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QUESTION 165
In Philippians 2:8 we read of Christ and "the death of the cross." In Colossians 1:20, we read of "the blood of His cross." Are those two phrases saying the same thing?

ANSWER:
A well known and good radio bible teacher seems to teach that they are both the same. That His blood only speaks of His death: but really there is a difference taught in the Scriptures. In the bible "blood" always speaks of "life" and not death. Genesis 9:3-5, when God gave man animal to eat, He distinctly tell them not to eat the blood. The reason is given in Genesis 9:4, because blood is the life of the flesh. In Leviticus 17:11, on that great day of atonement blood was shed on the altar of God. It tell us there "...that the life of the flesh is in the blood." Shed blood speaks of His life He gave for me and for you as a sacrifice to God to redeem us from our sins. John 10:11, "The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. He never bled to death on the cross, He dismissed His own spirit John 19:31, "...He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost" He never was a dying man on the cross. No man taketh His life from Him. John 10:18 "No man taketh it (my life) from me, but I lay it down myself" So the blood of Christ speaks of a perfect, sinless, spotless life given in sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 1:7. Hebrews 9:22. The blood of Christ speaks of Him the Just One taking my place, the unjust one. It is substitution that is in view in His blood.

Now in the death of Christ it is representation that is in view. His substituting for us as Christians is sufficient to take cares of our sins (the deeds we have done) but His sacrificial death deals with my sin (the disease I had). The root of man's problems is not his deeds of sin, but the disease. Not the fruit, but the root. His blood takes care of the fruit, while His death takes care of the root.

The death of Christ also goes further than our sin (disease) it deals with the root or source of all sin, that is Satan. In Hebrews 2 and John 12:31, we read, "Now is the judgment of this world..." Now this is not our sins or sin that is in view here, but the very next phrase tells us that it is the author or originator of all sin, for we read, "Now is the prince of this world cast out". Ephesians 2:2 "the prince of the power of the air," is the devil. John 16:11 and John 14:30 the "prince" there is the devil. Hebrews 2:14. Christ partook of flesh and blood, that He through death might destroy him that hath the power over death, that is the devil. The very author of sin and death was destroyed through the death of Christ.

Are you getting the value of His blood and death? Only through complete faith in His blood and death can you. Have you trusted Him 100% for salvation?

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

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Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen