BLOOD transfusion is the administration of whole blood or its components to replace large amounts of blood lost through accident, injury, childbirth or disease.

It is unfortunate that in certain quarters, some texts of the Bible have been misconstrued in relation to blood transfusion, leading to needless agony and loss of lives.

There is no disputing the fact that the Almighty God commanded his people not to eat blood; but this is not the same as blood transfusion which involves transferring the blood of one person into the circulatory, not the digestive system of another person. Transfusion is similar to when someone is given drip to sustain him when he cannot eat. The drip will not have the needed effect unless transfused.

What was prevalent among those who did not know God both in the Old and New Testament times was the eating of blood. Records show that the Egyptians believed that drinking of human blood was the cure for leprosy, the Romans used it for epilepsy and even in France people were made to drink blood as supposed cure for certain ailments. Determined not to violate their faith, the early Christians at the time of the Roman empire refused to eat “sausages filled with blood” even in the face of the most intense persecution, according to the American Educator Encyclopedia, pages 455-544.

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Thus, in the New Testament, the context in which the apostles asked the gentile converts, (who were used to eating blood by tradition) to abstain from blood (Acts 15:20,28,29) was the already existing law given by God against eating of blood as stated in Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:10,26,27; Deuteronomy 12:16; Ezekiel 33:25. Scriptures say “Where there is no law there is no transgression.” – Romans 4:15.

Anything that is eaten passes through the digestive system where it is converted to forms usable by the body cells while the waste products are passed off by the body. Jesus Christ asked: “Are you still lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated?” (Matthew 15:16-17, New American Standard Version) The Living Bible renders the text thus: “Don’t you understand?…Don’t you see that anything you eat passes through the digestive tract and out again?”.

Eating of food merely serves to satisfy hunger while transfusion involves injecting blood or blood plasma directly into the blood vessels of a patient. It is a big sacrifice by one to sustain the life of another person. Jesus Christ said: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

There is no denying the fact that millions of lives have been saved from untimely death as a result of blood transfusion. This is in accord with the divine purpose – to save lives – until God’s Kingdom is fully established when sickness and death shall be no more. See 3 John 2; Psalm 103:1-4; Jeremiah 33:6; Isaiah 33:24.

Many people have died because of ignorance, having been misled by their leaders. The Bible says “For the leaders of this people cause them to err and they that are led of them are destroyed.” (Isaiah 9:16) And God Almighty declared through the prophet Hosea: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” -Hosea 4:6.

As for the risks of contracting certain diseases as a result of blood transfusion, such incidents can be taken care of through proper screening of the donor’s blood by God’s grace. We hereby charge medical doctors and other health officials to ensure that blood meant for transfusion is properly screened before being administered on patients.

It should be pointed out that the blood of all those who die while following false doctrines, including the one on blood transfusion, will be required of their leaders who misled them. God Almighty declared: “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” (Jeremiah 23:1) And Jesus Christ stated: “Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” (Matthew 23:15)

As has been made clear in this sermon, blood transfusion is not contrary to the Christian faith. The Bible is not against it. Medical science supports it. And the “Witnesses” have now reversed themselves and now allow it.

We pray God to continue to enlighten His children to embrace the truth for their own salvation by His grace and power through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. GKA

*Brother Hart is publicity secretary and member of the Executive Board of God’s Kingdom Society, ( GKS) the Church of the Living God.

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