Living in The Kingdom Part 7 – Benefits of The Cross and The Blood

Paul said to the Corinthians that he only came preaching "Christ and Him crucified", which was foolishness to the Gentiles, and a stumbling block to the Jews. To the Jews they were incredulous "how could the Messiah be crucified!", to the Gentiles "where is the logic in this, what kind of scheme of philosophy is about a crucified man?"

You see, Christianity is NOT a philosophy. It is, as Derek Prince says "a declaring of what the Word says that the blood does."

Christianity depends on an actual historical event - the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, on Calvary. It depends on the shedding of a real man's actual blood. It depends on nails and spears and atonement. This is really offensive to many minds. So offensive that teaching on the Blood is rare in some denominations.

Christianity, at first seems like the New Age, full of concepts such as love, peace, joy, spirituality and abundance. However the New Age eschews the Cross and cannot save or sanctify a lost soul.

The unique power in Christianity comes SOLELY from the Cross and The Blood and the directly consequent events such as the resurrection, ascension etc. The benefits of this historical act include things such as:

Relationship With God

1. The blood of Jesus Christ brings us into a new and living covenant with God (Matthew 26:26-28, Hebrews 13:20-21)

2. Peace with God (Colossians 1:19-23)

3. Grace abounds to us through Christ’s obedient death on the Cross (Romans 5:17-21)

4. Reconciliation through the Cross (Romans 5:10, Colossians 1:19-23, Ephesians 2:16)

5. The ability to abide in Christ continually (John 6:35-36)

6. Boldness and confidence with God (Hebrews 10:19)

7. The blood of Jesus Christ draws us nearer to God (Ephesians 2:13)

8. Christ’s suffering on the Cross (the just for the unjust) brings us to God (1 Peter 3:18)

9. The blood saves us from God’s wrath (Romans 5:9)

10. The blood speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12:24) Justice vs. Forgiveness

11. Now nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:34-39)

Discussion: What does the Cross and the Blood do for our relationship with God (for those who believe)?

Forgiveness, Cleansing and Atonement

12. Forgiveness from sin (Isaiah 53:3-5, Matthew 26:28, Ephesians 1:7)

13. As the crucified Lamb of God Jesus would take away the sins of the world (John 1:29)

14. The blood of Jesus God's Son, is cleansing you now and continually from all sin. (1 John 1:7-10)

15. We are personally washed from our sins by His blood (Revelation 1:5, 1 John 1:7-9)

16. The blood of Jesus Christ gives us a clean conscience (Hebrews 9:14)

17. Atonement for sin (Romans 3:23-25, 1 Peter 2:24)

18. Remission of sins (Colossians 1:14)

19. The Cross means that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1,2,33,34)

Righteousness, Sanctification and New Life

20. Eternal life (John 3:14-16, 6:35,36) since the life is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11)

21. Life to the spiritually dead, being made alive together with Christ (Colossians 2:13)

22. Becoming dead to the Law and alive to Christ (Romans 7:4, Romans 10:1-4)

23. Through the blood of Jesus Christ you are made righteous, justified, "just-as if I'd" never sinned. (Romans 5:9, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Proverbs 28;1, Isaiah 32:17)

24. Our sin was exchanged for His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21)

25. Through the blood of Jesus Christ you are sanctified, made holy, set apart for God. (Hebrews 10:29, 13:12 ; Colossians 1:12, 13 Romans 8:2)

26. We are redeemed out of an evil and wicked world, by the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 5:9)

27. The creation of a holy and blameless people to God (Colossians 1:19-23)

28. We are baptized with Him in His death (Romans 6:3)

29. As a result we walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4)

30. Our “old man” is destroyed and crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6)

31. We no longer serve sin (Romans 6:6)

32. In fact we are to reckon ourselves “dead to sin” (Romans 6:11)

33. We have crucified the flesh with its passions and its lusts (Galatians 5:24)

34. We are crucified to the world and the world is crucified to us (Galatians 6:14)

35. Christ lives in us and empowers a new lifestyle (Galatians 2:20)

36. Regeneration, a new creation, all things become new (1 Peter 1:2-3, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Titus 3:5)

37. Death is made of no effect (2 Timothy 1:10, Hebrews 2:9, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57)

38. We receive immortality (2 Timothy 1:10)

Discussion: Does a Christian have to sin?

Healing & Victorious Living

39. Disarming of the demonic (Colossians 2:13-15)

40. The prince of this world is cast out by the Cross (John 12:31,32)

41. Jesus’ death and resurrection gave Him the keys of Death and Hades (Revelation 1:18)

42. The world system is brought into judgment by the Cross (John 12:31, 16:11)

43. Freedom from taboos and religious regulations (Colossians 2:13-23)

44. Emotional healing (Isaiah 53:4)

45. Physical healing (Isaiah 53:5, Matthew 8:16,17, Acts 3:12, 16, 4:10)

46. Wellbeing / Shalom (Isaiah 53:5)

47. The blood of Christ brings redemption out of the hand of the Devil.(Eph 1:7, Psalm 107:2)

48. The Cross destroys him who had the power of death; that is, the Devil. (Hebrews 2:14)

49. Redemption from useless cultural practices and customs (1 Peter 1:18-19)

50. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit , redeemed, cleansed, sanctified by the blood of Jesus, therefore the devil has no place in you and no power over you. ( 1 Corinthians 6: 13, 19-20, 1 John 5:6, Eccl. 4:12)

51. The blood makes us complete for every good work (Hebrews 13:20-21)

52. We receive both the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:23,24, 30)

53. The curses of the Law were taken on the Cross (Galatians 3:10-14)

54. Instead of the curses of the Law we inherit the blessings of Abraham (Galatians 3:10-14, 29)

55. We serve in the newness of the Spirit not the oldness of the letter (Romans 7:6)

56. An eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15, 1 Peter 1:4)

57. We become kings and priests to our God and reign with the Lamb (Revelation 5:9,10)

OTHER

58. The Holy Spirit could only be sent to us if Christ went to the Cross (John 16:7)

59. Jesus would die for both the Jews and the Gentiles (John 11:50-52)

60. Jesus would draw all men to Him when He was crucified (John 12:32)

61. When Jesus was lifted up (crucified) people would know that He was truly God and spoke the truth (John 8:28) and this would validate the gospel.

62. The blood bears witness in the earth along with the Spirit and the water (1 John 5:8, KJV)

63. The purchase of the Church by His blood (Acts 20:28, John 10:11)

64. Because He was obedient to the point of death on a cross Jesus was highly exalted and received the Name that is above every other Name (Philippians 2:5-11)

Scenario Question
A continuously defeated Christian comes to you for advice. This person stumbles into poor relationships and has an out-of-control and often sinful life. They are frequently ill, they are nervous, anxious and see very few answers to their prayers.

What does this person need to learn and to believe about the Cross and the Blood?