Full Gospel Church / Wayne Parks Ministries

fullgospelchurch.us - wayneparks.com


Question:

Where do we get the phrase "plead the Blood"? Is it Scriptural or did someone make it up?

The term "plead the Blood" is like many other doctrines that have developed in the Church. They are not specifically stated in some chapter or verse, but have been accepted as being implied or understood from the Scriptures. For example, "Bible" is not in the Scriptures, but the word accurately describes the collections of Scriptural books that we call the Bible. "Millennium" is not in the Scriptures, but Revelation speaks of Jesus and the saints ruling for 1000 years (that is, for a millennium). "Trinity" is not in the Scriptures, but it is the label that defines together the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and the one-God-three-Person nature of the Godhead. Other terms and doctrines too have developed in the same way--not being stated in the Bible but being understood from studying the Bible.

Of course, once you start developing doctrines, you can get into problems and issues of accuracy of interpretation. That is why we have Christian colleges and universities, to help develop scholars who can get at the subtleties of the Scriptures and help us learn the depths of God's Wisdom. It is NOT an easy road, and sometimes well meaning, highly-trained educators and scholars miss the mark.

Regarding the phrase "plead the Blood", it is a doctrine that has developed from those who study the Scriptures, and is not directly spelled out in any set of verses. But the idea is based on a Scriptural concept. That concept is COVENANT. Covenant in both the OT and the NT is established by the spilling of Blood. The covenant between Abraham and God was with the spilling of the blood of an animal. When David and Jonathan cut covenant, they spilled the blood of an animal. When Jesus established the final and everlasting New Covenant for all those who receive Him as Savior and Lord, he spilled his own Blood once for all. Hebrews 9:12 says, "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." So the idea of "pleading the Blood" in correct use is calling God into remembrance of the New Covenant that we have with Him through the spilled Blood of Jesus Christ. In spiritual warfare--in deep prayer intercession--recalling the Covenant relationship with God has a power effect on the success of our prayers. We use the Name of Jesus, the Mediator of this New Covenant; for His Name is above every other and is our authority on the use of our Covenant with God. And many use the phrase "plead the Blood"; for we have a covenant with God that has powerful benefits.

There has been some foolish misunderstanding and abuse by some people because of ignorance. They use the phrase almost like some kind of spell against the devil or against trouble, but it totally misses the point. One is calling on the obligation that God has with those who are in covenant with Him through Jesus Christ.

Rev. Pat Reynolds
Wayne Parks Ministries

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