At the heart of the Bible is one clear message, God redeems humankind through the blood sacrifice, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

On December 31, 1995, Dr. W.A. Criswell, then Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas delivered a concise message entitled, “The Scarlet Thread Through the Bible.” The title of his message is the inspiration for what I am writing here. I do, however, begin this with the same verse of Scripture Dr. Criswell utilized.

In Leviticus 17:11 we discover “the life of a creature is in the blood.” The book communicates to us that God’s people must receive God’s redemption followed by obedience to His teaching to be worthy of Him.

From Genesis 22:1-2 we read this, “Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” NSB.

The shedding of animal blood in the Old Testament is a sacrificial atonement for our sins and this was but a temporary demonstration of our faith in God’s plan for redemption. This was necessary until the coming of Christ, ”The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29. Because “But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23. Jesus paid the great price of salvation for forgiveness and reconciliation that has been paid by the Creator Himself, becoming man and taking all our sins upon Himself.

 In the New Testament we read about the blood sacrifices becoming obsolete because of Christ’s death and resurrection, “But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Hebrews 9:24-28. And after three days He was “raised again, “but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. Romans 4:24-25-25.

God provided redemption through the blood of Jesus and then the end will come, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.” Revelation 21:1-6.

There is but one way to fix everything that has gone wrong in our broken world.We must understand God’s redemptive story found in the Bible for here God has revealed to told us the only solution. Just as Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:1-6.

If are to know His story of redemption we must begin in Genesis and end in Revelation. There is no other solution.

Jesus is the Answer, Jesus is Lord.