Articles
JESUS, THE BLOOD AND THE BRIDGE
God’s plan of salvation is complete in Scripture and we can be assured that we have all
we need (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
When we sin (Romans 3:23), we’re separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2) and we become
His enemy (Romans 5:10). There’s nothing we can do to return to God on our own (Romans
3:10-12).
“O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his
own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23, NKJV).
By God’s grace through faith, we have a solution (Hebrews 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-9). The
Father sent His Son to die for our sins (John 3:16; Romans 5:6) and we have a way back to God
that we would never have on our own.
“God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).
God can’t coexist with evil and therefore we must be completely clean spiritually when
we enter His presence. God prepared us for that truth through the Old Testament (Leviticus 16:1-
4; Exodus 19:9-11).
We must be cleansed by being born of water (Acts 2:38) and added to the body of Christ,
the church (Acts 2:47; Ephesians 1:22-23). In baptism, our sins are washed away by the blood of
Christ (Acts 22:16; 1 John 1:7).
With that blood on our souls, Christ leads us to the Father’s throne. We’re hopeless to get
there any other way. Christ’s cross becomes the bridge that provides access to God. With the
blood of Christ on our souls and the way of the cross before us, we can reach God’s glory (1
John 1:7).
Without Jesus, the blood and the bridge, salvation is impossible. Only by submitting to
God and following His plan can we hope to be freed from the bondage of sin.
Richard Mansell
via Harrisburg church of Christ,
Harrisburg, IL
The gospel of salvation is just too simple! I am convinced that the reason more
individuals do not obey the Lord, is not because of a “difficult to understand” reason, but simply,
“I don’t want to what God says to do!” ~P. Mowrer
