Ephesians 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Blood is mentioned hundreds of times in the OT. The Jewish religion is often called a bloody religion, and rightly so. As soon as sin entered the earth, blood must needs be shed in order to provide a covering (atonement). At Sinai, the atonement was set up for the redeemed people to cover their sins till such a time that they would be taken away. Contrary to an almost universal belief, there was no atonement on Calvary, for Jesus Christ provided something much better. It was there that the Lamb of God took away the sin of the world, rather than covering it, as atonement means.
But the real purpose of all this blood and the bloody sacrifices was to teach God's people the exceeding sinfulness of sin. All this was to lead up to the great and final sacrifice for sin, the shedding of the blood of the Son of God. And this was, in a way, typical, for shed blood typified death. For the life of the flesh is in the blood Lev. 17:11. So the taking of the blood into the Holy of holies each year by the high priest was to show forth the coming death of Christ. And He, in turn, ascended to the Highest Heavens, and there showed the wounds in His hands and feet and side, which also signified death. These things were a lesson to Israel.
But Adam was not an Israelite, nor did he have any part in the Dispensation of Promise. Yet he had the example of shed blood. And that brings to us the question as to what part shed blood has to do with the Believers today. We are not told to offer sacrifices on altars that require the blood of an animal sacrifice. We, Believers, have no part in the blood of the new covenant or New Testament, for the Covenants of Promise pertain to Israel, not to us.
Nevertheless, we do have four mentions of the Blood of Christ in the post-Acts Epistles of Paul. Two of these have to do with redemption, one with access or being made nigh and the other making peace. And all these occur in Ephesians and Colossians. Every descendant of Adam can only receive The Gift of Life Everlasting because of the redemption secured by Christ Jesus giving His Life, His Blood, as payment for our lives, thus taking away the sin of the world.
The backbone of all the plan and purpose of the ages for all peoples and all times is in this word redemption. The promise made in Christ before age times that there should be everlasting life requires this redemption. Sin first entered the universe and plunged it into ruin and desolation. Then ages and ages later, it came into the human race by Adam. And by sin came death. So, there was a great need for a Life to take the place of this death. Without redemption, all would die, and that would be the end of the fallen human race. So there had to be a substitute who was not subject to sin and death, who would die and thereby remove the curse. That one was our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
In Whom we have redemption through His Blood (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14). In each reference, the forgiveness of sins is added. Adam's sins were covered, but ours were forgiven. Note the difference.
We are made nigh by the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:13). This is our access. We see in Col 1:20 that peace was made through the blood of His cross. And this brings reconciliation. Compare this with 2 Cor. 5:19 for its meaning and scope.
