Redemption #17 Series

To have a clear understanding of God’s redemption for mankind, we must have a reasonable understanding of many other subjects presented in the Word of God. In past lessons, we’ve listed 20+ subjects that are interrelated to redemption, and that list is only a starting point. We will not take time to study all of those in detail, but it is needful to see their relationship to the major subject of redemption. Let’s start by looking at some very important areas that are especially needed for our understanding of redemption.

1. The essence of God

2. The essence of Mankind

3. The essence of Satan

4. The consequences of sin, both original and personal

Each of these four will need to be studied in some detail, because they each are an integral part of redemption.

May I emphasis, again, you don’t need to know the details of redemption to receive God’s redemption. However, if you want to have an accurate understanding of the totality of the Word of God, THEN it is a MUST to have clear understanding of redemption and its many parts.

There are certain facts of redemption that stand out with a simple surface reading of the Scriptures. Those surface facts are referred to in Scripture by terms such as "the milk of the Word".

The Holy Spirit has some very interesting things to say about the "milk of the Word". So let’s spend a little time looking at what is said about the need of this "surface" Biblical information, and the dangers of trying to live our Spiritual lives on this "milk" or "surface" information only.

1 Peter 1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. 2:1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all guile, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Please allow me, without the details, to simply touch on some very important issues in these next few passages. I want to do so in on order to see the overall picture without bogging down in the many side trails.

First, Peter is speaking to Believers about their Christian living. Even though he mentions our salvation, his main thrust is HOW to live the Spiritual life we received through redemption.

Not only is he talking to those who are Born Again, Peter is talking to those who are active in their Christian living and encourages them to go beyond the elementary.

These addressed in this passage are ones who have "purified" their souls through obedience to the "truth" of God by means of the Spirit. The outward evidence of this "purification" is their action towards other Believers. Then Peter mentions "how" they were "Born Again". The "how" was through the Word of God.

Peter has presented the importance of the Word of God in BOTH redemption (Born Again) and our proper living within this redemption. Both are VERY important and worthy of our careful study. However, the truth I want us to see is what the Holy Spirit says about the Word of God, itself.

In verse 23, he states the facts that the Word of God is living and is eternal. Once again, in verse 25 the eternal quality of the Word is stated, the Word will endure forever. It is important to see, know and remember that… (1) The Word of God is "alive"

The Word is "living"! Not in the sense that it’s growing larger or that more information is being added, but that there is life (Spiritual life) in the Word of God. That life is available to every Believer. This is a quality of life that goes beyond the initial New Birth.

There are many passages that deal with this truth, but please look at two passages with which MBFers are familiar. By using these familiar passages, we won’t have to spend several lessons to establish this point.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Yes, the Word of God is LIVING and it has the ability to move into every aspect of our earthly life..: