Advocate Christ’s Blood for Mankind’s Salvation

AMONG the things included in the preaching and teaching commission of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses is the advocating of Christ’s blood for the salvation of mankind. As the apostle Paul expressed it: “How much more will the blood of the Christ . . . cleanse our consciences.”—Heb. 9:14.a

The need for Christian witnesses to advocate Christ’s blood for mankind’s salvation is great indeed, for there is little faith in the world today in the saving power of Christ’s blood. In fact, it is of the utmost urgency that Christians do so, for Armageddon is drawing on apace, and only those who put faith in Christ’s blood can hope to be spared from destruction at that time.

Making known the truth about God’s law regarding the sanctity of blood is also part of the commission of the Christian witnesses of Jehovah, for respect for that law is also essential for salvation. Yet many today, and the medical profession in particular, choose to ignore God’s law in this regard. How unwise their course of action is can be seen from the results of their blood transfusions, many thousands of persons dying each year because of transfusion mishaps, while many, many more are made ill because of having diseased blood transfused into them.

By adhering to Bible principles Christians are protected from such risks. They know that the Bible is scientifically correct when it states that the life is in the blood, for the whole body is kept alive by the blood. (Lev. 17:11) Most fittingly, therefore, when the life of man is taken, God’s Word speaks of it as shedding his blood, as in the case of Abel. Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion, is also spoken of as being “drunk” with the blood of God’s holy ones.—Gen. 4:10; Rev. 17:6; 18:24.

Jehovah God’s prohibition on the use of blood goes back to the very beginning of this post-Flood world. When Noah and his family came out of the ark, Jehovah for the first time authorized man to eat the flesh of animals, which, of course, involved taking their lives. With that privilege, however, He stated a limitation: the blood was never to be eaten. On that occasion Jehovah also forbade the taking of the life of a fellow human creature; if anyone did, his own life was to be taken. (Gen. 9:3-6) These laws applied to the entire human race.

That the prohibition on the use of blood applies also to Christians today is further made clear from the words of the early Christian governing body at Jerusalem, as found at Acts 15:19, 20, 28, 29. Plainly they commanded Christians: “Abstain . . . from what is strangle and from blood.” And that this rule was binding on Gentile as well as Jewish believers is clear from the words of the disciples at Jerusalem, at Acts 21:25, where they tell of giving this prohibition to Gentile believers. And let it be noted that those Christians were commanded to abstain from blood. That includes any use of it whatever. God’s law forbids the use of blood for any other purpose than atonement for sins: “It is the blood that makes atonement by the soul [life] in it.”—Lev. 17:11.

The blood of bulls and goats, however, cleansed from sins only in a figurative way. Christ’s blood and only his blood can and does in actuality cleanse from sin those exercising faith in it. He came from heaven to “bear witness to the truth,” and “to give his soul a ransom in exchange for many,” as “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” Yes, as he himself said, his blood was “poured out in behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.” His apostles repeatedly testified to the same fact. Truly, there is an abundance of Scriptural testimony as to the value of Christ’s blood for mankind’s salvation! With the utmost confidence, therefore, the Christian witnesses of Jehovah advocate this truth in their ministerial activities—John 18:37; Matt. 20:28; John 1:29; Matt. 26:28; Rom. 5:9; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19; 1 John 1:7.

Clearly, then, regarding the Bible’s teaching on blood Jehovah’s Christian witnesses have a twofold obligation. On the one hand, they are to make known to all that Jehovah forbids the misuse of blood, whether of man or of animals, however well intentioned, and by whomever it may be. And, on the other hand, they are to make clear that salvation can come only through faith in Christ’s shed blood. Making known these truths is an important part of their preaching and teaching commission.—Matt. 28:19, 20.

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