The LCMS affirms the permissibility of blood transfusions and has no doctrinal objection to receiving blood or blood products for medical purposes. Blood transfusions are understood as a legitimate medical intervention that can serve to preserve and restore health.

The LCMS does not teach that blood is sacred or that receiving blood violates spiritual purity. While the Old Testament had regulations regarding the consumption of blood (which the New Testament clarifies apply only to ceremonial law, not the moral law), the LCMS understands these regulations to be fulfilled in Christ and not binding on Christians. The use of blood for transfusion is not consumption in the Old Testament sense and is not morally problematic.

The LCMS distinguishes itself from denominations like Jehovah's Witnesses, which forbid blood transfusions on the grounds of certain biblical passages. The LCMS teaches that Christians have the freedom to make medical decisions, including transfusions, based on medical prudence and consultation with healthcare providers. The preservation of life and health through medical means is affirmed as consistent with Christian stewardship of the body.