Dearest MavMan... may you have peace!
May I share with you what I heard from my Lord on this matter? Thank you! First, let me say to you that age 10, my son underwent major evasive surgery... without blood... and I do believe that my Father, JAH, came to our aid in that matter. But that is another story.
I was driving along one day, and my Lord spoke to me, saying, "The life is in the blood... the life is in the blood." Okay, I thought, yeah, that's true. At least, that's what's written so, okay. And he repeated it to me several times.
He then asked me, "Did I not give my life for you?" To which I replied, "Yes, of course, Lord." (Please note that I do not recall the conversation word for exact word anymore... but this is the gist of it). He then asked me, "Would YOU not give YOUR life on behalf of YOUR brother?"
Now, the "right" answer would, of course, be, "Yes, Lord." But I know better than to try and fool holy spirit, so I think I responded something to the effect that yes, I would WANT to, or would HOPE I would want to, etc. He then said again, "The life is in the blood, the life is in the blood."
THEN he said, "No one has greater love than this, that he should give his life on behalf of his friends. If I gave MY life for you, you, too, should give YOUR life... for your brother."
His point? That although I am to 'abstain from blood', that is, not EAT/DRINK blood (a thing sacrificed to idols), that to withhold MY life... my blood from MY brother... would not be love. So, of course, I wanted to know how this worked, whether I was to go and DONATE blood. The answer was "no".
However, what I AM to do is, if I see my brother in need of ANYTHING, and it is within my power to give it... even my LIFE... then my Father wants MERCY... and not sacrifice. Sacrifice would require me to abstain from giving MY life by means of giving my blood: a 'sacrifice' under law. However... MERCY... would dictate that I GIVE my life... on behalf of my brother.
For JAH knows the HEART of a man: He will know that the intent was NOT to eat something sacrificed to an idol... but to give LIFE... to save life.
I do not share this with you to put you 'under law' as to what YOU should do in this event. I have only shared with you what my Lord has directed ME. If, therefore, I knew that you, my brother, were in need of blood in order to keep living, and MY blood would help to that end... I would give it. And then I would ask my Father to pardon my error, by means of Christ, and ask the Christ to 'cover' my error by means of cleansing me with HIS blood... holy spirit.
And I know that he would. Why? First, because what I would have done, I would have done out of LOVE... and LOVE... 'covers a MULTITUDE... of transgressions'. Second, because... he 'WANTS' to.
Peace and long life to you, MavMan.
Your servant and a slave of Christ,
SJ