About the Author:
Lewis Edgar Jones was born February 8th, 1865, in Yates City, Illinois, and died September 1st, 1936. Jones grew up on a farm outside of Davenport, Iowa, until he left at age 21. He attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, where he was a classmate of the old-time preacher, Billy Sunday. Of the more than 200 hymns which Lewis Jones wrote in his lifetime, “There Is Power in the Blood” has long been his most famous. Like most of his songs, this one was written after a preacher’s stirring address, on this occasion after hearing a message on the “Power in the blood of Jesus” at a camp meeting in Mountain Lake, Maryland.
This song, and others he wrote continue to echo in churches across the world. Little did the modest man know that his hobby of hymn writing would be his most enduring legacy
This song uses Jesus’ blood to symbolize faith in God. The “pow’r in the blood” enables believers to “be free from the burden of sin,” “be free from [our] passion and pride,” and “do service for Jesus [our] king.” The reason that Jesus’ blood “has power” is that His crucifixion fulfilled a new covenant between God and humanity. People no longer need to sacrifice animals because Jesus became the Lamb, a perfect sacrifice, and we can all be washed “whiter than snow” because our sins are forgiven. Though Christians don’t literally gain strength, hope, and faith from anyone’s blood, we were enabled to do all the things in the song by Jesus’ sacrifice. I also love the repetition of “would you?” because it reiterates that salvation is a free invitation.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10: 9-13, NIV)
