RUSSELL SANDERS
1-6-2026
BLOOD GUILTINESS

In the 9th chapter of Genesis, we see Noah talking with God after the flood. In verse 6 it says, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed…” This is a principle that started long before Noah.

Earlier, before the flood, In Genesis 4 we saw a murder take place. Cain despised his brother Abel and killed him when God rejected Cain’s offering. Abel’s blood cried out to God [vs. 10] from the ground where it had spilled.

He had shed innocent blood, and now had the sin of blood guiltiness. Someone’s blood would have to be shed for that crime. Cain was marked for eternity for this crime, and this mark would spare his life if someone tried to kill him.

Then there is the matter of our sin. Hebrews 9:22 says, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission [putting away of sin].” Someone’s blood, either our own blood or someone else’s blood must be shed for our sin. We are blood guilty.

It is difficult to imagine just how difficult it was for a purely righteous and Holy Father to watch His pure and sinless Son to bear all mankind’s sin upon Himself. Jesus had done nothing wrong, yet he would pay the debt for all mankind’s sin by shedding his pure sinless blood for mankind’s guilty blood. Jesus did not deserve this, yet he chose to die this miserable and agonizing death because of my sin and your sin. We are blood guilty.

This was an extremely difficult thing for Jesus to do, and he asked the Father to remove the “cup” of suffering to spare him this burden if there was any other way to pay the debt. Nevertheless, he said, “Not my will, but thine [the Father’s] be done.”

Jesus voluntarily paid with his blood as a sacrifice for us. He blood was applied to the altar in heaven for our sin. He bore our blood guiltiness in His own body, so that by faith we do not have to bear it. We can now enter heaven guilt free.

What amazing love! He took my blood guiltiness on that cross.