Does Jesus’s blood cause conversion?

We can say three things about this. First, while not all the Romans were converted, there was the centurion who confessed that “truly this was the son of God” (Matt. 27:54). Further, the unnamed soldier in Scripture who pierced Jesus’ side with the lance is known in Christian tradition as St. Longinus. Christian legend has it that Longinus was a blind Roman centurion who thrust the spear into Christ's side at the crucifixion. Some of Jesus's blood fell upon his eyes and he was healed. Upon this miracle, Longinus believed in Jesus.

Of course, faith is never compelled, and in some sense what the people were doing was blasphemous and sacrilegious, in that they were attacking and ridiculing the author of their salvation. In light of that fact, the blood of Jesus was not efficacious for them, but precisely the opposite. Literally, His blood was on their hands.

Lastly, it makes me think of Catholics who receive the blood of Christ into their body when they receive Communion. Yet many so-called Catholics do not recognize that what they have received “was truly the Son of God,” so the blood does not appear to generate/rekindle faith in them. In fact, St. Paul says that when we drink the blood of Christ unworthily, we bring condemnation on ourselves (1 Cor. 11:29).

So the blood of Christ does save us, yet generally we need to be open and disposed to receiving this grace.

Courtesy of Leon Suprenant