Blood
"If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sins." I John 1:7 I have heard preachers say that people could not go to heaven by the water-way, or work-way; but the blood-way. That is correct, for only the blood cleanses from sin. However, the blood-route does not exclude obedience to the Lord's commandments of the New Testament that were dedicated by his blood. Read Heb. 9:17-23. Taking the blood-road to heaven means to comply with the conditions of faith, repentance, confession, baptism, worship, careful living, and merciful deeds; for these are all in the blood-sealed new covenant. This is the meaning of walking "in the light." Thus, you find some water (baptism in water) and some work (activity) on the blood-way to heaven.
There are many who rule God out of their lives and will have none of him. His teaching falls on wayside hearts. The promises that God has given are of no effect because of this rebellion. Because of this they do not reach the blood that takes away sins.
Others rule God out of their lives and make the blood void by walking over the prohibitions in the Scripture. There are "shall not's" in the Bible and all of them must be respected. Without this respect there can be no benefits from the blood.
Two priests (Lev. 10) one time rendered God powerless to bless them, and brought a curse upon themselves because they did some substituting. They offered strange fire before God, a fire which he had not commanded. "There came forth fire before Jehovah, and devoured them, and they died before Jehovah." When will men learn the danger of substitution? Such action leads away from the blood of Christ.
Adding to God's word is just as dangerous as subtracting. The Pharisees added an endless number of traditions to the law of Moses. Because of this the Lord said their worship was vain. (Mt. 15:1-9). Yes, the Lord warned them: "What things soever I command you, that shall ye observe to do: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it." Why presume that God does not know what he wants and needs? Presumption is at the bottom of adding and subtracting for the Lord. Such action is not walking in the light and therefore the blood is not reached for the forgiveness of sins.
Men have always been guilty of sinning in the above ways. An inspection of our own religion is in order. Does it have a pinch of rebellion, a speck of substitution, a particle of subtraction, or a bit of addition? Do we want to add the instrument of music to the worship, or a human organization, the congregation? Do we want to add to the work the Lord gave the congregation to do? Do we want to take away baptism as a command to obey for salvation from sins? Disobedience destroys all the power of the blood. Obedience brings us to the benefits of the cross. We must walk in the light for the blood to cleanse us from all sins.
- Steele, Missouri