The Continued Blessing of His Blood
So far, we have looked at the claim that Jesus died only for the world, not for the church, and the validity of that claim if it is extended to suggest that Jesus’ death has relevance only for the world and sinners, not the church. Although, in the strict sense of salvation (i.e., to be born again), Scripture confirms that Jesus died for sinners (1 Timothy 1:15; Luke 5:32), we have also seen that it is scripturally inaccurate to claim or suggest that Jesus’ death has no relevance for those who are already born again. Not only are our purchase price as a church, our identity as priests and kings, our sanctification, and the blessing we have to overcome the devil directly associated with the blood or death of Jesus (Revelation 5:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:20; Revelation 12:11; Hebrews 10:10), but the continued blessing to receive forgiveness is also specifically related to the blood of Jesus, which resulted from His death.
1 John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.” This is written to the church, not to the world or to sinners, as we shall see in this study. Here, the church is told that our forgiveness of sins is directly linked to the death of Jesus, which resulted in His blood being shed. The text does not say the blood of Jesus CLEANSED us from our sins as an action completed once in the past; rather, it says the blood of Jesus CLEANSES us, His church, from our sins if we walk in the light. That is a present and continual act. How then can anyone say that the death of Jesus is not relevant for the church? Ephesians 1:7 also says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” So, we can see a dual action of Jesus’ death here: to redeem us when we were still in sin, and after we have been saved, to make possible the forgiveness of our sins through His blood (Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 1:7). To claim His death does not benefit the church is to claim that God’s church does not need forgiveness, and that is an error.
The church is admonished and instructed: “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9). James affirms this, telling the church, “we all sin in many ways” (James 3:12), and calls the church to repentance (James 4:4-8). Paul also admonishes the church that sin can defile our flesh and even our born-again spirits (2 Corinthians 6:18-7:1), and Scripture gives this warning to the church: those who remain unclean and make a practice of sin will be cast out from God’s kingdom (Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 1:1; Revelation 22:15). But God has provided a way out for us if we stumble. 1 John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all our unrighteousness. This cleansing that comes when we confess our sins is a result of the blood of Jesus, which resulted from His death. Not only are we to confess our sins to receive His forgiveness, but we are also called to repent, to turn away from practicing sin, and to bear fruit in keeping with repentance (cf. 1 John 1:9; Galatians 5:19-21; Acts 26:20; Matthew 3:8). These go hand in hand, and the basis of the blessing of forgiveness we receive from God as His church is His blood, His death.
Some attempt to undermine the warnings and solution God gives His church concerning sin by claiming that we do not confess our sins in order to receive God’s forgiveness, but because all our sins have already been forgiven, and that 1 John 1:9 was not written to the church but to unbelievers, sinners. However, these claims are sharply refuted by John in his own writing, and Scripture as a whole also debunks them. But here is a serious question worth pondering: to what extent are we willing to go to reject the very way God has given us to receive His forgiveness and be cleansed from all our unrighteousness? Jesus Himself told His church that those who do not overcome will have their names blotted out from the book of life (cf. Revelation 3:5; Matthew 24:13). To what extent are we willing to be deceived in order to continue in sin, when the church has been warned multiple times that those who continue in sin without repentance will be cast away from God’s kingdom (cf. Hebrews 10:25-31; Galatians 5:19-21)? We will address these claims in the next post.
Kwadwo Omari, PhD
July 7, 2026