Nothing But the Blood

“But the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” —Leviticus 17:11, NIV.

Written by Robert Lowry and published in 1876, what follows is one of the Gospel songs, once so often sung in our churches and evangelistic campaigns, that expresses the meaning of this verse in Leviticus.

What can wash away my sins?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

What can make me whole again?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus:

Oh! precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow;

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon, this I see,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

For my cleansing this my plea,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Nothing can for sin atone

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

Naught of good that I have done,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my hope and peace,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

This is all my righteousness

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Now by this I’ll overcome—

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

Now by this I’ll reach my home—

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Glory! Glory! This I sing—

Nothing but the blood of Jesus,

All my praise for this I bring—

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

I remember the many times we sang this song and the many times I groaned inwardly about the endless repeating of “Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” But when I think of it, that phrase is worthy to be etched into some unalterable part of my mind and heart. I need to be constantly reminded of it because the human tendency is to deceive myself into thinking that there is some virtue in me that brings me under God’s benevolent eye.

There isn’t.

Indeed, nothing but the blood of Jesus was enough to wash away my, our, sin and make us whole. We echo Paul’s words of praise: “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” —Galatians 6:14, NIV.