It either cries for my damnation, or for my salvation. If I make light
of the blood, and trample it under my feet, then it cries out for
God's condemnation; but if I am sheltered behind the blood, there is
no condemnation for me. God dealt in judgment with Cain; and when
Pilate wanted to know what to do with Christ, he washed his hands and
said he was innocent. The Jews said, "Let His blood be upon us and our
children, not to save us, but to condemn us." Would that they had
said, "Let His blood be upon us to save us and protect us." Nearly
1900 years have rolled away, and the Jews are wanderers on the face of
the earth without a king. Their having been scattered all these years,
what a proof it is the word of God is true! May our prayer be to-day,
His blood be upon us and our children, not to condemn us, but to save
us. Let that be our prayer, that we may know what it is to be
sheltered behind the blood of God's dear Son. The blood of the cross
speaks peace. If I am sheltered behind the blood, there is peace, but
there is no peace until my sin is covered. If you had committed sin
against a man, you would get no peace until that was forgiven. Men are
running after peace; and if it could be bought in the market, many
would give hundreds of thousands of pounds to secure it. The blood of
Christ speaks peace, and it will bring peace to every guilty
conscience and aching heart to-day if you only seek it.
In Hebrews x. 28, 29, we read: "He that despised Moses' law died
without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer
punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden
under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant,
wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite
unto the Spirit of grace?" To me these are very solemn verses. I don't
see how any one can sit here and hear these verses read and be content
to remain unsaved. "They died without mercy"; but how much more sore
will be the punishment of those who live in this age with an open
Bible, which tells how Christ died to redeem us, and make us heirs of
heaven.
In Revelation xii. 11, we read: "And they overcame him by the blood of
the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their
lives unto the death." They overcame by the blood. I don't believe
there is a word in the Bible Satan is fearing more than the word
"blood." Judging from past experience, I shall probably receive many
letters to-morrow attacking me for what I have said to-day. These
letters will say it is heathenish to stand up and preach what would
only do for an unenlightened age. May God forgive those who dare to
say such things. If you will read your Bible in the light of Calvary,
you will find there is no other way of coming to heaven but by the
blood. The devil does not fear ten thousand preachers who preach a
bloodless religion. A man who preaches a bloodless religion is doing
the devil's work, and I don't care who he is.