men that are said to be perfected, it is rather the spirits of perfected righteous ones (see

James 2: 22), but of this we hope to speak when considering The Hope and the Prize.

Coming back to the 1st Epistle of Peter, and remembering the teaching of Hebrews,

we understand the meaning of the passage, "unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood

of Jesus Christ", so far as the reference to sprinkling is concerned. The real teaching of

I Peter seems to have been much confused, particularly the special aspect, "the end of

your faith, even the salvation of your souls", but of this we shall be able to speak more

clearly when considering The Hope and the Prize as referred to above. The redemption,

likewise, by the precious blood of Christ, spoken of in I Pet. 1: 18, 19, is nearly always

quoted with reference to sin and sinners in general which, while being a truth, is not the

teaching of  I Pet. 1: 18, 19; there the redemption is "from your vain conversation

(foolish manner of life), received by tradition from your fathers". This redemption is a

deliverance from Judaism and tradition. The theme is developed in the second chapter,

where the Apostle, speaking of the remnant of Israel who believed and who were called

to be a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, says, "unto you therefore which believe is

the preciousness", the preciousness of the blood (2: 7), and of the rejected foundation

stone (2: 4).

John in his first epistle refers to the blood of Christ. First as that which cleanseth from

all sin while walking in the light of God's presence. What the sprinkling of the blood

before the vail, upon the altar, and upon the vestments and vessels meant in type, the

blood of Christ means in reality (I John 1: 7). The reference in I John 5: 6 is personal to

Christ Himself. It is a context where the great theme is "the witness of God concerning

His Son" (5: 9). The Apostle has before him the Gnostic heresy, the spirit of Antichrist

which denied the Father and the Son. Against the teaching that upon a man, Jesus,

descended the Christ at baptism, but which left him before crucifixion, the Apostle John

writes in I John 5: 6-8:--

Not merely the unity of their agreement, but the very case in point, the unity of the

Person of Christ. He was Jesus the Christ before baptism, and after the crucifixion--the

threefold witness is unto the unity. There remains only four references in the book of

Revelation.  Chapters 1: 5, 5: 9 and 7: 14 speak of being "loosed from sins",

"redeemed" and "made white" by the blood of Christ. 12: 11 speaks of overcoming

by the blood of the Lamb.

It will be seen that no passage speaks of the blood of Christ in the universal terms of

I Cor. 15: 22. Within the grand circumference of the death of Christ as seen over against

the death brought in by Adam there are circles, higher in blessing, though narrower in

scope.  The forgiveness, peace, justification by faith, access as true worshippers,

cleansing, the dedication of a new covenant, the deliverance from the vain traditions of

Judaism, the power to overcome even in the time of greatest persecution, these are the

themes connected with the blood of Christ. While we rejoice to know that the Lord Jesus