Blood-Vital for Life -BLOOD AND TRUE CHRISTIANS

Where does Christianity stand on the question of saving human life with blood?Jesus was a man of integrity, which is why he is so highly regarded.  He knew that the Creator said that taking in blood was wrong and that this law was binding. Hence, there is good reason to believe that Jesus would uphold the law about blood even if he was under pressure to do otherwise.  Jesus "did no wrong, [and] no treachery was found on his lips."  (1 Peter  2:22, Knox) He thus set a pattern for his followers, including a pattern of respect for his life and blood.  (We will consider how Jesus' own blood is involved in this vital matter affecting your life) 

Note what happened when years after Jesus' death, a question arose about whether someone becoming a Christian had to keep all of Israel's laws. This was discussed at a council of the Christian governing body, which included the apostles.  Jesus' half brother James referred to in writings containing the commands about blood stated to Noah and to the nation of Israel. Would such be binding on Christians?

That council sent their decision to all congregations: Christians need not keep the code given to Moses, but it is "necessary" for them  to "keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled [unbled meat] and from fornication."  (15:22-29)  The apostles were not presenting a mere ritual or dietary ordinance. The  decree set  out fundamental ethical norms, which early Christian complied with.  About a decade later,  they acknowledged  that they should still "keep themselves from what is sacrificed to idols as well as from blood-and from fornication."- Acts 21:25.

You know that millions of people attend churches.  Most of them would probably agree that Christian ethics involve not giving worship to idols and not sharing in gross immorality. However, it is worth our noting that the apostles put avoiding blood on the same high moral level as avoiding these wrongs.  Their decree concluded:  "If you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper.  God health to you!" - Acts 15:29. 

The apostle decree was long understood as binding. Eusebius tells of a young woman near the end of the second century who, before dying under torture, made the point that Christians "are not allowed to eat the blood of irrational animals."  She was not exercising a right to die.  She want to live, but she would not compromise her principles. Do you not respect those who put principle above personal gain?  Scientist Joseph Priestley concluded:  "The prohibition to eat blood, given to Noah, seems to be obligatory on all his posterity.  If we intercept [the] prohibition of the apostles by the practice of the primitive Christians, who can hardly be supposed not to have rightly understood the nature and extent of it, we cannot but conclude, that it was intended not to have rightly understood the nature and extent of it, we cannot but conclude, that it was intended to be absolute and perpetual; for blood was not eaten by any Christians for many centuries."

Next time: Blood-Vital for Life - WHAT OF USING BLOOD FOR MEDICINE?

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