Counted Righteous

“Shedding blood” means dying an unnatural death, in this case a death for sins. Jesus maintained his mission till his dying breath. That was not just for a cause but to a person, the Father. Giving one’s life is the most anyone can do for any reason. Christ’s ultimate self-giving was also his last, coming as it did after a full life of righteous endeavor for God.

We identify with that righteousness when we join this observance. We commit to his values and purposes because he is Lord after becoming the Savior. God counts us as righteous like him on the condition of that commitment.

Counting us as righteous is the positive side of forgiving our sins, a forgiveness conditioned on commitment to the Sinless One. This set of facts connects his death with our salvation, and these emblems offer a visible representation of that account.