S140P2 – The power of the blood: a shield from wrath

Rom. 5:6-11

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.  More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Imagine finding a magical cloak of protection that shields you from every physical harm.  Whenever you put on the cloak, you disappear from sight.  Whatever person or creature is after you would be left wondering where you had gone.  This cloak of invisibility provides protection only while it is worn, and anyone who puts on the cloak can experience the same benefit.  There is nothing special about the wearer of the cloak.  The power is not in the person but in the garment itself.  This power does not discern who is worthy to weild it but is available to whomever wears the cloak.  None can merit the privilege of using that power, but any can access it through the cloak. 

The blood of Christ also carries a power that none can merit.  For those who make themselves subject to him and believe in his death and resurrection, that power is accessible.  The modern problem is that we can be fooled into thinking that the blood of Christ changes us in a way that makes us worthy of forgiveness.  We can confuse the truth of the new creation and the transformed heart and mind to mean that we have become worthy.  However, that is not how the blood of Christ works.  We are no less deserving of the wrath of God now that we have been justified.  We still merit that judgment and spiritual death.  The difference is that we have the blood of Christ to shield us from the Father’s wrath.

We can say that we wear the blood of Christ like a cloak.  We also can say that we carry it like a shield.  It is what protects us from the judgment we have earned for ourselves.  The blood of Christ marks us for salvation.  That is our distinction from all those who deserve God’s judgment and will receive it.  We have accomplished nothing special to speak of.  We possess no greater qualities than those who have not been justified.  We have not earned our passage in any way.  It is the blood of Christ that covers our sins and deflects the Father’s judgment.  Father, thank You for offering the way for us to be shielded from judgment and saved from spiritual death, for giving a gift that we could not deserve.