed and with those who suffer oppression, while humanity purchased at infinite price means every act of injustice against another is counted as done against Christ who bought that person. The cross reveals the great value God places on every person, even one who is poor, so people must treat one another justly and carefully since each was bought at the cost of Christ's life, and every soul is to be regarded with interest and treated with respect because that costly atonement was made for him. Because fellow human beings have been redeemed, those whose hearts are filled with love centered in God must deal justly and tenderly with others, united to them in unselfish interest and seeking their highest good through supreme love for God, and because of the purchase everyone must pledge before God to control all passion and never take a course that will depress or cast down one Jesus bought, trusting Him for help to do this. The blood of Christ has bought every person so even the poor and distressed are of value with God, and because they are His purchased property they must not be left hungry or destitute of clothing or discouraged but must be helped as far as possible, while every person is to be regarded as purchased by His blood with the Saviour's interests bound up with the souls He ransomed through infinite sacrifice. Those who oppose the truth are precious to God because Christ purchased them with His blood as the blood of the only begotten Son, and Christ paid the price of His blood for every soul including evil workers, so while the sin is to be despised the soul is to be loved with tender, pitying love like Jesus shows fallen humanity, by rendering good for evil.
Erring, tempted and discouraged souls are precious because bought with His blood, He loves them, and even the seemingly hopeless long enslaved by sin may hope and be forgiven when they come for pardon, so the cost gives every soul immense worth and the erring must not be left alone to Satan's temptations or treated as an adversary, but labored for in faith with tender sympathy and compassion without giving up, with sin dealt with plainly and rebuked yet strength gathered to overcome, to restore even the greatly fallen to active service. The ransom has been paid for specific bereaved and tempted believers, which calls for laboring with God to save them and for comforting and consoling them, and each sinner cost the price of blood and God loves him for that reason, so even a disobedient son who dishonored his mother and broke the fifth commandment is loved because the blood paid for him, calling him to draw near to be cleansed from defilement, let the heart break, confess and forsake separation, and make wrongs right without delay. Christ gave His precious blood for all people and not one class alone, so labor must be given to all with all instructed and enlightened through self-denial and self-sacrifice, and Christ died to redeem people who had turned from Him to the enemy, His death proving His love and more than human sympathy, so one with such a past should tell all that history to Him. The blood paid an infinite price to ransom souls and purchase them as His own, giving every soul immense value, while Satan is bidding for those blood-bought souls and buying them cheap every day as people sell themselves for a thing of naught for the world's applause, for money, to gratify base passions and for worldly amusement. God made believers His own by paying the infinite ransom of Christ's precious blood like a lamb without blemish, meaning they are highly valued and freed to be sons of God and not bondslaves, that those redeemed belong to the Saviour as His blood-bought heritage with each soul valuable because the precious life was given for it through humiliation and agony, and awareness of such love calls forth love, gratitude and joy and forbids grieving that purchase.
The soul of every brother and sister cost the life of Christ, giving each soul infinite value and calling those who know God and Christ to exert a good influence, set a true example, and labor to help others gain eternal life, while the blood of Christ was the price of redemption in that Jesus died to redeem the erring person whose soul is valuable to God. The death of Christ was the price paid making people His precious possession, and because He died to save them they are precious in God's sight and should be treated with care and not with harshness or contempt, for because Christ values people so highly they should be treated with love and tenderness, and each person should value himself in light of belonging to God with all powers His, respecting self and serving God and cooperating to save others by obedience and example. Souls are Christ's property and more precious than gold or silver, ease, self-indulgence or anything else that can be named, and increased love for Jesus brings increased love for what belongs to Him, making souls precious to the believer. A woman is valuable because Jesus Christ purchased her with His blood, and the infinite price to redeem humanity including those regarded as least makes no distinction between races, making neglect of people in need a serious moral responsibility. He, equal with the Father from the beginning, gave His life to redeem a people from what is earthly and commonplace and to renew them in the image of God, and He paid an infinite price to redeem people and win them back to allegiance to God, giving them the standing of sons and daughters of God, which calls them to respect themselves, develop and preserve their powers, and serve with Christ in the salvation of others.
He paid an infinite price, and that price is the measure by which people should value themselves, while the purchase sets the true estimate and worth of every person, and those who carry truths of redemption are to show in their work that they place that value upon humanity. With the prior verse it shows that He paid a great infinite price with His precious blood, leaving the royal courts to become human and die, revealing the immense value of human souls and bodies and making care for them a sacred responsibility. The blood is the price by which God purchased His people, and they are precious to Him as those redeemed through His only begotten Son, while the ransom purchase gives each soul great value and shows He came to save the lost, not only those who accept Him, with the redeemed belonging to Him. Christ sacrificed Himself to ransom the soul from sin and hopeless despair, giving the soul immeasurable value greater than earthly honor and riches, and Christ paid infinite cost to purchase precious life for every person, while the covetous lover of money values that life so little as to sell it for earthly riches, and without repentance, redeeming the time and restitution he will lose both worlds and have no part in that precious life while the saints are glorified. Every human soul is precious and of infinite worth to God, a worth known only by the great sacrifice of Christ's precious blood to redeem it, and the infinite price makes every soul sacred and gives weight to every action taken for salvation of souls, so where His peace abides outward condition in cottage or palace does not matter and self is forgotten in doing others good, lives precious to God are not to be spoiled by self-indulgence or wrongdoing, and no child bought with human agony and blood can afford to be lost.
Holy Life Required
Because the redeemed are his servants, stewards, heritage, property and missionaries bought not with perishable silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, they are not to be bought or sold as property. Their minds belong to him and must not be under any person's jurisdiction or sold into bondage to speculation, philosophical speculation and spiritualistic theories, or passed into any man's hands, and no man has been given charge of their souls. For any person to put himself in Christ's place to control minds, to exercise kingly dictation and authoritative imperious oppressive power, or to interfere with or harm his purchased possession impugns divine efficacy, displeases God, endangers souls, and forfeits eternal bliss unless repented with confession.
Believers have been bought by Christ to be God's property in order to honor and glorify God, requiring being just and generous to one's own soul rather than becoming servants of men by consenting to have liberty restricted by men or councils of men. This calls for breaking every band and every yoke that restricts liberty in Christ and refusing to bind oneself after human inventions and societies that would circumscribe thought, shut away light, and produce a merely mechanical Christian, for God has still more radiant light to impart. Belonging to Christ by his blood's price requires holding fast to gospel simplicity and rejecting masterly sophistries, fictitious sentiments and deceptions, since accepting deceptions spoils faith and experience step by step until denying him who bought them.
Because they are purchased, all capabilities, time, strength, influence, talents, means, bodies, spirits and intellectual and moral faculties, with life, possessions and blessings, are indebted to him and are to be devoted to God's work and saving souls rather than selfish gratification or living only to satisfy appetite and passion. This includes returning gifts and offerings, almsgiving and systematic benevolence, for God asks return of entrusted gifts to help save souls, Christ giving his blood and asking their silver. It includes using talents to glorify God, following his example, and preparing by education for immortal life, for the worth of the sacrifice calls the redeemed to give means and physical, mental and moral powers to Christ's service.
Christ purchased people through his suffering and blood and his suffering and death paid the price that secures their willing service and ready obedience, so their influence, means, abilities and possessions belong to him and should be used for his interests and cause rather than withheld for themselves. People belong to Christ because he purchased them with his blood and loves them, their lives sustained by his power, so their time, strength and abilities are his to develop, train and use in his service. He bought the believer at infinite price with his precious blood like a lamb without blemish, making the Christian physician his servant called to work as a missionary. He bought people with his precious blood like a lamb without blemish or spot, calling them to walk in holiness, bear fruit to God's glory, follow his example and represent him before the world as his property presenting his true character.
Christ loves people and his blood has dearly purchased and redeemed them, all they are and have including time, talents, strength and thought has been redeemed for his highest service, and the Lord accepts nothing less than complete consecration and entire willing obedience, even accepting nothing less than the entire heart. He buys every believer as a purchased possession belonging to Jesus with a claim no other being has, so his whole future existence is the Lord's with every hour charged with eternal responsibility. He no longer lives for selfish gratification or vain display but as God's agent to do God's work, devoting himself unreservedly with thoughts, words and works subject to Christ's will, and money, possessions, intellect, reason, ability, knowledge, affection and property are only lent as a precious trust to be used wisely to honor his name and bless humanity, reproducing Christ's unselfish self-sacrificing character in co-partnership with divine power.
Christ bought believers with his own most precious blood by giving his life for them, so they are not their own but belong to him with all they have belonging to him. That ownership is to be acknowledged by gifts and by improving time and talents as fruit of his mercy and grace, by unreserved consecration to him, and by doing work heartily as unto the Lord as living testimony that they were bought. Believers are redeemed from slavery of sin by the precious life-blood of God's only begotten Son, buying every part of the being and every moment of the future, so one who yields to the Saviour belongs to Christ by redemption as well as by creation. Realizing this transforming grace molds him anew, lifts him above self-serving, makes him ready to deny self, take up the cross and make any sacrifice in the Master's service, leaving him unable to be indifferent to perishing souls and putting the question how best to glorify him whose he is.
Because bought they belong wholly to God with bodies, spirits, time, service, property and strength to be used for him, calling them away from selfish living to reveal Christ through faithful service, self-denial and Christlike character. Because Christ bought believers with his blood all they have and are belongs to God, requiring transforming power in the heart so they reveal Christ in home, church and world, bear fruit and represent his character looking to Jesus as author and finisher of faith, living as his trophies of grace. The infinite price makes bodies, talents and possessions his, to be used in his service to advance his work on earth. The infinite price makes people his own and not their own, so they must not dishonor him in word or action or hinder anyone from coming to him, but glorify God in body and spirit, whose compassion and mercy extend to the whole world if embraced.
God bought people with the life-blood of his only begotten Son so they belong to God and are not free to do with themselves as they please, so those connected with sanitariums and schools must be wholly converted, no longer living for self or worldly purposes, but giving body, soul and spirit to God to be used as he wills in his service. Because God created people and redeemed them through the blood of his only Son they belong to him and he will call them to account for talents entrusted for his service. Human beings are redeemed by the blood of Christ and become his property, and because they belong to him by both creation and redemption he claims their undivided service and faithful performance of each person's individual task, owing faithful service to Creator and Redeemer.
Jesus redeemed people by his own blood, his redemption gives them an opportunity to return to him, and he requires them to use their talents in his service. Jesus paid with his own blood to secure willing obedience and cheerful service, so all ability and gifts belong to God as entrusted capital to be used for his glory and not buried in worldly enterprises, each held responsible in proportion to capital entrusted. Christ offered his life to release people from Satan's claims and save them from complete ruin, and the price measures God's valuation so that people and all they possess belong to God, means must be used in his way not after human invention, and he will soon call them to account for his goods. Those redeemed are stewards of temporal possessions whose use of these gifts in this probationary life tests whether they can be trusted with eternal riches and the purchased inheritance of glory, honor and immortality.
The ransom buys every son and daughter of Adam with time, ability and strength held in trust, and redeems from earthliness, sensuality and all spiritual and physical uncleanness as the covenant by which they become his chosen property, his sons and daughters, newborn souls translated into his kingdom and pledged to obey, take his yoke and devote themselves unreservedly for all time. The blood marks believers as belonging to Christ and sets them apart for his service in sacred relationship with him, pictured as sprinkled with his blood, so they must give themselves wholly to God and work with him in deep humility through consistent devoted service. God bought believers with the blood of his only begotten Son, claiming them as his property and setting them apart for service, so they must give the enemy no advantage nor allow him impress on thought, word or deed.
Those purchased are under the Holy Spirit's sanctification, made one with Christ in God with life blended with his, given power to become his children, accepted in the beloved and acknowledged and rewarded as his purchased possession, and as chosen servants reflect light to save souls, to be rewarded in the day of judgment by things written in the book. Belonging to God obliges control of natural habits and preservation of God-owned faculties in healthful vigor, including eating and drinking in obedience to health laws, sober holy conduct, studying his word and preserving life. Refusal to live without regard for God or merely to satisfy appetite and passion is required, and bodies and powers rescued from Satan to be his own must not be wasted by tobacco, selfish lustful indulgence, harmful habits, or breaking the laws of life and morality.
Because people belong to God their bodies as living dwellings must not be treated in ways that cause ruin and suffering, and harming them with drug medication offends God. Because the mind belongs to Christ as his property it is to be yielded to his control daily and hourly. With its context it calls for girded sober minds hoping to the end for grace at the revelation of Jesus Christ, living as obedient children not shaped by former lusts in ignorance but holy in all conduct like the holy God, passing earthly sojourning in fear of the Father who without respect of persons judges every man's work. It leads to purified souls obeying truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, loving one another fervently with a pure heart without discord, with humility, unity and preferring one another, strictly guarding the mind under God's control by the Holy Spirit, which is the convincing evidence of Bible sanctification.
It upholds the high standard of daily obedience to all God's commandments, bringing heaven's law into everyday experience, partaking the divine nature having escaped corruption through lust, requiring constant spiritual warfare, watchfulness and prayer, study by parents, expression in words and actions. It requires choosing obedience over Satan's attractions, seeking sanctification of soul, body and spirit as holy subjects and royal family members fitted for mansions above, and working out salvation with fear and trembling as God works to will and do, becoming laborers together with God. The cost of redemption through his agony, sufferings, blood and death calls those who serve him to self-denial, sacrifice and suffering for the souls for whom he died, giving time, strength and means wholly to him in saving souls quickly while time is short rather than living at ease or forgetting those he died to save. It calls to offer what they most value and yield all without withholding, for eternal life was purchased dearly and without that self-denial profession is unworthy of eternal life.
It belongs to a chapter that draws the heart in love for souls and urges walking in the light, whose verses on prophecy show the sacredness of the prophecies and that the Old Testament Scriptures are not to be cut out, for Christ was speaking in the Old Testament as well as the New. The verse is connected with teaching the knowledge of salvation, sin and redemption from sin's bondage and defilement. It presents him as the pure and spotless Lamb and the great, effective sacrifice for humanity, whose suffering and death redeem people from sin and make them right before God, and contemplating it calls for penitence and faith and strengthens love and faith. His precious blood was the redemption price paid on the cross to save fallen humanity, expressing divine compassion for the lost and making return to God possible.
It shows that he paid humanity's ransom with his own blood as the price of redemption, and having redeemed people he identifies his interests with the oppressed. It shows that he redeemed people at the cost of his agony and blood through his life's sacrifice, giving him rightful claim to their service and expectation of willing obedience in saving souls. It shows that people were bought with his precious blood at a price no human mind can compute, and professing truth without bringing it into practical life cuts off influence, leaves one subject to natural character and robs God of purchased service. It teaches redemption from the empty way of life inherited by tradition was bought not with perishable silver or gold but only with his precious blood as spotless unblemished Lamb, only whose sacrifice could redeem, salvation planned through sacrifice to free from iniquity and bring eternal life.
Withholding oneself from his service rejects its value and ends in ruin. It presents his blood as the price by which people belong to him, presents him as the spotless example of obedience, and requires followers to treat every person as someone purchased by his blood. Being purchased by his blood makes it terrible to reject divine mercy and surrender to error after such a sacrifice. He purchased redemption and died and freely offers salvation, so rejecting that so dearly purchased salvation is ungrateful and cruel, while Christ was given for people at that price and his death should not be in vain.
His sacrifice was the infinite price to redeem the fallen race, through which people may be exalted to share God's throne and inherit immortal riches. Christ's blood was the price paid for his followers and is also the pledge of the eternal glory they may receive, calling for efforts corresponding in some degree to their value. His blood purchased people and entrusted them with talents to glorify God, so turning gospel messages into jest, denying his divinity and trusting baseless finite reasoning misuses that purchase and melts away in affliction and death like frost before the sun. Redemption was bought at great cost with the blood of the Son of God, seen in its results that the earth will bring forth the fruits of Paradise and God's people will reveal his word's glory with Christ manifesting his character and kingdom principles through their lives.
The precious blood was the price by which he purchased people for God, so their reasoning powers and affections belong to him and are to be set apart for his glory, not centered on unworthy objects or made into worship of anything created. The precious blood was the price by which he purchased people for God, so their thoughts, plans and earnest interests belong to Christ and are to be devoted to his service. Redemption came at the cost of the Son of God's suffering and death, and remembering that cost should lead to self-abasement rather than pride in outward adornment. Because Christ paid that price by bearing the cross, wearing the thorny crown and drinking the bitter cup, believers must not rest at ease and glorify themselves but work while it is day and devote themselves to God's service to have his approbation and reward.
The price ransoms people from sin's service into obedience, Christ's sufferings provide an example of sacrifice in God's kingdom, and redemption's cost calls people to recognize responsibility to God and value what was bought. The blood was the price paid to redeem sinners from the penalty of God's broken law, and his suffering on the cross reveals both the value of humanity and the seriousness of each person's accountability, with the penalty proportionate to the price. Christ paid the ransom to unite people with God and separate them from sin and sinners, God has done everything possible to provide salvation which depends on each person accepting it, the Holy Spirit works with mighty renewing power when the heart is opened. Laboring together with God requires entire surrender, devoting all ability to him and straining every spiritual sinew in faithful soldier service.
Every part of human nature and every moment of life and of the future belong to Christ, and seeing him crucified and risen reveals sin's offense and leads to repentance toward God and faith in Jesus, with transformed powers, abilities, lives and possessions devoted to God's service and saving others. Those purchased at great cost are to keep souls free from dishonesty and untruth, become spotless and clean in this life, and prepare for the life Christ bought. As his blood-bought people they are to be sanctified in whole being and made pure like Christ. Christ's life was the price for redemption, his death on the cross cleanses from sin and makes it possible to share eternal glory, and his self-giving sets the pattern of humble service in that he came to serve rather than seek honor.
The faith responding to this redemption works by love and purifies the soul, cleansing life from self-serving and submission to arbitrary human demands, shown in spirit, speech and actions, distinguishing sacred from common and leading to daily obedience to the will of Christ. Christ suffered for people so they could become children of God by adoption, and seeing what he suffered should lead them away from worldly pride and self-love toward making God the object of highest regard. His blood sanctifies believers, who therefore must not become agents of division or frustrate God's plan for the church. Because people belong to Christ by purchase, doing evil grieves him and the conduct of those redeemed at that price can dishonor the one who redeemed them.
Knowing redemption leads a repentant sinner to love Christ and serve him even through suffering. Character is gained through individual effort by the merits and grace of Christ, not bought with wealth or acquired by accident, Christ precious and spotless Lamb. His blood is precious beyond all estimate because it is the life of God, and everything people possess has been purchased by it and bears the mark of the cross so nothing is theirs to pledge as though it belonged to them. The verse shows that redemption was purchased at a costly price, and seeing what transgression of God's law means reveals the price paid for the human race and leads people to hate the sins that wound his heart.
The verse shows that believers belong to God because they were bought with his precious blood like that of a lamb without blemish or spot, so because they belong to God they are not their own and must not exalt themselves, boast, or try to take the place that belongs to God. The verse teaches that lives bought at immeasurable price are precious to God and must not be spoiled by self-indulgence or wrongdoing. Christians bought with infinite sacrifice are not their own to do as they please but must obey the law of God's kingdom and reach God's high standard, through which sacrifice they can live pure holy lives carrying out heaven's principles in this world. Believers bought with the precious blood of the Son of God are not their own but belong to Christ and are to live as his redeemed own.
A sense of this redemption together with being clothed in Christ's salvation should lead to deeper and more fervent piety and practical works of righteousness that represent Christ. Christ purchased human beings with his life-blood and gave his life so they should not perish but have a life that measures with the life of God, therefore they are not their own but belong to him, and for a soul so bought to be eternally lost is terrible. Christ has redeemed believers by his most precious blood, giving reason to praise him, to stand in liberty as free people, to lift up heads and rejoice in God with assurance he will soon save with everlasting salvation, and as redeemed people to be at peace among themselves. Jesus died on the cross of Calvary for each person and purchased each one with his own blood, and looking to that sacrifice should melt and break the heart into contrition.
Salvation was purchased at infinite cost by the life of the Son of God given for each person individually, measuring the value of each soul by its redemption cost. It calls each person to consider that sacrifice, appreciate his soul and earnestly cooperate with God in saving his own soul instead of leaving God to do it all, learning to be a co-laborer with Christ in reaching perfection of character molded after the divine likeness owed to him. Redemption by the Son's life brings emancipation whether accepted or not, so people do not own themselves and must not rest with a low standard but cultivate their highest powers, develop Christlike character, do their best, and press heavenward to be complete in him and pleasing to God in spirit, word and action.
People are the Lord's property by creation and redemption at tremendous infinite cost, bound by his and the Father's love, which calls church members to treat one another with care, especially those who have erred. People belong to Christ by creation as well as redemption, so as great healer he is willing to heal soul and body. Each person belongs to God by creation and redemption and is accountable to him for the soul and the life lived. Purchase by the blood of Christ gives deep reason to recognize God's relationship to people and to serve him with faith and active cheerfulness.
Belonging to Christ by purchase means making shipwreck of faith or turning away greatly dishonors him who paid the price. Refusing counsel puts the one he bought in serious peril of becoming the sport of Satan's temptations. Those bought belong to Christ and must use abilities in his service and honor him, obligated to serve, with saving souls the chief aim beginning with guiding children to Christ. Because Jesus died and bought believers they are to remain true to his claims and refuse to dishonor or disobey him for worldly gain or approval. Jesus bought each believer with his blood so he is God's with all powers belonging to God, requiring serving God rather than yielding to human control that would separate him from God's work.
The infinite price paid for the lost of every condition makes seeking and saving them the greatest work on earth, whether great or small, rich or poor, bond or free. It calls believers to bless humanity by laboring to save them with no time for unimportant things or self-enrichment. The infinite price makes salvation of men the grand aim of young men and women educated for usefulness and service, with eye single to God's glory and love of Christ controlling life. Souls perishing in sin are the purchase of the Son's blood, showing each soul's value, which requires being right with God, truly converted and sanctified through truth, bringing God's word into daily life, and taking earnest hold with burning faith to work as God requires to save them.
Redemption by the precious blood calls people to practical service rather than natural impulse, leaving world's follies, vanities and corrupting influences out of life. It calls to honor God by not living extravagantly for self but valuing humanity from God's standpoint and feeling freedom obtainable only through his death, a freedom that moves those who value it to feed the hungry, house the homeless poor, clothe the naked and not hide from their own flesh. The blood of Christ purchased people and their powers must not be perverted nor souls sold for nothing, and joining deceitful associations tarnishes Christian honor and separates from righteousness. Salvation cost the precious blood of Jesus, like that of a lamb without blemish, so the work of salvation must not be regarded lightly and Christ must be honored in words and actions. The blood of Christ is the price by which the redeemed are purchased, they belong to Christ, and their salvation gives them hope of everlasting joy.
The precious blood of Christ is the ground of grace and mercy found through him, and faith in Christ works through love and purifies the soul from selfishness, perfecting it in love and leading to tenderness and mercy toward others. The Son of God dearly purchased a great salvation, which calls for forming a good Christian character approved by God and showing true principle even when away from family, and warns against letting new surroundings engross the mind so that this salvation is neglected. Heaven and salvation were purchased at infinite price, making fitting the shame and self-denial of following Christ, with entry connected to a life proved genuine by self-denial and self-sacrifice for Christ and suffering humanity. Jesus bought every person with his blood, tasting death for every man, which opens the living bread from heaven to all who will, and he waits to receive those he bought, longing for them to become God's children united to him and changed into his image, living to gain admittance as members of the royal family prepared for immortal life.
The blood of Christ as precious and as of a lamb without blemish and without spot shows the great value of his sacrifice by which people were redeemed, given for people to be taught and enlightened. Those bought belong to him with obligation to serve him and to value soul-saving in light of Calvary. The blood was given for all and not one class alone, so labor must be given to all with all instructed, with self-denial for them. Forgetting redemption by the Son of God leads people to treat sacred things as common and lose spiritual discernment, failing to be purged from old leaven.
Those who handle the truths of redemption offer a cup full of preciousness rather than error, and they must themselves drink of it, bring their minds into captivity to Christ, be changed from character to character by beholding him, and be broken upon the rock to experience his power. The purchase places people under most sacred obligation to God to be holy and uncorrupted and as transparent as clear water, with Christ's cleansing blood securing pardon and elevation of character. By baptismal vows before the Father, Son and Holy Spirit the professing Christian is solemnly pledged to do nothing bringing evil report on the Christian name and to discourage pride, covetousness and unbelief, following only what is pure and lovely and of good report. He bought the whole human family so all belong to him as purchased possession, and those who believe are to receive his power and live as God's children showing a clear difference between serving God and rejecting his rule.
Gratitude for the gift and true appreciation of the infinite price of his precious life for each person leads to uplifting the Redeemer before believers and unbelievers and to wholehearted daily service as laborers together with God, while half-hearted imperfect service does not honor the Lord. Those purchased with his blood have responsibility to use food, clothing, time and talents for his glory. Those redeemed by the Son as God's own are bound to serve God with all powers and talents, and doing nothing makes them stumbling blocks. The wife and children are Christ's property by ransom, with the husband accountable to Christ for how he treats them.
Human souls purchased with his blood have great value and call Christians and those who care for them to labor and make every effort to save those who are perishing and erring, working earnestly and wisely to bring others to him rather than living only for themselves, caring unselfishly with pity and directing to Christ rather than magnifying guilt. The price places obligation on every person to understand what God requires and become what he would have them be, with educators working to remove physical, mental and moral defects and seeking perfection so they can be a correct model for students. The Son of God purchased the soul at great cost, so eternal interests should not be treated with indifference or displaced by pursuit of temporary earthly treasure. People are precious because purchased, and their salvation is affected by how others conduct themselves and carry out their work.
Because believers belong to him as purchased possession they are to turn whole heart to him, humble hearts before God, seek counsel from him who never makes a mistake, pray for opened understanding of the word, ask what he would have them do, and bear given responsibilities and special work in his service. Privileges and heavenly attainments offered for acceptance were purchased at immense cost and freely offered, with each person accountable for improving gifts and light entrusted to them. The ransom for every son and daughter of Adam does not shield those who refuse allegiance from retribution of the last day, for they must answer for neglecting entrusted talents. The great cost grounds assurance that Christ works to subdue evil and keep those who seek his help from being overcome and perishing.
Because Jesus paid the debt of his own life, those indebted to God must not be exacting, harsh or severe toward a brother who cannot pay through misfortune and loss, but must show compassion and mercy and forgive, for God will deal with them precisely as they deal with their unfortunate brother. The precious blood has freely bestowed gospel advantages on all, and those who accept Christ are to work out salvation with fear and trembling remembering God works in them to will and do his pleasure, so by receiving grace to impart it and sharing in the work they labor with God, strengthened, settled and confirmed. Christ first chose us and paid an infinite price for redemption with his atoning blood, and entering enduring union with him by living faith requires feeling need of that blood, having a changed heart, submitting the will to God's will, choosing Christ as first and last and best in everything, and detaching from cherished idols including pride, selfishness, vanity, worldliness and sin.
Christ gave his life for fallen humanity and his blood is the price by which people are purchased for God, so those who belong to Christ are to trust in him rather than rely on their own strength, and remembering that they are bought by his blood helps them resist sin and regard their lives as his possession. Remembering this Christians are to honor their Redeemer in thought, word and deed, put away what is unlike Christ, resist sin, rely on him for strength to overcome, and faithful living prepares them to welcome Christ when he returns. Jesus rescued every child and youth and every man and woman by his own blood from the abyss of ruin to which Satan was compelling them to go, he paid the price for sinners so they belong to him and are his property. Choosing to remain in sin and refusing the salvation freely offered does not release sinners from obligation, those who will not yield obedience but devote time, strength and talents to Satan's service earn death, and obedience and submission to God are the conditions for becoming children of God with the obedient receiving immortal glory and eternal life, made able through his name to perfect Christian character and to overcome as he overcame.
His blood purchased the children, and because they belong to Christ parents should treat every child with tenderness and without partiality. The youth, students, orphans and outcasts to be educated were bought with an infinite price and are younger members of the Lord's family belonging to Christ, so consecrated skillful God-fearing teachers and parents must treat them with patience, care, sympathy, tenderness and love rather than harshness or unjust condemnation. Their eternal interests must not be neglected for selfish or temporal concerns, each child must be instructed that Jesus' life was paid for them and must not have died in vain, and labor as missionaries to win them to Jesus with Christ's self-denying love as the pattern.
The precious blood is the price by which children and youth have been bought and belong to him, so their abilities should be carefully trained for the Lord from infancy, they should be put under influences favorable to symmetrical characters God can approve and be given religious education. If they give themselves to his service they will live under his discipline and control as his children and secure the life that measures with the life of God. The young are bought by his blood and because they belong to him they call for love, patience and sympathy. His precious life purchased and redeemed every child's soul, so the life should be shaped after his likeness with Christ enthroned as its king.
Children are Christ's blood-bought heritage as the spotless Lamb, so they belong to him, their lives are to be valued, they are to be taught to respect themselves as the Lord's, guarded from sin and harmful influences, and shaped to happy useful Christlike character honoring God and helping others rather than making money life's object. Parents have reason to treat children kindly rather than scold or threaten them because purchased. Every child bought with human agony and blood cannot afford to be lost, the ransomed including children as younger family members are absolutely the Lord's property in soul, body and spirit, and time is precious. Parents as stewards must be converted and transformed, raise them in the Lord's nurture with the household as a church, teach faithfulness in little things, truthfulness, hopefulness and happy speech, educate and sanctify them for service by reason, kindness and love under God's standard rather than caprice, sanctify themselves through truth so children may be sanctified, and make salvation and character first above outward adorning.
The blood of Christ was the price paid for children as well as others, and because they belong to God through his death parents should treat them tenderly, guide them without hasty blame or angry words, and seek their salvation through prayer and faithful care. Orphaned and outcast children are precious souls purchased by Christ's blood who may become members of the Lord's family through earnest God-fearing care, and Christ gave his life to secure pardon for every sinner regardless of land or color. He purchased his people through his own suffering and blood as a spotless sacrificial lamb, making them his chosen loved possession to whom he gives the fragrance of his righteousness and whom he guides as a faithful shepherd regarding them with deep love and tenderness. This calls for children as his precious flock to be treated with tenderness and sanctified affection and led to trust and yield to the faithful Shepherd's care.
Christ's blood purchased men and women and reveals the worth of even one soul, and responding to being purchased means not restricting interest and affection to self and family and not giving time to temporal matters while forgetting others' eternal interests, but loving one another as Jesus loved by beholding his self-denial and the love he bestowed and imitating that pattern. His blood is the price of redemption, so worldly honor and riches are unworthy ruling motives and knowledge and wisdom should instead make people better Christians serving God faithfully. Each person purchased by his precious blood belongs to him and becomes his property by his giving his life, giving every soul great worth with heaven interested in each one. A steady view of the cross counteracts worldliness and selfishness and fills the soul with humility, penitence and gratitude, leading them willingly to serve him with a cheerful heart.
Christ made an infinite sacrifice to save a perishing world, and in a special period of this earth's history when a great work must be done in a very short time every Christian is to act a part in sustaining that work by consecrating himself to soul-saving, so when what Christ sacrificed is comprehended there will be mighty wrestling to save souls. He gave his spotless life and shed his blood to save souls and cleanse from sin at an infinite sacrifice to save a perishing world, and understanding this sacrifice moves people to help others escape Satan's power and turn to God, for he purchased each soul with his blood making every soul precious. His precious blood purchased people for God so they belong to Christ, therefore their education and training must prepare them for immortal life rather than serve wealth, seek human praise or submit to the world. Believers and all they possess are the purchase of his blood, making their blessings and character gifts of grace and grounding their service to him.
Redemption cost too much to treat lightly by leaving God out and following hereditary and cultivated tendencies onto crooked paths, and Christ laid aside royal robe, crown and high command, joining divinity and humanity to become a stepping stone to heaven, with his holiness filling all who eat the bread of life and drink the water of salvation. Christ offered himself as a spotless Lamb to God and paid the ransom price for humanity, his sacrifice makes every person his by redemption as well as by creation and provides abundantly for salvation. Because of the purchase self is to be put out of sight with all they have belonging to God and used in the Master's service with all consecrated to him, which glorifies Christ and answers his prayers for followers to be one with him and one another. Christians are Christ's property because he bought them, placing every church member under obligation to him and calling each one to active service for the Master.
Christ gave his life to purchase afflicted sufferers' souls and his work relieving the sick and suffering is the example for medical ministry, with every healing effort recognizing him as purchaser and with Christ himself as great chief missionary presiding as counsellor over every department of healing for soul and body. His blood purchased salvation so the redeemed are stewards only in the sense that the temporal gifts people possess are lent to help advance God's kingdom, for the blood was the precious ransom by which he redeemed the condemned sinner from the curse of the Father's law, so because Christ gave himself for the transgressor the heart's best and holiest affections are due to him. Christ bought his people with his precious blood, and they are accountable to him as their Saviour.
Those bought have minds belonging to Christ in that taking in his work of intercession kindles ardent love, alarms apathy and produces entire devotion and benevolence in which even the smallest willing offering becomes priceless, yet all that can be yielded seems insufficient beside the debt of gratitude, he ever pleading agonies of crucifixion with wounded hands for his blood-bought church kept from temptation. Time, talents and energies belonging to him are to be used in his service, he presenting them through merits as sons and daughters and members of God's family. His precious blood bought the church, making betrayal of its sacred trust treachery against him. People belong to Christ by creation as well as redemption in that he redeemed his people by his precious blood, and the converted look forward to heaven as home where they will see, love and praise their Redeemer.
Because bought parents and children alike and believers as children of the Saviour are called to give themselves to the Lord wholly and without reserve rather than live for self, to give themselves unreservedly to him and make a covenant with God in Christ who is just and true and full of love and tender compassion. The soul bought at the price of Christ's blood has great value and calls for a thorough change of heart.
Redemption was bought not with perishable silver or gold but only with the precious blood of Christ, an infinite and incalculably costly ransom given through His suffering and the giving of His own life. Without blemish and without spot means He was perfectly sinless, spotless and pure without the least taint of sin, though He took fallen human nature with its infirmities and temptations yet remained obedient, making Him the holy substitute able to save to the uttermost. That blood was the infinite price that satisfied eternal justice on Calvary, giving Him the right to take captives from Satan and to ransom people from sin, death and ruin. His blood is the cleansing fountain that removes defilement, blots out the record of sin, and makes the repentant sinner pure, complete in Him and accepted with God. Those bought by that blood belong to God and to Christ and are no longer their own, which gives every soul infinite worth and calls the redeemed to willing obedience, holy conduct and entire devotion of body, mind and powers to His service.
Spotless Lamb Described
Redemption was not bought with perishable silver or gold but only with the precious blood of Christ, an infinite, costly and incalculably great ransom given through His suffering and the giving of His own life, which is the life of God and bears the mark of the cross on all it purchases. That blood is presented as the great sacrifice made on behalf of sinners, planned through sacrifice from the beginning to free people from iniquity and from the vain way of life inherited by tradition from the fathers. Only His sacrifice could redeem transgressors and bring the gift of eternal life, and this redemption calls for girded sober minds hoping to the end for grace at the revelation of Jesus Christ, living as obedient children not shaped by former lusts in ignorance but holy in all conduct like the holy God, passing earthly sojourning in fear of the Father who without respect of persons judges every man's work. It leads to purified souls obeying truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, loving one another with a pure heart fervently, with discord and variance as most objectionable, such love being the most convincing evidence that Bible truth is brought into practical life and that there is a people who believe in Christ and live out His Word.
Without blemish and without spot means He was perfectly sinless, spotless, blameless and pure without the least taint of sin. Though He took human nature in its fallen condition with its infirmities, weaknesses, sicknesses and temptations, He did not share in its sin but remained obedient, which made Him the holy substitute and atoning sacrifice able to save fully and to the uttermost. People cannot atone for themselves by human effort but receive the redemption He provided by faith, accepting the atonement He made as the innocent bearer of guilt and punishment to bring them to God. His redemption was made available through infinite sacrifice and suffering, and His spotless innocence qualifies Him as the sacrifice for sinners while making that redemption a gift from God received by laying hold of it.
Without blemish and without spot also describes His physical condition with no deformity in body as well as soul. His body was strong and healthy, and even while weighted with responsibilities, carrying the heavy burden of the world's sorrow and sin, and toiling with self-consuming zeal for the good of men, His was a life of health in body and purity in soul. His lifelong conformity to nature's laws and His life of bodily health and purity of soul through obedience to nature's and God's laws exemplify what God designed all humanity to be through obedience to His laws.
The fallen race was purchased with His own blood and He is sinless as a lamb without blemish and without spot. The human nature of the Son of Mary and the divine nature of the Son of God were mysteriously blended in one person, the Man Christ Jesus, in whom dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. When crucified it was His human nature that died, for deity did not sink and die because that was impossible. He will save every son and daughter of Adam who accepts the salvation proffered them by consenting to become children of God, a great mystery whose power and greatness and efficacy will not be fully understood until the translation of the redeemed takes place.
If any sin had been found in Him divine wrath would have come upon Him as it came upon Adam and human hope and the hope of the church would have perished. Because He knew no sin Satan could only touch His heel and could not bruise His head or strike His head. His sinless humanity vindicated the honor of the law, forever settled the controversy watched with intense interest by heavenly angels and unfallen worlds and the universe, exposed Satan's true character before heaven, cut off his future influence with heavenly beings and created worlds, and defeated the confederacy of darkness seeking triumph over Him, demonstrating the settlement for eternal ages and for all eternity through His humanity.
He alone by His spotless character, exalted authority and office could be the acceptable offering to ransom fallen humanity, for His worth exceeded humanity's as the express image of the Father. No smaller or lesser sacrifice could suffice or atone or save the sinner from ruin, for redemption required Him to take the transgressor's guilt upon His sinless soul. As Mediator and as both priest and victim, holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners, He alone opened the way for guilty sinners to approach God by an offering equal to the demand of the divine law. The symbolic sacrifices had no power to save apart from Him but represented Him and kept before people the separation sin caused between God and humanity, continuing only until Christ the perfect Offering came, and the infinite value and cost of His voluntary sacrifice, exceeding the full understanding of angels, reveals the terrible cost of sin and the immense cost of salvation.
His sacrifice was the offering of a spotless and innocent victim, facing Satan's efforts from childhood through Calvary yet remaining faultless and completing His work giving His life without a murmur. If He had stained His life with even one sin or failed under trial, the offering would have been imperfect and redemption would have failed. Though He could have used divine power to escape or retaliate He endured reproach, insults and suffering with perfect calmness and remained faithful to His Father, and His self-denial and love for humanity even while taking fallen human nature make His spotless character shine more clearly under suffering.
He is presented as the pure and spotless Lamb and the great, effective sacrifice for humanity, whose image as the Lamb identifies Him with the great sacrifice. His humility in serving His disciples and His suffering on the cross reveal the spirit of that sacrifice. The comparison to a lamb without blemish or spot presents Him as the spotless sacrifice whose precious blood purchased believers so they belong to Him.
He offered Himself to God as a sacrificial lamb without blemish or spot, and this great sacrificial work was completed in His death. In spotless purity He was killed by wicked hands as bearer of human sin, and His crucifixion and lying in Joseph's new tomb paid the full price to buy back a fallen world and completed the offering for sin. His death opens a grave for the sins of all who accept Him as personal Saviour, bringing triumph in heaven even in the church's darkest night after the crucifixion, and after this sacrificial work He rested in the tomb on the Sabbath and completed the great plan of salvation. His self-giving life and death, complete and without defect or blemish, made salvation possible for a world perishing in sin.
His perfect human character and obedience show that repentant believers may be made righteous in Him and share the divine nature and become complete in Him through His merits and virtue. By that sacrifice every provision has been made for believers to receive all things that pertain to life and godliness as the source of strength for godly living. He is the divine pattern humanity is to become like through obedience, and the perfection of His character makes it possible to reach the highest standard of glory and virtue and Christian perfection through learning His meekness and lowliness. His sinlessness and death make it possible for those who have no merit of their own to rely on God through His imputed righteousness, so that looking to Him in faith leads believers to become like Him and fully satisfies the Father for everyone who believes.
Foreshadowed by Sacrifices
The requirement that every sanctuary animal be without defect symbolized perfect moral purity, and the lamb burned every morning and evening expressed constant dependence on the atoning death. The unleavened bread and unfermented Passover wine represent the unblemished sacrifice, since fermentation as a symbol of sin and death would make them unfit to represent it.
The spotless precious sacrifice was represented and foreshadowed by unblemished animals offered to God. Bringing an offering confessed sin and deserved judgment while expressing repentance and faith in Jesus whose blood removes guilt, the laying on of hands represented transfer of sin to the victim whose suffering pointed to giving Himself for sin, and acceptance was shown when it was consumed on the altar. Those ceremonial sacrifices fulfilled the sacrificial laws pointing forward to Him as types and were to cease and be brought to an end at His death at the cross. His priceless gift calls followers to offer God what they most value and to withhold nothing given for His honor.
The first sacrifice taught Adam that death results from sin and that disobedience had brought death, and killing an innocent victim made him feel the gravity and cost of transgression. The animal's death reminded of guilt and acknowledged sin, teaching that sin requires the blood of an innocent victim and that only the death of God's Son could atone as the remedy. The sacrifice also revealed God's goodness in giving His Son to save the guilty, pointed forward to Christ's death as promised Redeemer, expressed repentance and faith, and gave hope of salvation for the future.
As spotless Lamb He fulfills the Passover type, where the lamb and the blood on the doorposts prefigured atoning blood. On its merits sinful people continually depend for safety from Satan's power and for final redemption, and as the marked doorways in Egypt were spared so those who believe may be saved because Christ was slain like a lamb. His death on the cross brought the type to its fulfillment as the sin-offering to which the Passover and earlier system of types and ceremonies pointed, and the Lord's Supper commemorates His death and keeps that deliverance fresh until He comes again.
The blood shed for the life of the world was foreshadowed by the blood of sacrificial animals, whose sacrifices made clear that sin requires bloodshed and were meant to direct people to the crucified Redeemer. Their victims symbolized Him as the Lamb of God without blemish or spot, pointing beyond themselves to Him as the better, more perfect offering. He is the holy Saviour foreshadowed by divinely appointed animal sacrifices to remind sinful people that sin brings death, and the blood of an innocent animal or beast could atone for the transgressor's guilt only because of and by virtue of the great sacrifice yet to be offered.
God delights in obedience to His commandments more than in the shedding of beasts' blood and required obedience rather than sacrifice, and since all the riches of the earth and all cattle upon a thousand hills are already His He had no need of such spoil to represent Christ. Because He is perfectly holy, the cursed spoil of a doomed and corrupt people such as the Amalekites, upon whom curse rested even to utter extinction, could not fitly foreshadow Him nor be required or accepted to prefigure Him.
Redemption comes through the precious sacrifice, for the Son was given to die before the foundation of the world and before the world was created God had prepared an offering to accomplish redemption for fallen humanity. The blood as of a spotless lamb was the appointed offering for this purpose, foreshadowed by sacrifices offered since Adam's transgression. His suffering and death fulfill the types and symbols that pointed to Him, making His sacrifice the foundation of God's purpose to redeem and save a perishing world, while the cross reveals God's character and the sinner's need for a sin-pardoning Saviour.
He was the sinless spotless sacrifice like a lamb without blemish, and a single stain of sin would have made His sacrifice unable to save humanity. Though under no obligation to become a sacrifice He took a servant's form, bore reproach outside Jerusalem's gates, and died for the whole world, with His spotless purity shown in humble service. His death fulfilled the sanctuary offerings so the ceremonial sacrifices were no longer needed and ceased, ending the sacrifices offered for four thousand years and opening salvation to every nation, tongue, and people.
Forgiveness of sins comes through His blood alone, for the least sin and for the greatest sins, and the many slain animal sacrifices were required to fix in mind that without shedding of blood there is no remission. Justice asked for the sufferings of a man, and He who is equal with God gave the sufferings of God, needing no atonement for Himself so that all His sufferings were for man and His free pardon is accessible. His sufferings corresponded with His spotless purity and the depth of agony was proportionate to dignity and grandeur of character, and the intense anguish cannot be seen and comprehended until how deep is the pit delivered from is felt, how grievous sin is felt, and the full and entire pardon is grasped by living, acting faith.
Believers are purged from the old leaven of sin through priceless blood, and by His own blood He entered heaven's sanctuary once for all and obtained eternal redemption. Those washed in the Lamb's blood are joined in Christian brotherhood. Forgetting redemption by the Son of God leads to treating sacred things as common and losing spiritual discernment.
Infinite Price Paid
The ransom that preserves the honor of eternal justice is an infinite sacrifice, the blood of the Son of God rather than corruptible silver and gold, paid on Calvary where He became obedient to death, even death on the cross. That sacrifice satisfies the principles of justice by which heaven is governed and gives Him right to take captives from Satan and rescue them from the great deceiver who caused the fall by a lie framed against God's government. Satan holds them as jailer through belief of his lie, gained not by lawful conquest but under false pretenses with no right to demand a price, while God as creditor had right to provide redemption at a price only the Son could pay. The Son volunteered to come over the ground where Adam fell to conquer by steadfast allegiance to right and save all who accept Him, bearing the penalty at the cross so justice could forgive without surrendering holiness, drawing sinners from sin to be cleansed and made new.
He became humanity's surety and substitute, laying aside royal robes and glory, taking human nature and entering the depth of human suffering and temptation so He could reach people, join fallen humanity to God, lift the fallen and win them back to allegiance. Through Him fallen people may overcome and become children of God and heirs of the eternal kingdom, for He came to show how they may live to secure immortal life at infinite cost of His precious blood as of a spotless lamb. He left heaven and suffered and died as the just One for the unjust, bearing the sins of the whole world, His blood given for sins as a sacrifice for human sin in which He gave His precious life. Remembering that suffering lays a holy restraint and awakens desire to suffer for Him, and that self-giving death for each person lays direct claim on the heart and calls temporal interests to second place in giving and labor for His kingdom.
With its surrounding verses it teaches He was foreordained before the foundation of the world and manifested in the last times so that faith and hope are in God who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, redeemed not from the vain tradition of the fathers with corruptible things but with His precious blood as a lamb without blemish and without spot. He was ordained to work through cruel suffering and crucifixion as part of the covenant because continuing transgressors must die, and His death on Calvary looked like defeat, the temple destroyed and the head bruised. In the very act of grasping his prey Satan demolished his own throne, for Christ in dying agony was victor over earth and hell, reinstating humanity from Satan's slavery by perfect obedience to God's law, breaking the spell that held millions under Satan's rule and leading to glorious eternal victory which His followers continue.
Youth were bought with an infinite price that includes the Father permitting the sacrifice and giving His only beloved Son for every soul. It includes Christ laying aside royal robe and kingly crown, clothing Himself with humanity, leaving heaven's courts and throne to be a daily sacrifice and live a human life from babyhood to crucifixion. There nails were driven through hands and feet amid reproach, abuse, insult, mockery and derision from those He came to save, with the hiding of the Father's face on the cross. Seeing such sacrifice shows all human sacrifices are of very little worth and calls for living connection purged from worldliness, making it possible for all who will to have life that measures with the life of God.
People are purchased by His blood, and His life, mission and death together make the one great saving sacrifice that nothing else could replace, no possession or human life taking its place. The sacrifice at Calvary shows God's love for the straying and reveals the greatness of salvation, for He gave His humble suffering life to redeem the fallen race. They were bought with the precious blood of the Son of God given without solicitation or merit as an infinite gift in which God gave all heaven in His beloved Son. Because of that cost God has claims requiring willing obedience and right use of privileges and God-given intellectual and moral faculties as entrusted talents for wise improvement, not left dormant for want of cultivation nor crippled and dwarfed by inaction.
His precious blood is the atonement God gave in His Son for the world's sins, through whom the Father created the world, the light and way to eternal life. Everyone must believe he is bought with the only begotten Son's blood, for without that belief he will surely be bound with the wicked one, left to Satan's temptations and lose his soul. Believers were ransomed by nothing less than that blood through His self-denial and self-sacrifice as substitute and surety, from which all blessings come. Because such a price was paid those ransomed are to stand in right relation to God and manifest the same self-denying spirit while the universe watches with intense interest to see how they will act.
Redemption cost so much that it brought Christ the Commander of the heavenly hosts from the royal courts, His blood the precious price, His sacrifice revealing the Father's infinite gift of His Son. This makes possible restoration of God's moral image in humanity and points to eternal life. The precious blood as of a lamb without blemish and without spot is the price paid to redeem, purchase and ransom people from sin and ruin, His precious life given in shameful death on the cross to save souls. This purchase makes them His property under obligation to active service, forbids any low view of man, calls for right estimate and respect of brethren even when erring and tempted, and ransoms from sin's service into obedience with His sufferings as example of sacrifice. It purchases union with God and separation from sin and sinners, secured for orphaned and outcast children and every sinner regardless of land or color, depending on each person's acceptance through entire surrender and opening the heart for the Holy Spirit's mighty renewing power in faithful soldier service.
The precious blood, His own precious life, is the infinite price to secure people to Himself and ensure eternal salvation, the Son yielding honor, glory, royal throne and court and for men's sakes becoming poor, giving all riches and glory that through His poverty they might be made rich. He endured agony in Gethsemane where the mysterious cup trembled in His hand, praying three times with pale quivering lips for the cup to pass then submitting to the Father's will, strengthened by an angel to tread the bloodstained path to Calvary and drink suffering's cup to its dregs. All that torturing agony was that by sacrifice of Himself His love might stand revealed and move men from transgression, with arms outstretched to clasp repentant believing ones to His heart of love, and because man cost so much He will not leave him now but remains faithful. A costly ransom was thus paid to forgive sin and rescue from destruction, whose value and suffering must be appreciated and not seen merely as a way across the gulf, and the atonement made by that price is complete so that believing in Christ as complete Saviour gives rejoicing and knowledge that the Father loves believers even as He loves His Son.
The price paid was the precious blood of Christ, who suffered and was crucified despite being declared faultless. Christ, who is equal with God, pledged before humanity was created to give His life to redeem the fallen human race, and though rich He became poor so that through His poverty people might be made rich. Having given His life and shed His blood to ransom sinners and bring the dead to life, He now appeals to each heart for a return of love and giving in answer to what He has given. His death was the infinite price paid to redeem humanity and demonstrates His love, for He does not want anyone to perish but invites all to believe and receive eternal life, unmistakable evidence of God's love in that Jesus bought people with His own blood.
The precious blood was given at the infinite cost of the life of God's only-begotten Son, and those daily sanctified by that blood will not work against God's plan of redemption. Christ alone can redeem humanity and satisfy the claims of justice, laying aside honor and glory, taking humanity, humbling Himself and shedding His blood for the human race. Human beings may work with Him through mercy and generosity but they cannot redeem others, for the sinless Christ suffered for sinners to deliver the family from the destroyer and make restoration to God's image possible. Jesus purchased people at infinite cost to Himself suffering and dying on Calvary so they can by faith claim the merits of His blood pictured as a spotless lamb, giving His life and shedding His blood to redeem them from ruin and purchase true honor.
Cleansing and Salvation Offered
His blood is the cleansing fountain shed to take away sin, removing defilement from soul and mind and heart and making it possible for guilt to be borne in another's place, for sins to be cleansed and the record blotted out, for the ransomed to be accounted pure through merit, and for their lives to show goodness and righteousness and godliness and self-sacrifice by grace. It is the ground of the sinner's hope, so that even one who knows unworthiness may claim salvation and trust to be cleansed rather than relying on personal merit. His precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb can cleanse from impurity, remove defilement, make perfect in Him, and purge the old life of sin. That cleansing puts away fretfulness and quick temper and impatience and fault-finding and forms a new character. Forgetting that cleansing by the Son of God's blood leads to treating sacred things as common and living without His unselfish love shaping character.
His precious blood is the means by which sins are blotted out, and forgiveness and help follow thorough conversion and reformation, while past efforts to obey truth cannot cover past wrongs. The precious blood of Jesus cleanses the sinful unworthy soul, and salvation is claimed by virtue of the atonement through that blood rather than personal merits. Even with a deep sense of unworthiness bringing terror, with feelings of peace and joy gone, and with the suggestion that sin is too great for Christ to save, the sinner can trust Christ and hang the helpless soul on Him in darkness as fully as in light without trying to force emotion. Such constant living faith and firm reliance brings peace and assurance. His own blood by giving His life ransoms fallen humanity in human flesh and connects it to God, and without that connection no one can be happy. Through His merits the repentant sinner is transformed so the Father embraces him, revealing God's love and Christ's grace, with heavenly intelligences working under Christ to reclaim those separated by transgression in a plan ample to save the whole world and make fallen man complete through forgiveness and imputed righteousness.
The marvelous plan of salvation in the great sacrifice of the King of glory has merits that elevate sinners and bring them into favor with God, a high ennobling theme, and those so elevated who continue in obedience will finally be exalted to His throne to share the everlasting reward of the righteous abode. Because the ransom has been paid no one needs to remain enslaved by Satan, and those bought are adopted into God's family and transformed by His Spirit from self-indulgence and love of self to self-denial and supreme love for God, with Christ as divine example and all-powerful helper, since no one inherits holiness by nature and weak erring man overcomes besetting evil only in the Redeemer's strength. That redemption grants a new lease of life, a probation to develop characters of perfect loyalty, making it possible to live regenerated transformed lives of service. He is ever working for those He purchased, having ascended to plead before the Father in behalf of the purchase of His blood in the heavenly sanctuary, pleading the agonies of the crucifixion and raising His wounded hands to intercede that His church may be kept from falling under temptation. Through that intercession He presents them to God as sons and daughters, and through His merits they receive power to become members of God's family.
His blood is the Lamb's blood and is the ground for pleading its efficacy before God. Its precious virtue is what a person with nothing else to bring can plead before God in humble prayer, as one who has given himself to do God's will irrespective of consequences comes broken to Jesus bringing no price and clinging simply to the cross. The precious blood was shed for the sinner and is his only plea for coming to God just as he is, bringing the wanderer near to God again with rejoicing and song. The blood of the crucified and risen Saviour is the only hope of salvation and the atoning price of redemption and foundation of Christian hope on which people must depend. Trusting one's own efforts or human merits to serve God or earn favor hides the atonement and robs Christ of His glory, for Jesus' blood alone atones for transgressions. Salvation rests not on human righteous works which are like sliding sand but on God's mercy and love, requiring building securely on Christ as the only sure foundation by living faith and continual dependence that scatters self-sufficiency and pride.
His merits are the whole ground of acceptance with God, and those who trust wholly in them and not in themselves are accepted to defend truth as co-laborers with God in a sacred elevating ennobling sanctifying work that transforms character after the divine likeness. He redeemed His chosen people by the precious blood of the Lamb, making them His and giving reason to plead the blood's efficacy before God, and earthly possessions cannot be a god but His blood is to be magnified, with human arguments and customs not displacing God's word authority. Pardon is received only by those who feel their sinfulness and realize sin's sinfulness, repent sincerely, cast themselves wholly on Christ's mercy feeling that unless He saves they perish, and yield will and way for Him to control. Faith in Him as propitiation leads the sinner to cease from sin, for He gave His blood as ransom not to justify continuing in sin but so repentant sinners who receive and believe may have sins taken away. His blood ransoms lost humanity from death to receive pardon, and through its merits and His obedience to God's law people may have God's favor and be restored to the garden and the tree of life.
Through that redemption people may again eat the life-giving fruit of the tree of life which sustains life and immortality, access to which was lost when Adam's disobedience brought death into the world. The precious blood was the price of His atoning sacrifice by which He rescues people from Satan and makes them His own, so those bought belong to Him including bodies and minds and powers and should not let harmful appetite enslave them or use what belongs to the Lord for its gratification. Though His blood frees from Satan's bondage, ransomed people may refuse that freedom and turn from becoming God's children and heirs to live for earthly possessions and status. Christ's precious blood was the price paid to purchase and ransom people from Satan's power and perdition and control, so the soul belongs to Him and not to Satan but to God, and He can take the person by the hand and lead to eternal life. Those so redeemed are to glorify God in body and spirit and serve Him willingly, owing Him service.
The precious sacrifice redeemed people from Satan's power and hopeless misery, and remembering it should keep them from selfishness and weariness in doing good. His act of seeking and buying gives hope and comfort to those weary or sad. Eternal life is the priceless gift of the blood of the crucified and risen Christ, and salvation was purchased at infinite cost so humanity could be saved and united with divinity. His blood paid the redemption price for His people and made His atoning sacrifice effective across every age, as the basis of redemption and of His continuing intercession for the church. The redeemed will know throughout eternity what salvation cost and will praise the Lamb who redeemed them by His blood. Jesus is the great antitype of the spotless lamb whose precious blood believers apply to their hearts, and beholding Him gives life and hope with assurance that He who died is risen and alive forever at God's right hand interceding, so because He lives believers shall live also.
The infinite cost of ransoming sinners is shown in His pierced hands testifying to His power to save so no one who submits to be ransomed need doubt salvation. Jesus gave His precious life so believers can trust Him through every trial and adverse circumstance, knowing suffering as a tender sufficient support. It is rich food from the living Word that comforts and strengthens and blesses feeble and afflicted believers and hungry souls with little preaching, showing God's large love to His chosen. The Saviour who was tempted as people are and knows how to help the tempted bought believers with His blood by dying for them, so they can share the divine nature and overcome worldly corruption through lust, including hatred toward a brother, and gain entire victory. Jesus is the Redeemer and only hope, the chief and great all-powerful physician, so the individual He bought can present himself to Him for healing of infirmities, relief from pain and weariness, strength, clearness of mind, His Spirit and healing virtue, with confidence that He hears believing prayer.
He paid with His own blood to secure willing obedience personally for each person at the infinite cost of the only-begotten Son's life, laying direct claim on the heart. He gave His precious blood personally for each person and therefore is a shepherd full of kindness and care and mercy and tenderness to be trusted every moment even when imprisoned and suffering for truth, since what is done to make His saints suffer is done to Him. Gratitude should lead believers to honor and uplift Him before others through faithful service, putting His kingdom before temporal interest and giving and laboring to sustain His cause. Realizing Christ bought believers with His own life is a daily infinite source of comfort through faith, calling for true surrender and belonging, refusing despondency, being cheerful, holding Christ as light and life, obeying all His commandments without grieving the Spirit, laying down complaining and opening the heart to the Sun of Righteousness. Jesus loves the afflicted sufferer and paid the dear price of His blood for redemption, giving reason for simple earnest childlike faith and confidence and for holding fast to God's rich full free promises even when heart and flesh fail in sickness and deep affliction.
Children are purchased for God by Christ's blood even when they have a godless father, for grace is not inherited through family lineage. A believing mother can seek the Lord in faith for their salvation and for their father's repentance. Separation from the world is through the blood of Jesus and children are to be brought under its protection as the Israelites were in Egypt. The verse shows the great sacrifice made to redeem humanity and open future glory, that glory is offered but enjoyment of it rests with each person and to obtain it the will must be subjected to the will of Christ. The rebellious cannot enter heaven because Satan was first in rebellion and his work is to lead others to disobey the commands of Jehovah. The life of Christ was sacrificed to redeem people from wrongdoing and His precious sacrifice is the price by which they are bought.
Christ's precious blood was the dear price paid for redemption, which is reason to take hold of Jesus and break free from Satan's power. His own blood by giving His life is the costly means of emancipation purchasing people from sin and the enemy's power, giving even those enslaved by intemperance hope of rescue to be drawn from ruin, become victors and be transformed with God's help, and His saving love is especially drawn toward those most hopelessly trapped so they are not to be surrendered to ruin. He purchased sinful people with His precious blood by giving His spotless life so they can repent and be converted and be saved, and paid the soul's ransom price so believers may have eternal life. His blood purchased salvation so the redeemed through His blood who overcome do not bear final punishment but their sins are charged back to Satan as sin's originator who must bear them, whereas those who reject salvation will suffer their own penalty.
His blood paid for sinners including societal outcasts, who through His sacrifice can be rescued, restored to God's moral image, precious to God and counted among His elect. The precious blood redeems people to God and makes them His purchase, so Satan cannot claim those Christ has redeemed even when they feel unworthy to be with Jesus, for those redeemed are God's own purchase whom Christ will save. The precious blood is the purchase price that saves every repenting believing soul because God loves the purchase of that blood, revealing the glorious plan of redemption whereby sins are pardoned, sinners cleansed from all sin and drawn near to Infinite Love. It shows God retains all justice and holiness and reveals holiness in greater glory while pardoning transgressors, meaning far more than escape from penalty, for those bought are accepted in the Beloved, taken back to confidence and love and friendship and trust, welcomed as accepted children with abundant entrance to the mansions of the blest where they shall be amply satisfied. His death brings life and immortality to light and through Christ believers are complete in every grace, share His throne, and are to become overcomers pure and one with Him bearing God's likeness.
By shedding His blood Christ obtained those who are His both by creation and by redemption, making salvation possible so those who live by faith in His merits may have everlasting life. The purchased person entrusts the soul to Christ confident He will keep it. Each soul is valuable to Him, and by faith people may lay hold of the merits of the crucified and risen Savior, with obedience leading to immortal life and imperishable treasure. Believing in Christ, learning from Him, following His steps, abiding in Him and trusting Him continually regardless of feelings is the basis for salvation and grace and righteousness and peace and love, leading to eternal riches and a life lasting as long as God's life with imperishable treasures of heaven. Trust in the merits of His blood with conviction and repentance of sin and renunciation of self unfolds and calls out mental energies and makes a person more thoughtful and intellectual, for connection with God is connection with all true wisdom. Those redeemed by His precious blood have reason to praise God and look forward to everlasting salvation.
He is the spotless Lamb, the surety and substitute, the righteous one full of mercy and goodness and excellency, so the depressed and unbelieving dwelling on unworthiness should stop talking and pondering self and instead direct faith to Him, meditate on His character, and hang helpless care-troubled souls upon Him as burden-bearer, finding relief and cheer and strength and hope. The blood of the Son of God purchased individual sinners showing a personal love greater than that of father and mother, reaching to save those He bought and holding the trembling hand until feet are on firm ground, to be trusted against the enemy with an example that helps others believe. Christ died to free sinners from slavery to sin and bring them into God's favor, revealing the Father's deep love, and through transforming grace sinners can become what God desires. Christ's offering was accepted and His blood paid the full price to redeem the lost human race, so through faith and obedience people can once more become members of God's family. God's people as the purchase of His precious blood have reason to plead for Him to save them and to offer themselves in grateful service.
Christ's blood is the ransom by which people are saved, no person can pay a ransom for his own soul or another's, each is responsible for accepting the benefits provided, salvation is received through faith in Jesus, and refusing brings just retribution. The redemption treasure is received as God's free gift when people lay hold of it. The merits of the blood of Christ are the only sufficient ransom to wash guilty stains from hearts, Christ died so people might partake of the divine nature, and He will judge them, acquitting or condemning them before the Father and the holy angels. The precious blood was the heavy ransom paid to redeem people and bind them to Himself, and this redemption calls the redeemed to show love for Christ by extending to fallen humanity the love He showed them. The precious blood was given to ransom people and bring them from death to life, calling the redeemed to put the kingdom of Christ before temporal interests. John's love for Christ exemplifies the love of a repentant sinner who feels redeemed by His precious blood.
Purchased Worth Honored
Those bought by His blood belong to God and to Christ and are no longer their own, for His precious blood as of a lamb without blemish or spot is the price by which they are redeemed from silver and gold and empty tradition, entrusted to Him by purchase as well as by creation and by choice, which gives Him rightful claim to their willing service, gratitude, reverence, love and obedience and grounds love for their own souls and a conscientious Christlike life of service.
Because they are purchased, right worth is placed only by looking to Calvary, and what Christ paid there measures the worth of one soul, proving one soul is of infinite value greater than property and every other interest, more precious than gold, silver or precious stones, so its loss is deep concern, its keeping is committed to Him, and personal effort for individuals matters beyond estimate since one soul won will win others.
Humanity has been purchased by the precious blood of the Saviour at infinite worth, so humanity is of great worth and is to be highly estimated, and this calls believers to value those Christ has redeemed, for the price paid reveals the value He places on people and the cross reveals His self-giving love.
The precious blood was the ransom paid for people who had perverted God's gifts through sin and given their powers to evil, calling those who live because He died for them to serve Him rather than themselves, while a human soul is of infinite value because the Son of God sacrificed honor, riches and glory to ransom it from the bondage of sin and hopeless despair.
The precious blood is the price by which God has bought every person, and because God gave Christ He purchased the will, affections, mind, soul and strength, so a person is safe when these are under God's control and devoted to His service, and people belong to God both because He created them and because Christ purchased them, so even the deeply degraded bear His image and must be treated with respect and tenderness without contemptuous words.
The precious blood paid the price for His people, and because they were bought at infinite cost their time, strength and abilities are not their own to spend on selfish desires but are to be used in serving God and helping the souls for whom Christ died.
Every soul is precious because purchased by a crucified and risen Saviour's blood which no gold, silver, intellect or education could replace, and eternal life is the Saviour's free gift gained only through entire surrender to God, while the soul is worth more than gold and silver because it was purchased through the agony and blood of the Son of God.
The blood is the price by which the soul is purchased and the soul is precious to God because the Son of God gave His life for it, with value far exceeding money or earthly possessions, calling a person to value salvation and center life in Jesus, for the precious blood paid the ransom for human lives and Calvary explains what a soul is worth.
Because the redeemed are precious to God at such a price, every person without distinction of birth, wealth, education, nationality, color, race, status or social position is to be respected, loved tenderly and treated with great care, patience and kindness, including the most hopelessly trapped, the oppressed, outcasts and those in error, and they must not be treated as unimportant, neglected, despised, mistreated or injured with bigotry, cruelty or fierce opposition, for such treatment offends God and stands recorded in heaven, despises what He purchased, and can drive souls away from Christ.
This redemption calls believers to obey the truth and love one another sincerely and fervently without distinctions, treating every believer as precious and impatience and harshness having no place.
The blood is the price paid for salvation equally for colored and white people, so those who claim redemption by that blood must not slight people because of color, doing so misrepresents Jesus and shows that selfishness, tradition and prejudice still pollute the soul, and Christians redeemed by the blood of Christ the Lamb shamefully contradict it when they treat others as inferior because of race, for to slight a brother because of color is to slight Jesus.
People are redeemed regardless of race or social position, and those converted from sin to holiness belong to Christ and become members of God's family, with the Lamb's blood making their robes white so they will walk with Christ in white, while all believers purchased by His blood are put on the same ground, high and low, rich and poor, learned and unlearned, meeting as equals around the communion table with controversies hushed, injuries forgiven, difficulties settled, and no malice or hatred cherished.
Because every person was purchased at Calvary, no low view of people is allowed, and believers must place a right estimate on others even when they err, fall into temptation and fail to watch and pray, without feeling strong in self, depreciating those thought in error or magnifying supposed errors, but respecting brethren as children of God, discerning precious traits despite defects, keeping faith in God and man, respecting others in order to respect self and repent of past mistakes.
Calvary reveals the measure of redeeming love and lifts up humanity, so those bought by His blood are to be treated with respect and love, not oppressed, and having redeemed people He identifies His interests with the oppressed and with those who suffer oppression, while humanity purchased at infinite price means every act of injustice against another is counted as done against Christ who bought that person.
The cross reveals the great value God places on every person, even one who is poor, so people must treat one another justly and carefully since each was bought at the cost of Christ's life, and every soul is to be regarded with interest and treated with respect because that costly atonement was made for him.
Because fellow human beings have been redeemed, those whose hearts are filled with love centered in God must deal justly and tenderly with others, united to them in unselfish interest and seeking their highest good through supreme love for God, and because of the purchase everyone must pledge before God to control all passion and never take a course that will depress or cast down one Jesus bought, trusting Him for help to do this.
The blood of Christ has bought every person so even the poor and distressed are of value with God, and because they are His purchased property they must not be left hungry or destitute of clothing or discouraged but must be helped as far as possible, while every person is to be regarded as purchased by His blood with the Saviour's interests bound up with the souls He ransomed through infinite sacrifice.
Those who oppose the truth are precious to God because Christ purchased them with His blood as the blood of the only begotten Son, and Christ paid the price of His blood for every soul including evil workers, so while the sin is to be despised the soul is to be loved with tender, pitying love like Jesus shows fallen humanity, by rendering good for evil.
Erring, tempted and discouraged souls are precious because bought with His blood, He loves them, and even the seemingly hopeless long enslaved by sin may hope and be forgiven when they come for pardon, so the cost gives every soul immense worth and the erring must not be left alone to Satan's temptations or treated as an adversary, but labored for in faith with tender sympathy and compassion without giving up, with sin dealt with plainly and rebuked yet strength gathered to overcome, to restore even the greatly fallen to active service.
The ransom has been paid for specific bereaved and tempted believers, which calls for laboring with God to save them and for comforting and consoling them, and each sinner cost the price of blood and God loves him for that reason, so even a disobedient son who dishonored his mother and broke the fifth commandment is loved because the blood paid for him, calling him to draw near to be cleansed from defilement, let the heart break, confess and forsake separation, and make wrongs right without delay.
Christ gave His precious blood for all people and not one class alone, so labor must be given to all with all instructed and enlightened through self-denial and self-sacrifice, and Christ died to redeem people who had turned from Him to the enemy, His death proving His love and more than human sympathy, so one with such a past should tell all that history to Him.
The blood paid an infinite price to ransom souls and purchase them as His own, giving every soul immense value, while Satan is bidding for those blood-bought souls and buying them cheap every day as people sell themselves for a thing of naught for the world's applause, for money, to gratify base passions and for worldly amusement.
God made believers His own by paying the infinite ransom of Christ's precious blood like a lamb without blemish, meaning they are highly valued and freed to be sons of God and not bondslaves, that those redeemed belong to the Saviour as His blood-bought heritage with each soul valuable because the precious life was given for it through humiliation and agony, and awareness of such love calls forth love, gratitude and joy and forbids grieving that purchase.
The soul of every brother and sister cost the life of Christ, giving each soul infinite value and calling those who know God and Christ to exert a good influence, set a true example, and labor to help others gain eternal life, while the blood of Christ was the price of redemption in that Jesus died to redeem the erring person whose soul is valuable to God.
The death of Christ was the price paid making people His precious possession, and because He died to save them they are precious in God's sight and should be treated with care and not with harshness or contempt, for because Christ values people so highly they should be treated with love and tenderness, and each person should value himself in light of belonging to God with all powers His, respecting self and serving God and cooperating to save others by obedience and example.
Souls are Christ's property and more precious than gold or silver, ease, self-indulgence or anything else that can be named, and increased love for Jesus brings increased love for what belongs to Him, making souls precious to the believer.
A woman is valuable because Jesus Christ purchased her with His blood, and the infinite price to redeem humanity including those regarded as least makes no distinction between races, making neglect of people in need a serious moral responsibility.
He, equal with the Father from the beginning, gave His life to redeem a people from what is earthly and commonplace and to renew them in the image of God, and He paid an infinite price to redeem people and win them back to allegiance to God, giving them the standing of sons and daughters of God, which calls them to respect themselves, develop and preserve their powers, and serve with Christ in the salvation of others.
He paid an infinite price, and that price is the measure by which people should value themselves, while the purchase sets the true estimate and worth of every person, and those who carry truths of redemption are to show in their work that they place that value upon humanity.
With the prior verse it shows that He paid a great infinite price with His precious blood, leaving the royal courts to become human and die, revealing the immense value of human souls and bodies and making care for them a sacred responsibility.
The blood is the price by which God purchased His people, and they are precious to Him as those redeemed through His only begotten Son, while the ransom purchase gives each soul great value and shows He came to save the lost, not only those who accept Him, with the redeemed belonging to Him.
Christ sacrificed Himself to ransom the soul from sin and hopeless despair, giving the soul immeasurable value greater than earthly honor and riches, and Christ paid infinite cost to purchase precious life for every person, while the covetous lover of money values that life so little as to sell it for earthly riches, and without repentance, redeeming the time and restitution he will lose both worlds and have no part in that precious life while the saints are glorified.
Every human soul is precious and of infinite worth to God, a worth known only by the great sacrifice of Christ's precious blood to redeem it, and the infinite price makes every soul sacred and gives weight to every action taken for salvation of souls, so where His peace abides outward condition in cottage or palace does not matter and self is forgotten in doing others good, lives precious to God are not to be spoiled by self-indulgence or wrongdoing, and no child bought with human agony and blood can afford to be lost.
Holy Life Required
Because the redeemed are his servants, stewards, heritage, property and missionaries bought not with perishable silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, they are not to be bought or sold as property. Their minds belong to him and must not be under any person's jurisdiction or sold into bondage to speculation, philosophical speculation and spiritualistic theories, or passed into any man's hands, and no man has been given charge of their souls. For any person to put himself in Christ's place to control minds, to exercise kingly dictation and authoritative imperious oppressive power, or to interfere with or harm his purchased possession impugns divine efficacy, displeases God, endangers souls, and forfeits eternal bliss unless repented with confession.
Believers have been bought by Christ to be God's property in order to honor and glorify God, requiring being just and generous to one's own soul rather than becoming servants of men by consenting to have liberty restricted by men or councils of men. This calls for breaking every band and every yoke that restricts liberty in Christ and refusing to bind oneself after human inventions and societies that would circumscribe thought, shut away light, and produce a merely mechanical Christian, for God has still more radiant light to impart. Belonging to Christ by his blood's price requires holding fast to gospel simplicity and rejecting masterly sophistries, fictitious sentiments and deceptions, since accepting deceptions spoils faith and experience step by step until denying him who bought them.
Because they are purchased, all capabilities, time, strength, influence, talents, means, bodies, spirits and intellectual and moral faculties, with life, possessions and blessings, are indebted to him and are to be devoted to God's work and saving souls rather than selfish gratification or living only to satisfy appetite and passion. This includes returning gifts and offerings, almsgiving and systematic benevolence, for God asks return of entrusted gifts to help save souls, Christ giving his blood and asking their silver. It includes using talents to glorify God, following his example, and preparing by education for immortal life, for the worth of the sacrifice calls the redeemed to give means and physical, mental and moral powers to Christ's service.
Christ purchased people through his suffering and blood and his suffering and death paid the price that secures their willing service and ready obedience, so their influence, means, abilities and possessions belong to him and should be used for his interests and cause rather than withheld for themselves. People belong to Christ because he purchased them with his blood and loves them, their lives sustained by his power, so their time, strength and abilities are his to develop, train and use in his service. He bought the believer at infinite price with his precious blood like a lamb without blemish, making the Christian physician his servant called to work as a missionary. He bought people with his precious blood like a lamb without blemish or spot, calling them to walk in holiness, bear fruit to God's glory, follow his example and represent him before the world as his property presenting his true character.
Christ loves people and his blood has dearly purchased and redeemed them, all they are and have including time, talents, strength and thought has been redeemed for his highest service, and the Lord accepts nothing less than complete consecration and entire willing obedience, even accepting nothing less than the entire heart. He buys every believer as a purchased possession belonging to Jesus with a claim no other being has, so his whole future existence is the Lord's with every hour charged with eternal responsibility. He no longer lives for selfish gratification or vain display but as God's agent to do God's work, devoting himself unreservedly with thoughts, words and works subject to Christ's will, and money, possessions, intellect, reason, ability, knowledge, affection and property are only lent as a precious trust to be used wisely to honor his name and bless humanity, reproducing Christ's unselfish self-sacrificing character in co-partnership with divine power.
Christ bought believers with his own most precious blood by giving his life for them, so they are not their own but belong to him with all they have belonging to him. That ownership is to be acknowledged by gifts and by improving time and talents as fruit of his mercy and grace, by unreserved consecration to him, and by doing work heartily as unto the Lord as living testimony that they were bought. Believers are redeemed from slavery of sin by the precious life-blood of God's only begotten Son, buying every part of the being and every moment of the future, so one who yields to the Saviour belongs to Christ by redemption as well as by creation. Realizing this transforming grace molds him anew, lifts him above self-serving, makes him ready to deny self, take up the cross and make any sacrifice in the Master's service, leaving him unable to be indifferent to perishing souls and putting the question how best to glorify him whose he is.
Because bought they belong wholly to God with bodies, spirits, time, service, property and strength to be used for him, calling them away from selfish living to reveal Christ through faithful service, self-denial and Christlike character. Because Christ bought believers with his blood all they have and are belongs to God, requiring transforming power in the heart so they reveal Christ in home, church and world, bear fruit and represent his character looking to Jesus as author and finisher of faith, living as his trophies of grace. The infinite price makes bodies, talents and possessions his, to be used in his service to advance his work on earth. The infinite price makes people his own and not their own, so they must not dishonor him in word or action or hinder anyone from coming to him, but glorify God in body and spirit, whose compassion and mercy extend to the whole world if embraced.
God bought people with the life-blood of his only begotten Son so they belong to God and are not free to do with themselves as they please, so those connected with sanitariums and schools must be wholly converted, no longer living for self or worldly purposes, but giving body, soul and spirit to God to be used as he wills in his service. Because God created people and redeemed them through the blood of his only Son they belong to him and he will call them to account for talents entrusted for his service. Human beings are redeemed by the blood of Christ and become his property, and because they belong to him by both creation and redemption he claims their undivided service and faithful performance of each person's individual task, owing faithful service to Creator and Redeemer.
Jesus redeemed people by his own blood, his redemption gives them an opportunity to return to him, and he requires them to use their talents in his service. Jesus paid with his own blood to secure willing obedience and cheerful service, so all ability and gifts belong to God as entrusted capital to be used for his glory and not buried in worldly enterprises, each held responsible in proportion to capital entrusted. Christ offered his life to release people from Satan's claims and save them from complete ruin, and the price measures God's valuation so that people and all they possess belong to God, means must be used in his way not after human invention, and he will soon call them to account for his goods. Those redeemed are stewards of temporal possessions whose use of these gifts in this probationary life tests whether they can be trusted with eternal riches and the purchased inheritance of glory, honor and immortality.
The ransom buys every son and daughter of Adam with time, ability and strength held in trust, and redeems from earthliness, sensuality and all spiritual and physical uncleanness as the covenant by which they become his chosen property, his sons and daughters, newborn souls translated into his kingdom and pledged to obey, take his yoke and devote themselves unreservedly for all time. The blood marks believers as belonging to Christ and sets them apart for his service in sacred relationship with him, pictured as sprinkled with his blood, so they must give themselves wholly to God and work with him in deep humility through consistent devoted service. God bought believers with the blood of his only begotten Son, claiming them as his property and setting them apart for service, so they must give the enemy no advantage nor allow him impress on thought, word or deed.
Those purchased are under the Holy Spirit's sanctification, made one with Christ in God with life blended with his, given power to become his children, accepted in the beloved and acknowledged and rewarded as his purchased possession, and as chosen servants reflect light to save souls, to be rewarded in the day of judgment by things written in the book. Belonging to God obliges control of natural habits and preservation of God-owned faculties in healthful vigor, including eating and drinking in obedience to health laws, sober holy conduct, studying his word and preserving life. Refusal to live without regard for God or merely to satisfy appetite and passion is required, and bodies and powers rescued from Satan to be his own must not be wasted by tobacco, selfish lustful indulgence, harmful habits, or breaking the laws of life and morality.
Because people belong to God their bodies as living dwellings must not be treated in ways that cause ruin and suffering, and harming them with drug medication offends God. Because the mind belongs to Christ as his property it is to be yielded to his control daily and hourly. With its context it calls for girded sober minds hoping to the end for grace at the revelation of Jesus Christ, living as obedient children not shaped by former lusts in ignorance but holy in all conduct like the holy God, passing earthly sojourning in fear of the Father who without respect of persons judges every man's work. It leads to purified souls obeying truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, loving one another fervently with a pure heart without discord, with humility, unity and preferring one another, strictly guarding the mind under God's control by the Holy Spirit, which is the convincing evidence of Bible sanctification.
It upholds the high standard of daily obedience to all God's commandments, bringing heaven's law into everyday experience, partaking the divine nature having escaped corruption through lust, requiring constant spiritual warfare, watchfulness and prayer, study by parents, expression in words and actions. It requires choosing obedience over Satan's attractions, seeking sanctification of soul, body and spirit as holy subjects and royal family members fitted for mansions above, and working out salvation with fear and trembling as God works to will and do, becoming laborers together with God. The cost of redemption through his agony, sufferings, blood and death calls those who serve him to self-denial, sacrifice and suffering for the souls for whom he died, giving time, strength and means wholly to him in saving souls quickly while time is short rather than living at ease or forgetting those he died to save. It calls to offer what they most value and yield all without withholding, for eternal life was purchased dearly and without that self-denial profession is unworthy of eternal life.
It belongs to a chapter that draws the heart in love for souls and urges walking in the light, whose verses on prophecy show the sacredness of the prophecies and that the Old Testament Scriptures are not to be cut out, for Christ was speaking in the Old Testament as well as the New. The verse is connected with teaching the knowledge of salvation, sin and redemption from sin's bondage and defilement. It presents him as the pure and spotless Lamb and the great, effective sacrifice for humanity, whose suffering and death redeem people from sin and make them right before God, and contemplating it calls for penitence and faith and strengthens love and faith. His precious blood was the redemption price paid on the cross to save fallen humanity, expressing divine compassion for the lost and making return to God possible.
It shows that he paid humanity's ransom with his own blood as the price of redemption, and having redeemed people he identifies his interests with the oppressed. It shows that he redeemed people at the cost of his agony and blood through his life's sacrifice, giving him rightful claim to their service and expectation of willing obedience in saving souls. It shows that people were bought with his precious blood at a price no human mind can compute, and professing truth without bringing it into practical life cuts off influence, leaves one subject to natural character and robs God of purchased service. It teaches redemption from the empty way of life inherited by tradition was bought not with perishable silver or gold but only with his precious blood as spotless unblemished Lamb, only whose sacrifice could redeem, salvation planned through sacrifice to free from iniquity and bring eternal life.
Withholding oneself from his service rejects its value and ends in ruin. It presents his blood as the price by which people belong to him, presents him as the spotless example of obedience, and requires followers to treat every person as someone purchased by his blood. Being purchased by his blood makes it terrible to reject divine mercy and surrender to error after such a sacrifice. He purchased redemption and died and freely offers salvation, so rejecting that so dearly purchased salvation is ungrateful and cruel, while Christ was given for people at that price and his death should not be in vain.
His sacrifice was the infinite price to redeem the fallen race, through which people may be exalted to share God's throne and inherit immortal riches. Christ's blood was the price paid for his followers and is also the pledge of the eternal glory they may receive, calling for efforts corresponding in some degree to their value. His blood purchased people and entrusted them with talents to glorify God, so turning gospel messages into jest, denying his divinity and trusting baseless finite reasoning misuses that purchase and melts away in affliction and death like frost before the sun. Redemption was bought at great cost with the blood of the Son of God, seen in its results that the earth will bring forth the fruits of Paradise and God's people will reveal his word's glory with Christ manifesting his character and kingdom principles through their lives.
The precious blood was the price by which he purchased people for God, so their reasoning powers and affections belong to him and are to be set apart for his glory, not centered on unworthy objects or made into worship of anything created. The precious blood was the price by which he purchased people for God, so their thoughts, plans and earnest interests belong to Christ and are to be devoted to his service. Redemption came at the cost of the Son of God's suffering and death, and remembering that cost should lead to self-abasement rather than pride in outward adornment. Because Christ paid that price by bearing the cross, wearing the thorny crown and drinking the bitter cup, believers must not rest at ease and glorify themselves but work while it is day and devote themselves to God's service to have his approbation and reward.
The price ransoms people from sin's service into obedience, Christ's sufferings provide an example of sacrifice in God's kingdom, and redemption's cost calls people to recognize responsibility to God and value what was bought. The blood was the price paid to redeem sinners from the penalty of God's broken law, and his suffering on the cross reveals both the value of humanity and the seriousness of each person's accountability, with the penalty proportionate to the price. Christ paid the ransom to unite people with God and separate them from sin and sinners, God has done everything possible to provide salvation which depends on each person accepting it, the Holy Spirit works with mighty renewing power when the heart is opened. Laboring together with God requires entire surrender, devoting all ability to him and straining every spiritual sinew in faithful soldier service.
Every part of human nature and every moment of life and of the future belong to Christ, and seeing him crucified and risen reveals sin's offense and leads to repentance toward God and faith in Jesus, with transformed powers, abilities, lives and possessions devoted to God's service and saving others. Those purchased at great cost are to keep souls free from dishonesty and untruth, become spotless and clean in this life, and prepare for the life Christ bought. As his blood-bought people they are to be sanctified in whole being and made pure like Christ. Christ's life was the price for redemption, his death on the cross cleanses from sin and makes it possible to share eternal glory, and his self-giving sets the pattern of humble service in that he came to serve rather than seek honor.
The faith responding to this redemption works by love and purifies the soul, cleansing life from self-serving and submission to arbitrary human demands, shown in spirit, speech and actions, distinguishing sacred from common and leading to daily obedience to the will of Christ. Christ suffered for people so they could become children of God by adoption, and seeing what he suffered should lead them away from worldly pride and self-love toward making God the object of highest regard. His blood sanctifies believers, who therefore must not become agents of division or frustrate God's plan for the church. Because people belong to Christ by purchase, doing evil grieves him and the conduct of those redeemed at that price can dishonor the one who redeemed them.
Knowing redemption leads a repentant sinner to love Christ and serve him even through suffering. Character is gained through individual effort by the merits and grace of Christ, not bought with wealth or acquired by accident, Christ precious and spotless Lamb. His blood is precious beyond all estimate because it is the life of God, and everything people possess has been purchased by it and bears the mark of the cross so nothing is theirs to pledge as though it belonged to them. The verse shows that redemption was purchased at a costly price, and seeing what transgression of God's law means reveals the price paid for the human race and leads people to hate the sins that wound his heart.
The verse shows that believers belong to God because they were bought with his precious blood like that of a lamb without blemish or spot, so because they belong to God they are not their own and must not exalt themselves, boast, or try to take the place that belongs to God. The verse teaches that lives bought at immeasurable price are precious to God and must not be spoiled by self-indulgence or wrongdoing. Christians bought with infinite sacrifice are not their own to do as they please but must obey the law of God's kingdom and reach God's high standard, through which sacrifice they can live pure holy lives carrying out heaven's principles in this world. Believers bought with the precious blood of the Son of God are not their own but belong to Christ and are to live as his redeemed own.
A sense of this redemption together with being clothed in Christ's salvation should lead to deeper and more fervent piety and practical works of righteousness that represent Christ. Christ purchased human beings with his life-blood and gave his life so they should not perish but have a life that measures with the life of God, therefore they are not their own but belong to him, and for a soul so bought to be eternally lost is terrible. Christ has redeemed believers by his most precious blood, giving reason to praise him, to stand in liberty as free people, to lift up heads and rejoice in God with assurance he will soon save with everlasting salvation, and as redeemed people to be at peace among themselves. Jesus died on the cross of Calvary for each person and purchased each one with his own blood, and looking to that sacrifice should melt and break the heart into contrition.
Salvation was purchased at infinite cost by the life of the Son of God given for each person individually, measuring the value of each soul by its redemption cost. It calls each person to consider that sacrifice, appreciate his soul and earnestly cooperate with God in saving his own soul instead of leaving God to do it all, learning to be a co-laborer with Christ in reaching perfection of character molded after the divine likeness owed to him. Redemption by the Son's life brings emancipation whether accepted or not, so people do not own themselves and must not rest with a low standard but cultivate their highest powers, develop Christlike character, do their best, and press heavenward to be complete in him and pleasing to God in spirit, word and action.
People are the Lord's property by creation and redemption at tremendous infinite cost, bound by his and the Father's love, which calls church members to treat one another with care, especially those who have erred. People belong to Christ by creation as well as redemption, so as great healer he is willing to heal soul and body. Each person belongs to God by creation and redemption and is accountable to him for the soul and the life lived. Purchase by the blood of Christ gives deep reason to recognize God's relationship to people and to serve him with faith and active cheerfulness.
Belonging to Christ by purchase means making shipwreck of faith or turning away greatly dishonors him who paid the price. Refusing counsel puts the one he bought in serious peril of becoming the sport of Satan's temptations. Those bought belong to Christ and must use abilities in his service and honor him, obligated to serve, with saving souls the chief aim beginning with guiding children to Christ. Because Jesus died and bought believers they are to remain true to his claims and refuse to dishonor or disobey him for worldly gain or approval. Jesus bought each believer with his blood so he is God's with all powers belonging to God, requiring serving God rather than yielding to human control that would separate him from God's work.
The infinite price paid for the lost of every condition makes seeking and saving them the greatest work on earth, whether great or small, rich or poor, bond or free. It calls believers to bless humanity by laboring to save them with no time for unimportant things or self-enrichment. The infinite price makes salvation of men the grand aim of young men and women educated for usefulness and service, with eye single to God's glory and love of Christ controlling life. Souls perishing in sin are the purchase of the Son's blood, showing each soul's value, which requires being right with God, truly converted and sanctified through truth, bringing God's word into daily life, and taking earnest hold with burning faith to work as God requires to save them.
Redemption by the precious blood calls people to practical service rather than natural impulse, leaving world's follies, vanities and corrupting influences out of life. It calls to honor God by not living extravagantly for self but valuing humanity from God's standpoint and feeling freedom obtainable only through his death, a freedom that moves those who value it to feed the hungry, house the homeless poor, clothe the naked and not hide from their own flesh. The blood of Christ purchased people and their powers must not be perverted nor souls sold for nothing, and joining deceitful associations tarnishes Christian honor and separates from righteousness. Salvation cost the precious blood of Jesus, like that of a lamb without blemish, so the work of salvation must not be regarded lightly and Christ must be honored in words and actions. The blood of Christ is the price by which the redeemed are purchased, they belong to Christ, and their salvation gives them hope of everlasting joy.
The precious blood of Christ is the ground of grace and mercy found through him, and faith in Christ works through love and purifies the soul from selfishness, perfecting it in love and leading to tenderness and mercy toward others. The Son of God dearly purchased a great salvation, which calls for forming a good Christian character approved by God and showing true principle even when away from family, and warns against letting new surroundings engross the mind so that this salvation is neglected. Heaven and salvation were purchased at infinite price, making fitting the shame and self-denial of following Christ, with entry connected to a life proved genuine by self-denial and self-sacrifice for Christ and suffering humanity. Jesus bought every person with his blood, tasting death for every man, which opens the living bread from heaven to all who will, and he waits to receive those he bought, longing for them to become God's children united to him and changed into his image, living to gain admittance as members of the royal family prepared for immortal life.
The blood of Christ as precious and as of a lamb without blemish and without spot shows the great value of his sacrifice by which people were redeemed, given for people to be taught and enlightened. Those bought belong to him with obligation to serve him and to value soul-saving in light of Calvary. The blood was given for all and not one class alone, so labor must be given to all with all instructed, with self-denial for them. Forgetting redemption by the Son of God leads people to treat sacred things as common and lose spiritual discernment, failing to be purged from old leaven.
Those who handle the truths of redemption offer a cup full of preciousness rather than error, and they must themselves drink of it, bring their minds into captivity to Christ, be changed from character to character by beholding him, and be broken upon the rock to experience his power. The purchase places people under most sacred obligation to God to be holy and uncorrupted and as transparent as clear water, with Christ's cleansing blood securing pardon and elevation of character. By baptismal vows before the Father, Son and Holy Spirit the professing Christian is solemnly pledged to do nothing bringing evil report on the Christian name and to discourage pride, covetousness and unbelief, following only what is pure and lovely and of good report. He bought the whole human family so all belong to him as purchased possession, and those who believe are to receive his power and live as God's children showing a clear difference between serving God and rejecting his rule.
Gratitude for the gift and true appreciation of the infinite price of his precious life for each person leads to uplifting the Redeemer before believers and unbelievers and to wholehearted daily service as laborers together with God, while half-hearted imperfect service does not honor the Lord. Those purchased with his blood have responsibility to use food, clothing, time and talents for his glory. Those redeemed by the Son as God's own are bound to serve God with all powers and talents, and doing nothing makes them stumbling blocks. The wife and children are Christ's property by ransom, with the husband accountable to Christ for how he treats them.
Human souls purchased with his blood have great value and call Christians and those who care for them to labor and make every effort to save those who are perishing and erring, working earnestly and wisely to bring others to him rather than living only for themselves, caring unselfishly with pity and directing to Christ rather than magnifying guilt. The price places obligation on every person to understand what God requires and become what he would have them be, with educators working to remove physical, mental and moral defects and seeking perfection so they can be a correct model for students. The Son of God purchased the soul at great cost, so eternal interests should not be treated with indifference or displaced by pursuit of temporary earthly treasure. People are precious because purchased, and their salvation is affected by how others conduct themselves and carry out their work.
Because believers belong to him as purchased possession they are to turn whole heart to him, humble hearts before God, seek counsel from him who never makes a mistake, pray for opened understanding of the word, ask what he would have them do, and bear given responsibilities and special work in his service. Privileges and heavenly attainments offered for acceptance were purchased at immense cost and freely offered, with each person accountable for improving gifts and light entrusted to them. The ransom for every son and daughter of Adam does not shield those who refuse allegiance from retribution of the last day, for they must answer for neglecting entrusted talents. The great cost grounds assurance that Christ works to subdue evil and keep those who seek his help from being overcome and perishing.
Because Jesus paid the debt of his own life, those indebted to God must not be exacting, harsh or severe toward a brother who cannot pay through misfortune and loss, but must show compassion and mercy and forgive, for God will deal with them precisely as they deal with their unfortunate brother. The precious blood has freely bestowed gospel advantages on all, and those who accept Christ are to work out salvation with fear and trembling remembering God works in them to will and do his pleasure, so by receiving grace to impart it and sharing in the work they labor with God, strengthened, settled and confirmed. Christ first chose us and paid an infinite price for redemption with his atoning blood, and entering enduring union with him by living faith requires feeling need of that blood, having a changed heart, submitting the will to God's will, choosing Christ as first and last and best in everything, and detaching from cherished idols including pride, selfishness, vanity, worldliness and sin.
Christ gave his life for fallen humanity and his blood is the price by which people are purchased for God, so those who belong to Christ are to trust in him rather than rely on their own strength, and remembering that they are bought by his blood helps them resist sin and regard their lives as his possession. Remembering this Christians are to honor their Redeemer in thought, word and deed, put away what is unlike Christ, resist sin, rely on him for strength to overcome, and faithful living prepares them to welcome Christ when he returns. Jesus rescued every child and youth and every man and woman by his own blood from the abyss of ruin to which Satan was compelling them to go, he paid the price for sinners so they belong to him and are his property. Choosing to remain in sin and refusing the salvation freely offered does not release sinners from obligation, those who will not yield obedience but devote time, strength and talents to Satan's service earn death, and obedience and submission to God are the conditions for becoming children of God with the obedient receiving immortal glory and eternal life, made able through his name to perfect Christian character and to overcome as he overcame.
His blood purchased the children, and because they belong to Christ parents should treat every child with tenderness and without partiality. The youth, students, orphans and outcasts to be educated were bought with an infinite price and are younger members of the Lord's family belonging to Christ, so consecrated skillful God-fearing teachers and parents must treat them with patience, care, sympathy, tenderness and love rather than harshness or unjust condemnation. Their eternal interests must not be neglected for selfish or temporal concerns, each child must be instructed that Jesus' life was paid for them and must not have died in vain, and labor as missionaries to win them to Jesus with Christ's self-denying love as the pattern.
The precious blood is the price by which children and youth have been bought and belong to him, so their abilities should be carefully trained for the Lord from infancy, they should be put under influences favorable to symmetrical characters God can approve and be given religious education. If they give themselves to his service they will live under his discipline and control as his children and secure the life that measures with the life of God. The young are bought by his blood and because they belong to him they call for love, patience and sympathy. His precious life purchased and redeemed every child's soul, so the life should be shaped after his likeness with Christ enthroned as its king.
Children are Christ's blood-bought heritage as the spotless Lamb, so they belong to him, their lives are to be valued, they are to be taught to respect themselves as the Lord's, guarded from sin and harmful influences, and shaped to happy useful Christlike character honoring God and helping others rather than making money life's object. Parents have reason to treat children kindly rather than scold or threaten them because purchased. Every child bought with human agony and blood cannot afford to be lost, the ransomed including children as younger family members are absolutely the Lord's property in soul, body and spirit, and time is precious. Parents as stewards must be converted and transformed, raise them in the Lord's nurture with the household as a church, teach faithfulness in little things, truthfulness, hopefulness and happy speech, educate and sanctify them for service by reason, kindness and love under God's standard rather than caprice, sanctify themselves through truth so children may be sanctified, and make salvation and character first above outward adorning.
The blood of Christ was the price paid for children as well as others, and because they belong to God through his death parents should treat them tenderly, guide them without hasty blame or angry words, and seek their salvation through prayer and faithful care. Orphaned and outcast children are precious souls purchased by Christ's blood who may become members of the Lord's family through earnest God-fearing care, and Christ gave his life to secure pardon for every sinner regardless of land or color. He purchased his people through his own suffering and blood as a spotless sacrificial lamb, making them his chosen loved possession to whom he gives the fragrance of his righteousness and whom he guides as a faithful shepherd regarding them with deep love and tenderness. This calls for children as his precious flock to be treated with tenderness and sanctified affection and led to trust and yield to the faithful Shepherd's care.
Christ's blood purchased men and women and reveals the worth of even one soul, and responding to being purchased means not restricting interest and affection to self and family and not giving time to temporal matters while forgetting others' eternal interests, but loving one another as Jesus loved by beholding his self-denial and the love he bestowed and imitating that pattern. His blood is the price of redemption, so worldly honor and riches are unworthy ruling motives and knowledge and wisdom should instead make people better Christians serving God faithfully. Each person purchased by his precious blood belongs to him and becomes his property by his giving his life, giving every soul great worth with heaven interested in each one. A steady view of the cross counteracts worldliness and selfishness and fills the soul with humility, penitence and gratitude, leading them willingly to serve him with a cheerful heart.
Christ made an infinite sacrifice to save a perishing world, and in a special period of this earth's history when a great work must be done in a very short time every Christian is to act a part in sustaining that work by consecrating himself to soul-saving, so when what Christ sacrificed is comprehended there will be mighty wrestling to save souls. He gave his spotless life and shed his blood to save souls and cleanse from sin at an infinite sacrifice to save a perishing world, and understanding this sacrifice moves people to help others escape Satan's power and turn to God, for he purchased each soul with his blood making every soul precious. His precious blood purchased people for God so they belong to Christ, therefore their education and training must prepare them for immortal life rather than serve wealth, seek human praise or submit to the world. Believers and all they possess are the purchase of his blood, making their blessings and character gifts of grace and grounding their service to him.
Redemption cost too much to treat lightly by leaving God out and following hereditary and cultivated tendencies onto crooked paths, and Christ laid aside royal robe, crown and high command, joining divinity and humanity to become a stepping stone to heaven, with his holiness filling all who eat the bread of life and drink the water of salvation. Christ offered himself as a spotless Lamb to God and paid the ransom price for humanity, his sacrifice makes every person his by redemption as well as by creation and provides abundantly for salvation. Because of the purchase self is to be put out of sight with all they have belonging to God and used in the Master's service with all consecrated to him, which glorifies Christ and answers his prayers for followers to be one with him and one another. Christians are Christ's property because he bought them, placing every church member under obligation to him and calling each one to active service for the Master.
Christ gave his life to purchase afflicted sufferers' souls and his work relieving the sick and suffering is the example for medical ministry, with every healing effort recognizing him as purchaser and with Christ himself as great chief missionary presiding as counsellor over every department of healing for soul and body. His blood purchased salvation so the redeemed are stewards only in the sense that the temporal gifts people possess are lent to help advance God's kingdom, for the blood was the precious ransom by which he redeemed the condemned sinner from the curse of the Father's law, so because Christ gave himself for the transgressor the heart's best and holiest affections are due to him. Christ bought his people with his precious blood, and they are accountable to him as their Saviour.
Those bought have minds belonging to Christ in that taking in his work of intercession kindles ardent love, alarms apathy and produces entire devotion and benevolence in which even the smallest willing offering becomes priceless, yet all that can be yielded seems insufficient beside the debt of gratitude, he ever pleading agonies of crucifixion with wounded hands for his blood-bought church kept from temptation. Time, talents and energies belonging to him are to be used in his service, he presenting them through merits as sons and daughters and members of God's family. His precious blood bought the church, making betrayal of its sacred trust treachery against him. People belong to Christ by creation as well as redemption in that he redeemed his people by his precious blood, and the converted look forward to heaven as home where they will see, love and praise their Redeemer.
Because bought parents and children alike and believers as children of the Saviour are called to give themselves to the Lord wholly and without reserve rather than live for self, to give themselves unreservedly to him and make a covenant with God in Christ who is just and true and full of love and tender compassion. The soul bought at the price of Christ's blood has great value and calls for a thorough change of heart.