I heard a statement on my way to church one morning that lingered in my mind until I could get home and do a little more research on it. The person on the radio said that there was no known substitute for blood. Being a child of the King washed in His precious blood, this statement stirred something deep within my heart and made me want to know more about this. Being the nerd that I am, I couldn’t wait to do some reading and researching into this so that I could be certain that the statement was true. I must confess that I was delighted to find that it was indeed true.
There is no known substitute for blood! They have been able to substitute parts of it but not the whole component! It is definitely not for lack of trying though. The scientific community has tried for decades to find a substitute but haven’t been successful in their endeavors. In fact, one article referred to the search for the substitute the holy grail of the medical field. They have managed to make something called a volume expander that can help short term but there is no real substitute for the blood. Let me repeat that for you, so that there is no misunderstanding. There is no substitute for the blood!
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul” Leviticus 17:11. God’s Word says that life is contained within the blood and it also says that the source of our atonement is in the blood. The blood of Jesus Christ is the only source for our atonement. There is no substitute for the blood. My friend, if you have not been washed in the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, then with all the love in my heart, I must warn you that you are lost and on your way to hell.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to Father except through me’” John 14:6. The only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ; salvation can be found in no other! “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” Acts 4:12. The world will try to tell you that there are many paths to God but it just isn’t true. In fact, according to the Bible, it is a lie straight from the pits of hell. The Bible clearly tells us that there is no substitute for the blood of Jesus Christ.
I think the fact that brilliant scientist have been trying unsuccessfully for over sixty years to find a substitute for blood is just another reminder that there is no substitution for THE blood. Just like the “temporary’ fixes the scientist have come up with, many people try to find an artificial source for salvation, for the atonement found in Christ. They do not work! Look around you, dear heart, and you will see millions of people who have tried everything this world has to offer, only to learn that it wasn’t enough, it didn’t fix the problem. There is no substitute!
The problem is that we are all born sinners in need of a Savior and we will never find true peace, joy, and satisfaction in anything but Him. We will never find salvation and hope in anything or anyone but Him. My friend, there really is no substitute for the blood. “…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” Hebrews 9:22 (ESV). Jesus died so that we may receive forgiveness for our sins. “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” Matthew 26:28. Jesus voluntarily gave His life so that you might accept the grace He offers and be saved.
My friend, you may spend your life searching but at the end of your days when you stand before God, you will find that there is no substitute for the blood. If you have not asked Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and wash you clean with His blood, I beg of you to do so today. Maybe you have never realized you need a Savior. Maybe you have never realized that you need to be forgiven. Or perhaps you have grown up in church and always thought you were “good” with God. Perhaps you even made some sort of prayer or confession in your younger years but you’re not sure if you meant it.
Maybe right now God is piercing your heart with the light of His Word and opening your eyes to the truth that you have never truly been washed in the blood of His Son. Maybe right now there is someone reading these words and God is whispering to your heart that you need Jesus to forgive you of your sins. My precious friend, have you ever been washed in the blood? Have you truly accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Are you forgiven? Are you saved? Have you realized that you are a sinner and that you need His forgiveness and mercy? Have you been covered by the blood?
May I remind you again that there is no substitute for the blood and someday you will stand before God? On that day, He will be looking for one thing and one thing only. He will be looking to see if you are covered in the blood of His precious Son. Will He see it on you? Will you stand before Him justified by the blood of Jesus or will you stand condemned before the eternal God? Beloved, I love you enough that I have to ask these questions. I cannot say that you are my friend if I do not make sure that you know that there is no substitute for the blood of Jesus Christ!
I don’t know where you stand, my dear friend, but I pray that God will speak to each and every person that reads these words so that they may be certain of where they stand! I pray that God will bring conviction on the hearts of those who do not know Him and that He will give them the courage to say yes to Him. I pray that all those who are reading this will hear the Holy Spirit speaking to them. Whether it be salvation that is needed, whether it be drawing closer to God that is needed, or whether God prompts you to reach out to someone He places on your heart, please heed His call!
“Behold now is the acceptable time; behold now is the day of salvation” 2 Cor. 6:2
We are all sinners (Rom. 3:10,23).
The wages of our sins is death (Rom. 6:23).
Jesus paid our sin debt on the cross (Rom. 5:8).
Salvation comes by faith, that is, by confessing with our mouths and believing in our hearts (Rom. 10:9,10).
Call on the Lord for salvation and get saved (Rom. 10:13).
(Prayer for salvation) Dear God, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I’m sorry for my sins; please forgive me. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son and that He died for my sins and You raised Him to life. I want to invite Him into my heart to take control of my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace. Ephesians 1:7 (ESV)
Katrina Douglas
7/22/18
Updated 3/3/23
