Isaiah wrote, “But He was wounded for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). In the New King James Version, the word wounded has a notation that says, “pierced through.” Keep this word “pierced” in your thoughts.
John 19 records the trial, condemnation and crucifixion of Jesus—the Christ. After being nailed to the cross between the two malefactors, the Lord hung suspended for a period of some six hours. His last words recorded by John were, “It is finished.” Read with me John 19:33-37.
Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for the Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen this testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled. “Not one of His bones should be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”
Now notice with me that Isaiah said this One would be “wounded.” The note reference says “pierced.” John said that Jesus was already dead when the Roman soldier “pierced” Him. He then adds another passage that says they would look on Him whom they pierced. John’s record definitely states that Jesus was already dead when His side was pierced, and when it was pierced that both blood and water came forth out of His body. It is important to notice here that His blood was shed in His death. Why is this point of inspired Scripture so important? Paul stated in Romans 6:1-7, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?”
From these passages we learn that when the One who was to be our Savior would be pierced that it would be for the transgressions of man. Jesus was crucified and died on the cross. After His death, while still on the cross, His body was pierced, and out came blood and water. Paul stated that when one is baptized into Christ, he is baptized into His death. Why His death? Simply because it was in His death that He shed His blood, and being baptized into His death we contact His cleansing blood.
Is there any other place in all of the Bible where we are told how and/or when we contact the blood by which we are saved? This writer knows of no such place. Time and time again the Scriptures tell us that one is saved only by the blood of Christ. One is never told that he is saved by “faith alone,” by “saying the sinner’s prayer” or by anything else other than the blood of Christ. Again, in Romans 6:3-4, we are told that one is baptized into His death, where His blood was shed.
Notice two more passages of Scripture. “But God be thanked that though you were the slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18). “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Have you, my friend, been baptized into Christ, into His death, and then raised up out of the water of baptism as a new creation of Christ Jesus? If not, then you are still laden down with every sin you have ever committed. Won’t you please search these and other Scriptures. Then, obey them and be made anew in Christ Jesus.
