Paid In Full: The Riches Of Redemption Series

Introduction

Many of us understand the heavy weight of debt. It can feel like a chain, a form of bondage that dictates our choices and steals our peace. Imagine having an impossibly large debt completely cancelled in a single moment. Today, Paul moves from the courtroom of our acceptance to the marketplace of our freedom. He shows us that our spiritual debt of sin, a debt we could never pay, has been paid in full, and we have been set free.

I. The Possession of Our Redemption: A Present Reality

Our freedom is not a future hope, but a current possession.

A. The Location of Our Freedom: "In whom..."

Paul immediately connects this blessing to "the beloved" (v. 6). Our redemption exists only in one place: in Jesus Christ. Freedom from sin is not found in a religion, a set of rules, or a philosophy; it is found in a person. To be in Him is to be redeemed.

B. The Certainty of Our Freedom: "...we have redemption..."

Notice the tense: "we have." This is a present, active possession. It is not "we hope to have" or "we are working towards." If you are in Christ, redemption is your current, undeniable reality.

2. The Price of Our Redemption: A Sacrificial Payment

This priceless gift of freedom came at an infinite cost.

A. The Meaning of Redemption: "...redemption..."

This was a marketplace word. It meant to buy a slave out of the market to set them free. Spiritually, we were enslaved—to sin, to fear, to death. Redemption is God’s act of purchasing our freedom from that bondage.

B. The Cost of Redemption: "...through his blood..."

The ransom price was not gold or silver. It was "his blood"—a clear reference to the violent, sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. The very life of the Son of God was poured out to purchase our freedom, showing both the terrible cost of our sin and the immeasurable depth of God's love.

III. The Pardon in Our Redemption: A Complete Forgiveness

Paul now defines what this redemption means in practical terms for us.

A. The Nature of Our Freedom: "...the forgiveness of sins..."

To be redeemed is to be forgiven. The Greek word for forgiveness means "to send away" or "to cancel a debt." God has not just overlooked our sins; He has cancelled the record of debt that stood against us. Legally, in the court of heaven, the charges have been dismissed forever.

B. The Scope of Our Freedom:

This forgiveness covers all our sins—past, present, and future. It frees us from the penalty of sin (hell), the power of sin (bondage), and one day, the very presence of sin (heaven).

IV. The Portion of Our Redemption: An Infinite Supply

How much forgiveness and grace is available to us? Paul gives a staggering measure.

A. The Standard of Measurement: "...according to the riches of his grace;"

Our forgiveness is not given "out of" His riches, like a few coins from a king's treasury. It is given "according to" His riches, meaning it is proportional to His infinite wealth. The supply is as vast and inexhaustible as God Himself.

B. The Confidence of the Believer:

This means you can never out-sin the grace of God. His supply of grace is infinitely greater than your supply of sin. This truth doesn't give us a license to sin, but a profound confidence to return to Him when we fail, knowing the treasury of His grace can never run dry.

Conclusion

In Christ, your debt is cancelled. The price has been paid by His blood. Your sins are forgiven. You are no longer a slave but are truly free. All of this has been lavished upon you from the infinite, inexhaustible treasury of God’s grace. Stop trying to pay for what is already yours. Stop carrying the guilt for sins that have been sent away. Stand firm, and live joyfully in the glorious freedom that Christ has purchased for you.