WHAT DO YOU COUNT THE BLOOD? ..... PART II

III. Blood in Heaven

The 3^rd point I want to make is in reference to the statement made by Mr. Burden in The Summer Issue 2002 of The Gist, pg. 5, concerning the article, Is Jesus ’ Blood Eternally Preserved in Heaven? …“If a person believes His blood is divine, he has to believe that it is eternally preserved in heaven for nothing divine can cease to exist.”

I want Mr. Burden to know that I whole heartedly agree with him so let’s see if we can find any one who believes that the blood is in heaven. And if they believe that the blood is in heaven, they must believe it is divine. The first person I would like to take a look at is John Owen , we all remember who he is don’t we? He is the one that Mr. Burden quoted in The Gist, the Summer Issue 2002, pg. 6, speaking of a generalized statement about the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. But note what John Owen has to say specifically about that blood and where it is at today.

The WORKS OF JOHN OWEN VOLUME 1 MEDITATIONS AND DISCOURSES ON THE GLORY OF CHRIST, IN HIS PERSON, OFFICE, AND GRACE: (1.) That very nature itself which he took on him in this world, is exalted into glory. Some under a pretense of great subtlety and accuracy, do deny that he has either flesh or blood in heaven; …. That he has forsaken that flesh and blood which he was made in the womb of the blessed Virgin, -wherein he lived and died, which he offered unto God in sacrifice, and wherein he rose from the dead, -is a Socinian fiction.

Then he says that believing that the blood is in heaven is a “fundamental article of the Christian faith”. Now I find this interesting first of all he says that “some” that believe that the blood is not in heaven are doing so under a pretense and a great subtlety of the Socinian heresy and that’s what we have here with Mr. Burdens view and also John MacArthur’s view. This point about it being an Arian, Socinian, or Nestorian heresy will be brought into view again a little later, so let’s get back to those who believe the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is in Heaven. John Owen said the same thing over and over again, see Vol. 10, Book 1, Ch. 1 under the reference of Hebrews 9:7, 11, 12. Also Vol. 9, Part 4, Discourse 7, under the reference of Hebrews 10:20, Lev. 17:11, and Heb. 10:19. Also his Expositions of Hebrews Vol. 18, Exercitation 31, “The Nature of The Priesthood of Christ ”. We can look to Early Church writers like Chrysostom ’s Epistle to the Hebrews, Homily 33, Hebrews 12:28, 29, “His blood was born up into Heaven. Blood which has been carried into…the True Holy Place ”.

The next person is William Brown, he lived in Edinburgh in the late 1800s and he was a respected contemporary of Charles H. Spurgeon and William Smith , author of Smith's Bible Dictionary.

In his book, (which is also on the Master Christian Library CD from Ages Software under Reference), called “The Tabernacle, It’s Priests and Services”, he quotes:

“So Christ, our great high priest, after dying for sinners on the cross, ascended up on high, and, parting the blue veil of the skies, entered the true holy of holies, carrying with Him, not the blood of bulls and goats, but His own”

The next person is Dr. R. A. Torrey, we remember who he is, he was educated in the finest schools in Europe, and in his Topical Bible he said, according to Acts 20:28, “His Blood is called the Blood of God”, and he was one of the Editors of the “Fundamentals of the Faith”.  Where Dr. Moorehead says, “Even divinity is ascribed to the blood of Jesus ” (see first part).     Note what Dr. R. A. Torrey has to say in his book called, “WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES, THE TRUTHS OF THE BIBLE MADE PLAIN, SIMPLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE, Book 2 –What the Bible Teaches About Jesus Christ, 7 The Ascension or Exaltation of Jesus Christ, Fourth Proposition: Jesus Christ has ascended into heaven to prepare heaven itself as an abode for us.

QUESTION: How?             

Answer: Hebrews 9:21-24,

“Heaven itself must be sprinkled with blood to be fitted to be the abode of blood-sprinkled sinners. Heb. 9:24, For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Fifth Proposition: Jesus Christ ascended into heaven to appear before the face of God for us. He went to act as high priest on our behalf to present the blood of atonement and make intercession for us.”

Again Dr. R.A. Torrey says in another section, in the same book, WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES, THE TRUTHS OF THE BIBLE MADE PLAIN, SIMPLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE, Book 2 –What the Bible Teaches about Jesus Christ ,

6.  The Resurrection of Jesus Christ ,

IV. The Results of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ .  “We have not only a Savior who died and so made atonement for our sin, but also a Savior who rose and carried the blood into the holy of holies – God’s own presence – and presents it there”

Now I just love the title of this book, note the words, “The Truths Made Plain, and Simple, and Understandable”. So the blood being in heaven and being divine should be plain, simple, and understandable to anybody that would really do a historical research on the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and see what Bible believing Christians have taught completely about the blood, not in just basic generalized statements about the humanity of the Lord Jesus, but specific, pointed statements about the blood and again, “what to count that blood”.

Now I am not going to comment much more on these quotes from the other Commentators you can read as good as I can and most of you can read better than I can, so just a few more, just to make this point further.

THE EXPOSITOR’S BIBLE

By the Rev. Thomas Charles Edwards, D. D. [1887], Doctor Edwards was Principle of the University College of Wales , Aherystwytk.

CHAPTER 8.  THE NEW COVENANT. – HEBREWS 8:1-6

“The thought of Christ ’s eternal oneness is apparently suggested to the Apostle by the contrast between Christ and the purified heaven. But it helps his argument. For the blood of Christ , when offered in heaven, so fully and perfectly ratified the new covenant that He remains for evermore in the holiest place and evermore offers Himself to God in one eternally unbroken act.”

BY THE REV. S. H. KELLOG , D. D. [1890]

Chapter 13, THE GREAT DAY OF ATONEMENT – LEVITICUS 16:1-34

 “For this reason did the sin offering become, above all others, the most perfect type of the one offering of Him, the God-man, who reconciled us to God by doing that in reality which was here done in symbol, even entering with atoning blood into the very presence of God, there to appear in our behalf.         

R. C. H. Lenski A. M. in his commentary on Hebrews 9, pg. 293 tells us that Rudolf Edwald Stier, an eminent German commentator, was born at Fraustadt, March 17, 1800 . And Johann Albrecht Bengel , a German theologian of profound critical judgment, extensive learning, and solid piety. He was born June 24, 1687 , and F. Delitzsch of C. F.   Keil & F. Delitzsch, the Old Testament commentators take the view of the literal fulfillment of Lev. 16, that the blood is in heaven. And note that Lenski made the statement not only these commentators hold this view but others also.

Also take a look at Spurgeon in Sermons 118, 191, 256, 348, 531, 824, 992, 1035, 1223, 1354, 1369, 1419, and 1780. This was a search up to Vol. 30 at the time of publication of this article. We will search further later in follow-up articles. See also, Matthew Henry on Lev. 16: pg. 1104, Adam Clarke on Heb. 9: pages 508, 513, 514, Jamieson, Fausett & Brown on Heb. 9: pages 1116, 1148, and 1173. Also Marvin Vincent in Heb. 9: pg. 956, 957, where he references Delitzsch also to agree with his position.

The next is Alexander MacLaren (1827-1910) in his Exposition of the Scriptures of Hebrews 9, pg. 199, (the blood is in heaven), then, Joseph Benson one of the most eminent of the early Methodist ministers in England . In 1766 Mr. Wesley appointed him classical master at Kingswood School . In 1769 he was made head-master of the Theological College at Trevecca, he died Feb. 16, 1821 , at London . Dr. Clarke calls him “a sound scholar, a powerful and able preacher, and a profound theologian.” Benson said in his Commentary on Hebrews 13, pg. 683, Verses 12-14, “Wherefore Jesus also with his own blood – carried into the heavenly sanctuary, and presented before the throne of God as a sin offering”

Also I want to point out that I’m not just using Calvinists but scholars from every theological perspective possible and the reason I can use so many from such a varied background is because it is so basic of a position that a Bible believer can believe that the Lord Jesus had generally a human nature, but you could also believe that the blood He shed was holy, sacred, infinite, and incorruptible, I Pet. 1:18, 19, (unlike human blood which is corruptible) I Cor. 15:50ff.

And of course, Divine, and that’s why so many commentators can and do use the phrase Blood Divine and this is why John Owen can call this view “a Fundamental article of the Christian faith” and Dr R. A. Torrey can call it a “Fundamental of the faith and The Truths of the Bible Made Plain, Simple, and Understandable.”

 Introducing yet another excerpt of Pastor D. A. Waite’s book JOHN MACARTHUR'S HERESY ON CHRIST'S BLOOD concerning the Blood in Heaven.

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 Pastor D. A. Waite , Th. D. , Ph. D. , Founder, Director, and President of The Bible For Today and a former President of the Dean Burgon Society

JOHN MACARTHUR 'S HERESY ON CHRIST'S BLOOD- From BFT NEWSREPORT (7/86—11/92) p.32-34,

 f. Christ 's BLOOD Is Divine, NOT HUMAN Because It Is in HEAVEN (1 Corinthians 15:50).

 (1) Introductory Remarks. The sixth reason proving that the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is DIVINE, NOT HUMAN, is because it is IN HEAVEN. The logic and Scripture proof that leads me to this conclusion is threefold, in the form of a logical syllogism: (1) Major Premise: Only incorrup­tible things made or provided by God (source Divine) can be in heaven (1 Corinthians 15:50); (2) Minor Premise: Christ's Blood is in heaven (Hebrews 12:24, etc.); (3) Conclusion: Therefore, Christ's Blood is incorruptible and made or provided by God (hence "Divine"). We have already taken up the detailed factors regarding the "INCORRUPTIBILITY" of Christ's Blood in section "3, d" above, and we won't have to repeat it again here other than to assert it, and relate it to the present argument.

(2) MAJOR PREMISE: Only Incorruptible Things Made or Provided by God (Source Divine) Can Be in Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:50). Note the wording of 1 Corinthians 15:50:

"Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and BLOOD CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD ; neither doth CORRUP­

TION INHERIT INCORRUPTION." (1 Corinthians 15:50).

The next verses clarify what Paul is saying:

(51) "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED (52a) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, . . . (53b) this MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY." (1 Corinthians 15:51, 52a, 53b)

The teaching here is that HUMAN things, like HUMAN FLESH and HUMAN BLOOD "CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD." This means that NOTHING MERELY HUMAN can go to heaven. Nothing MERELY HUMAN can stand in the presence of a holy, righteous God. There has to be some CHANGES made. If there is "CORRUPTION," (v. 53), it must be CHANGED to "INCORRUPTION." If there is MORTAL, it must be CHANGED to IMMORTALITY. We must be "DRESSED UP" for the occasion. We just can't go to glory dressed in our old clothes of humanity and sin. This is the Divine interpretation of the words in verse 50 "cannot inherit the kingdom of God ." As pointed out clearly above, in section "3, d," Christ 's Blood was "INCORRUPTIBLE." It HAD to be "Divine" as to its Source, or it would have been FORBIDDEN to enter heaven. This very fact that it went to heaven without any transformation or CHANGING of any kind is proof positive that it had to be from a Divine Source and hence "Divine."

(3) MINOR Premise: Christ 's Blood Is in Heaven (Hebrews 12:24, etc.). The book of Hebrews is very clear about the fact that the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ was taken to heaven and was there in heaven when Paul wrote the book. Hebrews 12:22-24 lists EIGHT PERSONS OR THINGS THAT ARE IN HEAVEN. The "Blood of sprinkling" was the eighth item in this list. Notice the list:

(1) "The City of the Living God" is in heaven;

(2) "The heavenly Jerusalem " is in heaven;

(3) "an innumerable company of angels" is in heaven;

(4) "the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in

heaven" is in heaven;

(5) "God the Judge of all" is in heaven;

(6) "The spirits of just men made perfect" are in heaven;

(7) " Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant" is in heaven; and

(8) "The BLOOD OF SPRINKLING, THAT SPEAKETH BETTER THINGS THAN THAT OF ABEL is in heaven."

From the list of things Paul enumerated here--all of which are IN HEAVEN--there can be no doubt whatsoever that "THE BLOOD OF SPRINKLING" (which is the BLOOD OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST) is IN HEAVEN AS WELL!!

(4) Conclusion: Christ 's Blood Is Incorruptible. This is the logical conclusion from the major premise and the minor premise listed above. In logic, this is called a "syllogism." Let me repeat it once more: MAJOR PREMISE: Only incorruptible things made or provided by God (source "Divine") can be in heaven (1 Corinthians 15:50). MINOR PREMISE: Christ 's Blood is in Heaven (Hebrews 12:24, etc.). CONCLUSION: "Therefore, Christ 's Blood is incorruptible and made or provided by God (hence "Divine").

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IV. What Do You Count the Blood? Hebrews 10:29

Now to my last point which is the real point of this whole matter. Let’s take a look at that found in Hebrews 10:29 generally but is referred to from other passages also. As we will see the first commentator I want to look at is once again, John Owen , and again he was quoted by Mr. Burden in the Summer Issue 2002 of The Gist, pg. 6, where once again his statement about the general human nature is referred to as having flesh and blood, but as we take again a closer look specifically at what John Owen “counts that blood as”.

Let’s recap, first of all Owen says the Lord Jesus has flesh and blood, then says he believes that the blood is the blood of God the Father. See ‘The Works of John Owen , Vol. 12, chap. 10, No. 3’ in dealing with Acts 20:28, under the Question, “What dost thou answer to this?” The answer is, and I quote, “For the great conjunction that is between Father and Son, although in essence they are altogether diverse, is the reason why the blood of Christ is called the blood of God the Father himself.” 

The third point John Owen made about the blood was it clearly being in heaven….

The WORKS OF JOHN OWEN VOLUME 1 MEDITATIONS AND DISCOURSES ON THE GLORY OF CHRIST, IN HIS PERSON, OFFICE, AND GRACE : (1.) That very nature itself which he took on him in this world, is exalted into glory. Some under a pretense of great subtlety and accuracy, do deny that he has either flesh or blood in heaven; …. That he has forsaken that flesh and blood which he was made in the womb of the blessed Virgin, -wherein he lived and died, which he offered unto God in sacrifice, and wherein he rose from the dead, -is a Socinian fiction. [And this is a Fundamental article of the Christian faith.]  

The forth point I want us to take a look at concerning John Owen is would he “count the blood sacred?” Well, he did “count it sacred” and he had some other things to say about those that would not “count it sacred”, but would only count it common. See Owens ’ Exposition of Hebrews 8:1-10:39, Vol. 22, under Heb. 13:20. The Greek word for common is the opposite “to anything that is dedicated and consecrated unto God and made sacred”….

“They did no longer esteem it as the blood wherewith the new covenant was sealed, confirmed, established; but as the blood of an ordinary man shed for his crimes, which is common and unholy, not sacred”…. [he further says] “…And there are many degrees of this sin, some doctrinal, some practical; which though they arise not unto the degree here intended, yet are they perilous unto the souls of men…” [he says further]  “…the Socinians will never be able to free themselves from making this blood in some sense a common thing”  [Then referring to I Peter 1:19, Obs. VI.]  “Everything that takes off from a high and glorious esteem of the blood of Christ as “the blood of the covenant,” is a dangerous entrance into apostasy.”

As Owen tells about the last aggravation of this low esteem of this blood is sin and has to do with the nature of the blood, it’s holy!! Not common (shared by all) as Strong’s defines it… “The last aggravation of this sin with respect unto the blood of Christ , is the natural use, and efficacy of it; it is that “wherewith he was sanctified.””

Now let’s see if I got this straight, Owen …

1. 1. Says the Lord Jesus has blood
2. 2. It is the blood of God the Father
3. 3. It’s in heaven                                                                                                                                                                                               
4. -It can be called holy and sacred
5. -It’s a sin and a Socinian heresy to count it the blood of an ordinary man, see also Owen Vol 10, Book 4, Chap. 5, which says that “this sin…to esteem the blood of the covenant….to be as the blood of a man is to do despite to the Spirit of grace.”

 Let’s see what others said about this passage.

 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

 By Marvin R. Vincent , D. D. , Baldwin Professor of Sacred Literature in Union Theological Seminary, New York .

Vol. 4 –The Epistle to the Hebrews, Chapter 10

“The fundamental idea of koino<v is shared by all, public. Out of this grows the idea of not sacred…that Christ ’s blood was counted common, having no more sacred character or specific worth than the blood of any ordinary person. [This is Mr. Burden ’s position, also John MacArthur .]

HEBREWS  -  COMMENTARY BY A. R. FAUSSETT

Hebrews 10:1-39

an unholy thing –literally, “common,” as opposed to “sanctified.” No better than the blood of a common man.

COMMENTARY ON THE NEW TESTAMENT, VOL. 2,  HEBREWS – JUDE  

By Rev. W. B. Godbey , A. M. , Argument 12 Heb. 10:28

“and that instead of His blood possessing saving virtue, it was nothing but common blood, like that which dropped down from the wounds of the two thieves on either side of Him, …and that His blood was simply crimson blood like that of any other man….nothing but “common” human blood, utterly destitute of all saving efficacy, we are certainly at the end of our row, hopelessly doomed to damnation”

THE PULPIT COMMENTARY - HEBREWS CHAPTER 10 (V29, 30) 

It says the meaning about the Lord Jesus Christ’s blood is that it is “more than common, i.  e. ordinary human blood”

MATTHEW HENRY

 Hebrews 10:29

“Men who have seemed before to have the blood of Christ in high esteem may come to account it an unholy thing, no better than the blood of a malefactor, though it was the world’s ransom, and every drop of it of infinite value.”

Note that he says every drop of that blood has an infinite value.

THE BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATOR

HEBREWS CHAPTER 10,  By G. Lawson

3. Yet this sanctifying blood the apostate counts unholy or common. To be common blood may be understood –differs not from the blood of other men. Such as is the blood of a malefactor, guilty and vicious person, and that is impure and unholy blood. So that the apostate, though he had received some kind and measure of sanctification from it, yet ascribed no more virtue and excellency to it than to common blood; denied the sanctifying power of it, nay, did account it unholy.

BUYAN’S PRACTICAL WORKS VOLUME 7

By John Bunyan

Chapter 13, Objections as to past sins answered.

“To count the blood of Christ an unholy thing is to count it no better than the blood of another man” 

Also see,

Donald Guthrie , B. D. , M. Th. , Ph. D. , Formerly  Vice-Principal and Lecturer in New Testament, London Bible College

 In his commentary on Hebrews 10:29,

“It is an extreme case of apostasy which is being envisaged. (ii) In the second place the offender has profaned the blood of the covenant. The Greek expression translated profaned (koinon hēgēsamenos) could be rendered ‘common’ in the sense of treating Christ ’s blood as no different from any other man’s blood.”

 _________________________________________________________________________

Pastor D. A. Waite , Th. D. , Ph. D. , Founder, Director, and President of The Bible For Today and a former President of the Dean Burgon Society

JOHN MACARTHUR 'S HERESY ON CHRIST'S BLOOD- From BFT NEWSREPORT (7/86—11/92) ) p.41-43,

 To those false teachers like John MacArthur and those who follow in his train and justify this false doctrine there will be "certain fearful looking for of judgement which shall devour the adversaries." (Hebrews 10:29) The growing group of so ­called "theologians" (even those coming out and graduating from my own alma mater, (THE DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY) who despise the "REDEMPTIVE BLOOD" of Christ, stating only that it is His "DEATH" that was alone necessary to forgive sin, in my considered opinion, fit right into the frightening and terrifying pronouncement in Hebrews 10:29:

"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?"

4. The Fearful WARNING Implied in Hebrews 10:29 Applied to John MacArthur 's HERESY on the Blood of Christ Does John MacArthur fit into Hebrews 1O:29? Has he, in your mind, (having read this entire booklet up to this point), "counted the BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHEREWITH HE WAS SANCTIFIED AN UNHOLY THING"? I firmly believe that he HAS! I have been preaching the following interpretation for many years now. I was glad to see how closely Kenneth S. Wuest agrees with me on this verse. Though I differ with him on his preference for the Westcott and Hort Greek text, I do agree with his opinion on Hebrews 10:29. The quotation is from his book (written long before MacArthur 's HERESY on this theme) entitled, HEBREWS IN THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT FOR THE ENGLISH READER, pages 185-186:

"Treading under foot the Son of God, is a SIN against God the Father Who gave the Son to become the Sin-offering ( John 3 :16). COUNTING THE BLOOD of the New Testament AN UNHOLY THING, is a SIN against God the Son Who shed His blood. The word 'counted' in the Greek text refers to a CONSCIOUS JUDGMENT RESTING ON DELIBERATE WEIGHING OF THE FACTS. Here it implies a DELIBERATE, CONTEMPTUOUS REJECTION of the Messianic sacrifice of the Son of God. The word, 'UNHOLY' is the translation of KOINOS, the fundamental idea of which is 'SHARED BY ALL, PUBLIC.' From this comes the idea of 'NOT SACRED' that is, 'NOT SET APART FOR GOD'S USE.' The idea here is that THE APOSTATE REGARDED MESSIAH'S BLOOD AS COMMON, HAVING NO MORE SACRED CHARACTER OR SPECIFIC WORTH THAN THE BLOOD OF ANY ORDINARY PERSON."

This is EXACTLY the position taken by HERETIC John MacArthur and his disciples! He has said repeatedly in answer to direct questions as to the nature of Christ 's Blood, that His Blood is no different "than the blood of any ordinary person." He has said repeatedly, in answer to direct questions on the subject, that Christ 's Blood is "only HUMAN BLOOD." He says, in effect, that Christ 's Blood is merely "AN UNHOLY THING" or "COMMON THING," exactly as Wuest has defined "koinos." I said this in California as I was speaking on John MacArthur 's HERESY on the Blood of Christ. It was at a church less than 20 miles from MacArthur 's headquarters. It was at a meeting where MacArthur 's son and other MacArthur fanatics attended and sought to disrupt the meeting. Hebrews 10:29 promises "MUCH SORER PUNISHMENT" for people just like JOHN MACARTHUR who have treated the "BLOOD OF THE COVENANT" as an "UNHOLY THING"! If he is genuinely saved, I wouldn't want to be in John MacArthur 's place at the Judgement Seat of Christ! Would you?

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 To close this thought out let’s look at John Gill, another commentator Mr. Burden quoted in The Gist, Summer Issue 2002, pg 6. John Gill in sermon 39 also says, “To count the blood as no better than the blood of a mere creature is a Socinian heresy”, in his Commentary on Hebrews 10:29, he clarifies that by saying, “counting the blood unholy or common is putting it on the level with the blood at the most of another man”. But in Hebrews 10:4 of his Commentary he says to clarify this in no uncertain terms that this blood “is not the same blood, nor the same kind of blood as the person that has sinned”. And as far as I know the Bible says, “that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”.

  What do you count the blood?

Conclusion

 As I close this article out for now, I have decided that this subject needs to be exhausted and I will continue to research the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and get this information out to all that realize that this is a very significant issue, not one to take lightly.

 This is what Dale Burden counts the blood according to the statement he made in the Summer Issue 2002, pg. 3, of The Gist,

    “The Bible calls the blood of Jesus “precious.” To go beyond that is unwise and leads to other dangerous errors.”

The context of that same verse also calls the blood “incorruptible”, he then claims to go beyond that, may lead to errors?? It is just the opposite. We are never warned in the Bible not to go beyond calling the blood precious, or to count the blood of Jesus more than what it is, but we are clearly warned not to count the blood less than what it is, under penalty of Divine judgment, see Hebrews 10:27-29. That is the whole point of this issue.

 Dale Burden in his Summer Issue 2002 of The Gist, page 1, told of his taking the Lord’s Supper. He said,

“I stared into the cup, thanked Him for shedding that precious blood for me and thought how sad He must be over the current controversy among us over His blood.”

 I just wonder if the cup that Dale Burden was staring into had fermented wine –which would mean it had corruption, or was it pure grape juice which would symbolize the pure, holy, precious, divine, sacred, and incorruptible Blood of God which the Lord Jesus shed. Now there are several other statements that Dale Burden made which I take issue with but this article is long enough but I am going to systematically deal with every one of them over the next months and years if necessary.

Dale Burden made this statement in the Spring Issue 2002, pg. 1, he said, “JESUS’ BLOOD—HUMAN OR DIVINE? The answer to this question is vital to our salvation.”

I agree with him wholeheartedly and even to the loss of that salvation also, which Hebrews Chapter 10 is clearly trying to get our attention on. These people at one time had counted the blood holy, uncommon, not ‘shared by all’, “not public”, but had now changed their minds and were found under the judgment of God, see verses 27, 28, and 29.

 Now, just to answer a few emails received in response to my previous article called, “In Defense of the Divine”.

 Responses and questions—

• “Is the issue concerning the blood of Jesus worth the contention…?” 

 Yes, it is. Although I would not call it ‘contention’ within the faith, as much as I would “contending” for the faith.

 Jude 3, Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

• “It is not an issue of the doctrine of Salvation.”

 Dale Burden believes it is and so do I, and more importantly, so does the writer of Hebrews.

• “I have read both Bro. Burden’s and your article carefully and have come to the conclusion that one of the articles has been written on the basis of brotherly love”

 Proverbs 27:5, Open rebuke is better than secret love.

• “What is there to gain to argue over this issue…..?”

 The purpose is to prevent people from being under the judgment of God.

• My purpose is to reach the lost….My prayer for you is that reaching the lost will again become your #1 priority soon…”

 My Church has never been at a higher average in all 4 services. My prayer meeting on Saturday night has reached a high of 120+, and averages in the 90’s or better. We average 50+ out on Visitation every week, and just last week, 3/10-3/15/03, we had 80 out on Visitation. Our giving was higher in 2002 than any other year in the history of this Church. This issue is making my Church better because of the stand we are taking.

This is all happening in a town of 17,000, so says the City office. If any one would like to find out more about our ministry, please give me a call, 661-758-5906. I would love to tell you more.

• “Some people are confusing the issue of the saving power of the blood of Christ….Leave all curious inquiry about the blood alone”

 I would leave it alone if the Bible did not have such a penalty on what to count the Blood, read these words:

Hebrews 10:26-29

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29Of 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?

• “If Adam did not have a human father then he must have had divine blood also”

 First of all, Adam was the first human that God created, not ‘THE ONLY BEGOTTEN’ Son of God, who had “a prepared body” for the ONLY sacrifice that would redeem all of mankind. There was no divine part in Adam at all and he was not a person of the Trinity. He wasn’t meant to be the Messiah, or Savior. For more on this, refer back to the article under the thought of “a prepared body”.

What Do You Count The Blood, Part I

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