Yes—the shedding of blood is an unchangeable, God-given requirement for the forgiveness of sins.
Hebrews 9:22 declares that without shedding of blood there is no remission. Les Feldick teaches that God in His sovereign way decided that shed blood would be the only means of forgiving sin, and it cannot be bypassed or altered.
Hebrews 9:22 — Directly states that without shedding of blood there is no remission, answering the question in the Bible's own words.
Romans 3:25 — Combines the blood and faith by showing Christ as a propitiation through faith in His blood.
Exodus 12:5 — Shows that the Passover lamb had to be without blemish, illustrating why the sacrifice had to be acceptable.
Romans 5:9 — Declares that believers are justified by Christ's blood, connecting shed blood with salvation.
Hebrews 9:22 states plainly: "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission." This is the Bible's direct answer to why blood must be shed for the forgiveness of sins. Romans 3:25 says God set forth Christ as "a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past." Romans 5:9 adds, "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." These verses connect blood, faith, and justification together. Hebrews 11:6 also gives the companion principle: "But without faith it is impossible to please him." In Exodus 12:5, God instructed Israel that the Passover lamb must be "without blemish, a male of the first year," showing that the sacrifice itself had to meet God's standard.
Les Feldick teaches that God, in His sovereign way, decided that through shed blood He would forgive sin and no other way. He calls this mandatory and unchangeable—no one can detour around it, bridge over it, or tunnel under it. Les pairs this with a second absolute: without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). For Les, Romans 3:25 brings both absolutes together because Christ is set forth as a propitiation through faith in His blood. The shed blood was the price of redemption, and faith is what appropriates it. He also points to the Passover lamb: it was examined for three full days to be sure it had no blemish, picturing Christ's three years of sinless ministry that made Him worthy to be the sacrifice.
Les stresses two absolutes from Scripture: "Without faith it is impossible to please God" and "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission." He says no one—regardless of religious background—can detour around them, bridge over them, or tunnel under them. They must be faced head on, and Romans 3:25 satisfies both because it presents Christ as a propitiation through faith in His blood.
Exodus 12:5 required a lamb without blemish. Les explains that Israel examined the lamb for three full days, and if any defect appeared, it had to be rejected. Those three days picture Christ's three years of earthly ministry, during which He proved Himself sinless and without blemish. Because He was found perfect, He was worthy to be the Passover lamb.
Les points out that stoning was the normal Jewish way of capital punishment. If the Jews had killed Jesus by stoning, it would not have fulfilled the demand for shed blood. The cross was necessary because it was a death in which the shedding of His blood was evident, satisfying what God required.
Romans 3:25 brings faith and blood together: God set forth Christ as a propitiation through faith in His blood. Les teaches that the shed blood was the price of redemption, and that all of this is appropriated when we believe. Blood and faith cannot be separated when dealing with sin.
The Examined Passover Lamb
Israel had to examine the Passover lamb for three full days to ensure it had no blemish; those days picture Christ's sinless three years of ministry, making Him worthy to be the sacrifice.
God's Demand for Shed Blood
God has demanded shed blood for the remission of sin, and we cannot ignore or go against that demand. Christ is made a propitiation when we place faith in His blood.
Blood as the Only Approach to God
Without shedding of blood there is no remission; the high priest presented blood as the only way man could approach God. This applies to every human being today.
God's Sovereign Choice of Shed Blood
God sovereignly decided that shed blood would be the means of forgiving sin, and no other way. Life is in the blood, so new life comes through death.
Two Imperatives That Cannot Be Avoided
Without faith it is impossible to please God, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. The cross had to be a death where blood was evident; stoning would not have fulfilled it.
Christ's Death Fulfilled the Demand
Hebrews 9:22 demands shed blood, and Christ's death fulfilled that demand. The law of God that the soul that sinneth shall die cannot be compromised.
Both Absolutes Satisfied in Romans 3:25
The shed blood was the price of redemption, and believing—faith—appropriates all of it. Both absolutes appear together in Romans 3:25.
Justified by His Blood
Being justified by His blood, we are saved from wrath through Him. The finished work of the cross declares us just as if we never sinned.
Exodus 12:5: Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
God's instruction for the Passover lamb shows that the sacrifice had to be without blemish.
Hebrews 9:22: And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
The central biblical declaration that the shedding of blood is required for remission.
Hebrews 11:6: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
The companion absolute: without faith it is impossible to please God.
Romans 3:25: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Combines the two absolutes: propitiation through faith in His blood.
Romans 5:9: Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Confirms that justification is by His blood and salvation from wrath is through Him.
Les teaches that the statement "without the shedding of blood there is no remission" applies to every human being today. It is not a temporary ceremonial detail but an unchangeable absolute connected to sin and forgiveness.
Les states that God in His sovereign way decided that shed blood would be the means through which He would forgive sin, and there is no other way. He also observes that life is in the blood, so new life comes through death—seen in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
Romans 3:25 shows Christ as a propitiation through faith in His blood. Les teaches that the shed blood was the price of redemption and that all of it is appropriated when we believe. Faith and blood come together in salvation.
Les explains that stoning was the normal Jewish capital punishment, but stoning would not have fulfilled the shedding of blood. The crucifixion was a death in which the shedding of His blood was evident, thereby meeting God's demand.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Blood? The Bible's Answer to Forgiveness & Faith