|
Years after Jesus died, there was a question as to whether Christ required his followers to keep the ancient laws of Moses. The Bible talks of 'certain men' teaching the brothers, that without the rules of Moses there is no salvation. Acts 15:1. These men may have been Pharisees because in Acts 15:5 it says that 'some of the Pharisees, who where of faith' said it was necessary to keep the law of Moses.
After much discussion, the Apostles and Pharisees, decided that most of the laws of Moses were not required. However Christians should 'keep from things offered to false gods, and from blood, and from things put to death in ways which are against the law, and from the evil desires of the body'. Acts 15:29. It's best to read the entire chapter to get a clear understanding of what was happening in the early Christian congregation. Some translations of the Bible say 'abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood'
Interestingly the Bible seems to imply that Christians didn't feel the need to keep the law. However the Pharisees who became followers after Jesus died disagreed. They were teaching that the law of Moses was required for salvation. This is not a big surprise since the Pharisees were big on keeping the law of Moses. Jesus and the Pharisees butted heads on many ocaissions. Jesus warned his followers about the leaven of the Pharisees. Mark 8:15
In Acts 15:11 Peter says 'we have faith that we will get salvation through the grace of the Lord Jesus' indicating that working for salvation by keeping the law was not required by Jesus. However in the end, to keep everyone happy, concessions were made and one of them was that Christians should abstain from blood.
True Christians would not consider decisions made years after Jesus died as binding, - especially doctrines decided upon by the disciples, the Apostles, and the Pharisees. True Christians do not follow the Apostles, the Pharisees, or the early Christian congregation. Jesus is a Christian's only authority. Matthew 28:18. If Jesus didn't say it, then it's not a requirement for salvation.
The fact that followers of Jesus and Pharisees had to make a decision on whether keeping the law or part of it was required for salvation tells us that Jesus did not require obedience to the law. It was the Pharisees who believed the law was a requirement. That being said, Jesus may have kept some of the traditions and holidays the Jews celebrated. There is no indications that he didn't. However his focus was teaching God's love. We are saved by the grace of God. Eternal life is a gift. One cannot earn everlasting life by keeping strict rules and regulations.
Does the Bible Say I Can't Have A Blood Transfusion?
The Bible is silent on blood transfusions because this technology didn't exist when the Bible is written. Therefore any prohibitions on having blood transfusions in adding to the words of Jesus. The Bible says that anyone who runs ahead of Jesus does not have God. 2 John 1:9
What Does The Bible Mean When It Says, 'Abstain From Blood'?
It's impossible for us to live without blood. Therefore we can't 'abstain from blood'. By following the Bible's instructions literally, we would be required to drain all the blood out of our body in order to abstain from blood. Is that what the Bible meant? Of course not! The Bible was talking about eating blood when it said to 'abstain' from it. The Bible doesn't tell everyone to commit suicide.
Other than eating blood, it is not possible 'abstain from blood' in our body. We need blood to live. Without it we'd be dead. If we lose blood in an accident or during surgery, it make sense to put it back where it belongs. In ancient times that was impossible. Today it is.
Should I Refuse Blood Transfusions?
There are several ways of looking at it. One way is that blood transfusions put blood in our body in the same way eating does. While it does put blood in our body, the argument is flawed. There is a difference between eating something and injecting it into our veins. Blood is essential for life. It belongs in our veins. We honor God's gift of life when we take care of the life he gave us. If we have the tools to save a life with blood transfusions, certainly a God of love would want us to choose life.
It's true that if a doctor tells you to abstain from drinking alcohol you shouldn't inject it into your veins. However alcohol is not essential for life. It doesn't belong in your veins and arteries. Blood does.
There are a lot of liquids we can drink. Even though plain water, milk, orange juice, and soda might be harmless in our stomach, they won't work in our veins. The Bible had it right. Blood doesn't go in your mouth. Food goes in our mouth. Blood goes in our veins.
Another way to look at it is that Jesus brought with him a new understanding that made the law of Moses unnecessary. Instead of keeping the law we should be focused on our love for one another.
- The Pharisees criticized Jesus for healing people on the Sabbath. Working on the Sabbath was a violation of God's law to Moses. Jesus saw nothing wrong with doing good deeds on the Sabbath. Luke 13:14-17 The same principle Jesus taught us could be applied to blood transfusions.
If Jesus were alive today he might say this. 'Yes, go ahead and drain the blood out of the animals you're going to eat. Don't eat blood as part of your diet on a daily basis. It's probably not healthy. But there's nothing wrong with blood transfusions to save a live in an emergency situation. I healed people on the Sabbath. I raised people from the dead because I love people and I love human life. You should follow my example.'
God wants us to have the required amount of blood in your body at all times. He created us with blood and it's essential for life. He doesn't want you to 'abstain' from having blood in your body. God never intended us to live in our physical form without blood.
Today modern medicine is able to save lives by putting lost blood back into our body when we lose it. We can use someone else's blood. Or to avoid the risk of disease, we can donate small amounts of our own blood over time so that it's available for emergencies when we need it.
Are Blood Transfusions Wrong?
Jesus didn't say there is anything wrong with saving a life, healing people, and even raising people from the dead. Instead of being focused on rules and regulations like the Pharisees were, Jesus brought us a new understanding. He had compassion for people. We should follow his example. We should love people and do what we can to preserve human life. It's what Jesus would have done.
There is a big difference between choosing to eat blood on a regular basis and having a blood transfusion in an emergency situation to save a life.
Blood Transfusions. What Are The Risks?
Yes there is a risk of blood being contaminated, but the risk of dying is far greater than the risk of catching a disease. Also if a person is concerned about risks, they could donate their own blood over a period of time, so that it's available for necessary medical procedures and emergencies.
Why Can't Jehovah's Witnesses Take Blood?
Jehovah's Witnesses can't have blood transfusions because they have been told for decades that it's wrong. They do no not want to break Jehovah's law. They believe that if they try to save their life by breaking God's law, they may lose out on everlasting life. On the other hand, if they are faithful they may lose this life, but gain life everlasting.
Unfortunately, critics say their interpretation of the Bible is twisted, flawed, and dangerous. They are following an ancient law given to Moses, instead of the law of love given to us through Jesus. Matthew 28:18. Instead of trying to harmonize the entire Bible, Jehovah's Witnesses would do well if they focused on the basics. Salvation is simple. It's a free gift. Following the rules like the Pharisees did, is not what God requires. There's nothing we can do to earn eternal life. All we need to do is accept God's love, feel it in our hearts, and share it with others.
Sometimes less is more. In the case of blood transfusions this is very true. True Christians do not need the entire Bible for salvation. They don't need complicated rules and doctrines. All we need are the words of Jesus. He has the words of eternal life. John 6:67,68.
|
