FIRST, THE BLOOD
by Elder James Groce
Editor Apostolic Standard

What so many so-called religious bodies have obviously overlooked in the great redemption plan of God is the application of the Blood.

According to the scriptures, there can be no salvation in any form without the application of the Blood. Notice, if you will, the key word–application. As the Passover in Egypt clearly illustrates–the death of the lamb and the shedding of its blood was insufficient for redemption without the APPLICATION of the blood on the door post. Therefore, today one must learn how to apply the blood, that was shed at Calvary by the Lamb, to affect salvation.

The application of blood was always preemptive of cleansing and santification in the Old Testament. The altar was made holy only after a seven day application of blood (Exodus 29:37). All the vessels of the
tabernacle were made holy by the sprinkling of blood. The priests themselves were counted worthy for service to God only after the application of blood on his garments (Leviticus 8:30). And not only upon his garments but also the blood was applied upon the tip of the ear, on the thumb of the hand, and on the toe of the foot. It is obvious, therefore, that the shed blood, to be effective, must be applied.

While the Bible declares, Hebrews 9:22, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission.” Do we take this to mean that all mens sin’s are remitted by the shedding of that Blood? Of course not, even though the Blood was shed on Calvary’s tree by the Supreme Sacrifice, Jesus Christ, the shedding alone does not remit sin. There must be an application of that Blood to remove sin’s crimson stain. The verse simply means that the means of the cleansing agent was made available for application and that when that application is made–sins are remitted.

It follows then, quite naturally, that the question is–“How is the Blood applied in the New Testament?” The only method of application is found in Acts 2:38. “…Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” Nowhere else in the New Testament can it be found that application of the Blood is applied outside of baptism in Jesus Name! The shed Blood by which emission is made possible is applied in water baptism in Jesus Name for the remission of sin. As surely as the blood was applied in the Passover with hyssop, so also is the Blood applied in the New Testament Passover with baptism in Jesus Name (See I Cor. 5:7).

Just as a garment that is to be dyed must be plunged in the liquid which contains the color and becomes saturated by it, so the soul can only be cleansed in the Blood of the Lamb. And only through that divine
application of Blood will we be able to escape the destroyer. ” The blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you…” (Exodus 12:13).