BLOOD TYPES - ONE RACE

 The human race is one race, with a few variations. What identifies us most is not the amount of pigmentation in our skin, but our blood type. 

Do you know your blood type? There are eight primary types, which are A, B, AB, and O, with either an RhD +/- factor. If someone needs a transfusion, it’s imperative to match the donor’s blood type with the patient’s. 

Why we have a particular blood type is due to our genetic makeup. Genetics was the science advanced by Gregory Mendel, a friar who served the Church in 19^th century Europe. Since his dominant / recessive gene discoveries, we have further found a much more detailed DNA structure that affects our inherited traits. 

But when the blood types have been documented around the world we find some interesting details. BLOODBOOK.COM has a record of the blood types of 85 population groups. Of these groups there are only ten that don’t have all blood types, and there are only three that have only one blood type. 

Those with only one blood type are remote tribes in South America and the Indian Ocean. They are the Bororo tribe in Brazil, Indians in Peru, and the Shompen in the Nicobar Islands. All have only type O blood. 

We all know the importance of blood – we can’t live without it. God designed our intricate cardiovascular system to provide blood to every organ and cell in our body. With the blood come oxygen and other gases; nutrition; healing; medication; and waste removal. It’s amazing! 

God created man separate from the animals and gave us unique blood, and through our blood He gave us life. Leviticus 17:11 says, “Life is in the blood.” If we lose too much we will die. But just as we can get a blood transfusion to keep us alive physically, God provides us with a spiritual transfusion through the shed blood of Christ on the cross. 

What we know about our physical blood will help us understand the need for our spiritual blood. Through God‘s Word we can become enlightened about this. I John 1:7 says, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” Sin results in death; the blood of Christ results in eternal life.