There Is Power in the Blood
Words: Lewis Edgar Jones (b. Feb. 8, 1865; d. Sept. 1, 1936)
Music: Lewis Edgar Jones
Note: This gospel song is sometimes called simply Power in the Blood. Mr. Jones wrote both words and music for it in 1899, while he was attending a camp meeting in Maryland. The tune is very singable. It seems to lend itself to speed, and a heavy beat (as with the version here). But my own preference is to slow it down and smooth it out. After all, we’re singing of the agonies of the cross, God’s provision for the evils of our sin, and the ugly passion of pride.
(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)
The shed blood of Christ represents His death. To say Jesus shed His blood is to say that He died. Yet the one is not replaceable by the other–as some Bible translators and hymn writers suppose. The shed blood of the innocent sacrifice is important to the unfolding of the Bible’s message. “The life of the flesh is in the blood,” and “it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul [i.e. the life of the individual]” (Lev. 17:11). “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission [no forgiveness of sins]” (Heb. 9:22). Not surprisingly, therefore, Peter speaks of “the precious blood of Christ” (I Pet. 1:19).
For those who put their faith in the Saviour, here are just a few of the things accomplished by the blood of Christ, shed upon the cross of Calvary (Jn. 19:34):
¤ We find God is “propitiated,” meaning His justice is satisfied by the payment made by His Son (Rom. 3:25; cf. I Cor. 5:7)
¤ We are redeemed, and forgiven of our sins (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Rev. 5:9)
¤ We belong to Christ, not only by His right as Creator, but by the right of purchase (Acts 20:28; cf. I Cor. 6:19-20)
¤ We receive initial cleansing when we’re saved (Rev. 1:5)
¤ We have continued cleansing available when we sin, as we confess our sins to God (I Jn. 1:7, 9)
¤ We are justified, pronounced righteous by a holy God (Rom. 5:9)
¤ We have peace with God (Col. 1:20; cf. Rom. 5:1)
¤ We have immediate access to God in prayer (Eph. 2:13; Heb. 10:19; cf. Heb. 4:14-16)
¤ We are sanctified, set apart for God as His own special treasure (Heb. 13:11; cf. Eph. 1:18)
¤ We have victory over Satan and all the forces of evil (Rev. 12:11; cf. Heb. 2:14)
Nor will these wonderful truths be lost and forgotten in eternity. The Lord Jesus Christ is called God’s “Lamb” twenty-seven times in the book of Revelation. It is a title that points us right back to His sacrifice for sin. “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain” (Rev. 5:12; cf. Jn. 1:29).
(1) Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood;
Would you o’er evil a victory win?
There’s wonderful power in the blood.
There is power, power, wonder working power
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is power, power, wonder working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb.
(2) Would you be free from your passion and pride?
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood;
Come for a cleansing to Calvary’s tide;
There’s wonderful power in the blood.
Questions:
- Does your church seem to shy away from hymns about the shed blood of Christ? (If so, why?)
- What other hymns about the blood of Christ do you know and use? (The Cyber Hymnal includes over a hundred of them in a topical list, here.)
Links:
- 8 February 1865 – Lewis Jones Born
- There Is Power In The Blood (The Cyber Hymnal)