*The following is a partial transcript of The Royal Family Podcast Season 2 Episode 12. You can listen to this podcast on The Light Network’s website or in iTunes.*

Last week, as she was attending a state event, everyone’s favorite Duchess was dressed to the nines, her stunning ensemble complete with a gorgeous tiara. Mostly, though, people were talking about the beautiful Jenny Packham gown that Princess Kate was wearing. It was a gorgeous, cap-sleeved red dress with a scoop neck; perfectly fitting for royalty. Perfect, mostly because of the color. The deep, rich red served as a perfect complement to the Chinese flag…and as this was a very important dinner between the Queen and the Chinese president, it was a spectacular and well-thought out choice. Not to mention, red has quite a significance in China, as most of the country’s residents believe it means good fortune. This dress had a message, and it’s message was in the color.

In a similar way, Christians know that the color red holds a deep significance as well. Red is the color of our Savior’s precious blood that was spilt for us. Red is the color of sacrifice. Red is the color of our debt being paid. Red is the color of salvation.

Here are a flurry of verses that speak to the significance of blood. The Bible is its own best commentary, and so why not let the Spirit guide us into a deeper understanding and appreciation of the color red, and all that it has done for us.

Ephesians 1:7 –  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

Colossians 1:13-14 –  He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,  in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:19 – 22 –  For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—

Hebrews 9:11-14  – But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh,  how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

1 John 1:7 – But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Revelation 1:4-6 – John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

We are the priesthood of God, members of His royal family, only because of the blood of Jesus Christ the Son. It is through His blood that we have redemption, justification, sanctification, and forgiveness. Truly the color red has great significance to members of His royal family.

The thing is — only those who have contacted this very important, very precious blood will be saved. Just as in Old Testament times, the Lord passed over the house of Israel because the blood was there covering them, so Jesus is our Passover. His blood makes it to where the wrath of God will pass over us. If you aren’t washed in the blood, you don’t have that spiritual blessing.

Thankfully, though, God has made a way for us all to contact this precious blood. In Acts 22:16, Paul was told to be baptized in order to receive that washing that Revelation 1:6 talked about. In Acts 2:38, the Jews on the day of Pentecost were instructed to be baptized in order to have the forgiveness that Ephesians 1:7 talks about. Romans 6:3 was written to remind the Roman Christians that they had been baptized into the death of Jesus, which is where they contacted the blood that wiped their sins away. If we want that same blessing — the freedom from the shackles of sin, we need only do what the first century Christians did — we need to contact the saving, precious blood of Jesus through baptism. If you haven’t, why haven’t you? Why are you waiting to be added to the royal family?!? Jesus died for you! Don’t delay! He wants you to be a part of His kingdom!! He died so that you could be!!

*Please check out The Royal Family Podcast on The Light Network. New episodes are released each Monday morning. To help others find this Christian podcast, please rate it and/or review it in the iTunes store.*