Let’s face it. We live in a world where the majority of people don’t understand why they need Jesus. When you say the name of Jesus Christ, most people equate His name with religion. This couldn’t be any further from the truth.

Why is it that the majority of people don’t understand their need for Jesus? I think the answer is pretty simple. They don’t understand the significance of the blood sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross at Calvary. They also do not realize that blood is the penalty that must be paid so we can be forgiven of our sins and go to Heaven when we die. 

So, what is so significant about the blood that Jesus Christ shed for us on the cross? It’s majorly significant! However, it is only when we go back to the Old Testament that we can make sense of this… 

In the beginning, we know that God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1); and afterward, He created Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:26-28). God created us to have a relationship with Him, to have fellowship with Him, and to love Him. He gave Adam and Eve a set of rules; He also gave them free will, because forcing yourself upon your creation is not love.

Genesis 2:16-17 KJV – “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Adam and Eve decided to rebel against God. It is through that rebellion in the Garden of Eden that we all carry a death sentence (1 Corinthians 15:21-22, Romans 5:19). Through Adam, all of us carry an infection, a virus, a death sentence called sin. The bridge between God and ourselves was broken when this rebellion occurred in the beginning.

Romans 5:12 KJV – “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

But thank God the story doesn’t end there! God loves us so much that although we all carry this infection (sin), He has come to our rescue. He was born of a virgin, He became flesh, dwelt among us, and was brutally tortured and crucified on that cross at Calvary, shedding His precious blood for us so that we can be forgiven and be with Him in heaven forever (Romans 5:8). That is love, my friends, that is love (John 15:13).

1 Peter 1:18-21 KJV – “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”

Notice what this is saying: He shed His precious blood for us so that we can be forgiven. That’s what we are going to explore next. Why did Jesus Christ have to shed His blood for us?

We now understand that every one of us carries the sin penalty (Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, Isaiah 64:6), however, you might not know that the punishment for our sin is eternal separation from God in the most horrific place imaginable called hell (Romans 6:23).

Since we are all guilty of sin, you may be thinking that we might as well pack our bags and live life to the fullest. We are all hellbound anyway; right? Wrong! Jesus Christ paid the penalty that we couldn’t pay on our own, so our sin debt could be forgiven entirely. It all comes down to the blood of Jesus.

Ephesians 2:3-5 KJV – “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”

In the Old Testament, we read that the Jewish people under the law would shed the blood of goats, calves, and other sacrifices. They did this because the Bible says that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22). There is a penalty for our sins, and it demands payment. 

We are no longer under the old covenant but under the new covenant. Why do you think John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29)” as Jesus approached Him?  Because Jesus is our Passover lamb. The blood of goats and calves does not take away our sins today (Hebrews 10:4). 

In the Old Testament, we see they would make these sacrifices daily, but the Son of God made one offering on the cross at Calvary to pay the penalty for all of our sins (past, present, and future) (Hebrews 10:14).

Do you get it now? It’s all about the blood…the blood of Jesus! He purchased you with His Blood (Galatians 3:13, Acts 20:28). He bled for you on that cross at Calvary, taking all of the world’s sin debt on Himself, paying the penalty for us all so we can be washed of our sin and be with Him forever (Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:14).

I hope this article has helped someone out there understand the significance of the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ and that it is required a penalty be paid for our sin, and Jesus paid it all with His blood! So I hope that if you’re someone that equated religion with the name of Jesus Christ that that changes today, and you put your full faith and trust in Jesus’ blood.

It’s time today to believe with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who He says He is… the Son of the living God who died for your sins, who was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 10:9-10). Today is the day of salvation, and Jesus loves you so much. He demonstrates that love by the blood He shed for you! Believe it!