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Octavius Winslow, 1856 (edited for
today's reader by Larry E. Wilson, 2010)
Bible Verse
"The church of God, which he obtained with his own blood" (Acts 20:28).
Devotional
God obtained the church "with his own blood." The Deity of the Son of God imparted a Divine vitality and value to the blood which flowed from his human nature. The mysterious union was so close and intimate that while the Deity effected the atonement by the humanity, the humanity derived all its power and virtue to atone from the Deity. There was Deity in the blood of Jesus—a Divine vitality which stamped its infinite value, dignity, and virtue.
Observe how strikingly the Holy Spirit couples these two truths—the Deity of Jesus and the atonement of Jesus—"He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins..." (Heb. 1:3). Here are brought out in the strongest light, and in the most beautiful and intimate relation, Deity and atonement.
It is not so much that our Lord was the Priest as that he was the Sacrifice—not so much that he was the Offerer as that he was the Offering—in which consisted the value of his blood.
"The Son of God ... loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). "He offered up himself" (Heb. 7:27). What did he offer in offering up himself? He offered up his life—his twofold life. There was on Calvary the sacrifice of the Deity with the humanity. The Deity did not suffer, for it is incapable of suffering, nor did it die, for essential life cannot die. But the Deity with the humanity constituted the single offering that has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Heb. 10:14).
As profoundly and awfully mysterious as this truth is, faith can receive it. It towers far above my reason, and yet it does not contradict my reason. While it transcends and baffles it, it does not oppose nor supersede it.
Christian reader, the blood upon which you depend for your salvation is not ordinary blood—the blood of a mere human being, however pure, however sinless. No, it is the blood of the incarnate God, God "manifested in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16). It is the blood of him who is Essential Life—"the Fountain of Life" (Ps. 36:9; Rev. 22:1), "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25).
It is because of the Divine life of Jesus that his atoning blood has its vitality. Oh, that is a Divine principle that vivifies the blood of Christ! This is what makes it sacrificial, expiatory, and cleansing. This is what enables it to prevail with God's justice for pardon and acceptance. This is what renders it so efficacious that one drop of it falling upon a conscience crushed beneath the weight of sin will melt that mountain of guilt and lift that soul to God.
Hold fast the confidence of your faith in the essential Deity of the Son of God, for this it is which gives to his Atonement all its glory, dignity, and virtue.
Of the Father's love begotten,
ere the worlds began to be,
he is Alpha and Omega,
he the source, the ending he,
of the things that are, that have been,
and that future years shall see,
evermore and evermore!
At his Word the worlds were framèd;
he commanded; it was done:
heaven and earth and depths of ocean
in their threefold order one;
all that grows beneath the shining
of the moon and burning sun,
evermore and evermore!
He is found in human fashion,
death and sorrow here to know,
that the race of Adam's children
doomed by law to endless woe,
may not henceforth die and perish
in the dreadful gulf below,
evermore and evermore!
O that birth forever blessèd,
when the virgin, full of grace,
by the Holy Ghost conceiving,
bare the Savior of our race;
and the babe, the world's Redeemer,
first revealed his sacred face,
evermore and evermore!
This is he whom seers in old time
chanted of with one accord;
whom the Scriptures of the prophets
promised in their faithful word;
now he shines, the long expected,
let creation praise its Lord,
evermore and evermore!
O ye heights of heaven adore him;
angel hosts, his praises sing;
powers, dominions, bow before him,
and extol our God and King!
let no tongue on earth be silent,
every voice in concert sing,
evermore and evermore!
Righteous judge of souls departed,
righteous King of them that live,
on the Father's throne exalted
none in might with thee may strive;
who at last in vengeance coming
sinners from thy face shalt drive,
evermore and evermore!
Thee let old men, thee let young men,
thee let boys in chorus sing;
matrons, virgins, little maidens,
with glad voices answering:
let their guileless songs re-echo,
and the heart its music bring,
evermore and evermore!
Christ, to thee with God the Father,
and, O Holy Ghost, to thee,
hymn and chant with high thanksgiving,
and unwearied praises be:
honor, glory, and dominion,
and eternal victory,
evermore and evermore!
(Aurelius Prudentius, 5th century; tr. by John Mason Neale, 1854, and Henry W. Baker, 1859)
Be sure to read the Preface by Octavius Winslow and A Note from the Editor by Larry E. Wilson.
Larry Wilson is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition to having served as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education of the OPC (2000–2004) and having written a number of articles and booklets (such as God's Words for Worship and Why Does the OPC Baptize Infants) for New Horizons and elsewhere, he has pastored OPC churches in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. We are grateful to him for his editing of Morning Thoughts, the OPC Daily Devotional for 2011.
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