Glossary of Images and Related Explanations in the Revelation:

What Does it Mean to Be
Washed in the Blood of the Lamb?

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, there are references to washing, to blood, and to the blood of the Lamb.  Most of these scriptures point to the same things.  These scriptures have been included below to help you understand what this means.

  • Who is The Lamb?

New American Standard Version of the BibleJohn 1:29 -- "The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"  (NAS)

John 1:36 -- "...and he looked upon Jesus as He walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!"  (NAS)

Isaiah 53:6-7  -- "All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.  He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth."  (NAS)

Note:  Isaiah 53 is prophecy about the suffering of Jesus on the cross and how God caused our sins to fall on Him -- He bore our sins on the cross.

Acts 8:32-36 -- "Now the passage of Scripture which he (the Ethiopian eunuch) was reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He does not open His mouth.  In humiliation His judgment was taken away; who shall relate His generation? For His life is removed from the earth."  And the eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please tell me of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?"  And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.  And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?"  (NAS)

1 Peter 1:18-19 -- "...knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ."  (NAS)
 

  • What is the Significance of the Lamb and the Lamb's Blood?

    • Forgiveness of sins, saved from the wrath of God, reconciled back to God:

      New American Standard Version of the BibleJohn 1:29 -- "...he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"  (NAS)

      Hebrews 9:22 -- "And according to the Law, one may almost say all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."  (NAS)

      Romans 5:8-10 -- "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."  (NAS)

      Colossians 1:19-20 -- "For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fulness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say whether things on earth or things in heaven."  (NAS)

      Hebrews 13:12 -- "Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate."  (NAS)
       

    • Jesus was offered as a sacrifice one time for all, He bore our sins on the cross, He paid the price for our sin:

      New American Standard Version of the BibleHebrews 9:27-28 -- "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him." (NAS)

      1 Peter 2:21-25 -- "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;  and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.  For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." (NAS)

      Revelation 1:5 -- "...and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood..."  (NAS)
       

    • With His blood He purchased His church:

      New American Standard Version of the BibleActs 20:28 -- "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."  (NAS)
       

    • With the shedding of Jesus' blood, we now have a New Covenant with God (not like the law of Moses):

      New American Standard Version of the BibleHebrews 9:13-18 -- "For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.  For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it.  For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives.  Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood."  (NAS)
       

    • Being "In Christ" or "In Him" to have redemption...the forgiveness of sins: 

      New American Standard Version of the BibleEphesians 1:7 -- "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace..."  (NAS)

      Ephesians 2:13 -- "But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."  (NAS)

       

  • How are the Lamb's Blood and Washing Connected?
     

    • Those in the church were cleansed by the washing of water with the word and the Spirit 

      New American Standard Version of the BibleEphesians 5:25-27 -- "...just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless."  (NAS) 

      Titus 3:5-7 -- "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration* and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."  (NAS)

      * Note: regeneration means to be "born again"

      John 3:3-5 -- "Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."  Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"  Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."  (NAS)

       

  • New Testament examples of the washing of water and the connection to Jesus' blood, His death and forgiveness of sins:

New American Standard Version of the BibleRomans 6:3-7 -- "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized* into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?  Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.  For if we have become united with {Him} in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin."  (NAS)

* From the Greek word "baptizo" meaning to immerse or dip. 

Colossians 2:12 -- "...having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."  (NAS)

Acts 22:16 -- "And now why do you delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name."  (Instructions given to Paul -- later to become an apostle -- after Jesus had appeared to him on the road and after Paul had spent three days in prayer and fasting --NAS)

Mark 16:15-16 -- "And He (Jesus) said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.  He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned."  (NAS)

Acts 2:38-41 -- "And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself.  And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!  So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls."  (NAS)

Acts 8:32-39 -- "Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He does not open His mouth.  In humiliation His judgment was taken away; who shall relate His generation? For His life is removed from the earth.  And the eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please tell me of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?"  And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.  And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?"  And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."  And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch; and he baptized him.  And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing."  (NAS)

For other examples, click here.

  • How can our robes be washed in the blood of the Lamb, but yet we come out clothed in white?

New American Standard Version of the BibleIsaiah 1:18 -- "Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool."  (NAS)

Galatians 3:27-29 -- "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."  (NAS)

  • Once a person becomes a Christian, being clothed with Christ through baptism, how does that Christian get continued cleansing through the blood of Christ?
     

New American Standard Version of the BibleI John 1:7 -- "...but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."  (NAS)

What do you think?  Is this what it means to be washed in the blood of the Lamb? 

Please study these scriptures carefully and decide for yourself.

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