What is redemption? What Does It Mean to Be Redeemed?
What is God's Provision(s) for Man's Redemption?
Text: “No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them— the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—so that they should live on forever and not see decay.” (Psalm 49:7-9)
“It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”(1 Corinthians 1:30)
Why did Jesus die? What is the point of the cross? For a lot of people, the crucifixion just doesn’t “make sense.” How does Jesus’ death accomplish anything? How does it “save us from our sins?”
Let’s look at where this whole idea of atonement comes from.
It has been observed by cultural anthropologists around the world that sacrifice was a universal practice. In Every ancient culture, people use to sacrifice animals, and sometimes even humans, to “appease the gods.” In ancient traditions, goats were taken and killed with the people’s sins placed upon their backs. And that is where our term “scapegoat” actually comes from. Scapegoats are chosen usually because they are younger, smaller, weaker, or different from the majority. Animals are a logical choice because of their relative helplessness next to humanity’s skill and technology.
From the time of Adam's sin to Moses, some 2,500 years, the offering of sacrifices was made by the head of the family. From Moses' time till the advent of Christ, animal sacrifices were offered in a special building, or sanctuary, constructed for this purpose. These sacrifices were a temporary arrangement, "a figure for the time then present" until the true Lamb of God would come. Hebrews 9:9 "Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices." The entire sacrificial work was organized in, and about, the sanctuary that Moses was instructed to build. Later, Solomon's Temple housed this service. It was built upon the very spot where Abraham brought his son, Isaac, to be sacrificed on Mount Moriah. Abel, Noah, and Abraham offered blood sacrifices because they had faith in the salvation promised through the coming Saviour. These Old Testament sacrifices were symbolic of Jesus and intended to keep fresh in mind the true Lamb of God who would come to earth and shed His blood for our redemption (Hebrews 9:3-5, Hebrews 9: 8, 13, 20, 22)
According to the law, forgiveness requires the sacrifice of a substitute: “The law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22, NIV). It is designed to teach that the problem of sin is no light matter. It cannot be handled by a good resolution or an earnest resolve. It is not settled by simply deciding to turn over a new leaf, or to change one's attitude. It is something that is embedded in the race and touches the springs of life. It can only be solved by death. That, of course, is what ultimately explains the cross of Jesus Christ; why, in his coming, he could not merely teach us good things but he had to die to deal with the problem of sin.
However, there is one major problem with this sacrificial system of scapegoating. God is very clear in the Bible that God is not happy with this system. "I desire mercy not sacrifice!" says God in Hosea 6:6. Psalm 51:16-17 says, "For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart; These, O God, You will not despise." God is NOT bloodthirsty. God says, “Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and make thanksgiving your sacrifice to the Most High” (Psalm 50:13-14). Since the destruction of the temple in AD 70, Orthodox Judaism has tended to regard the Old Testament sacrifices as unnecessary. In favor of this point of view, Rabbi David Rosen writes, “Judaism does not accept the idea of vicarious atonement. We can only atone for our own sins and are responsible for our own actions.”
Bible says In Genesis 3:21 ‘And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, and clothed them.” This was a sign of God's redemptive activity. With the sacrifice of another's life, he clothed Adam and Eve. In Paul's beautifully expressive phrase in Ephesians, it is a picture of how we are "accepted in the Beloved One," Ephesians 1:6. We are clothed with the righteousness of Christ. We are given his standing before the Father. Clothing is not required for God's benefit. It does not make any difference to God that Adam and Eve are naked. In fact, as Hebrews tells us, we are all always naked before God -- everything is naked and open in his sight. It is not God who requires this clothing, nor is it Adam and Eve, though it may have bothered them to be naked before God in their fallen condition, but it is because of the others who would see them that they are clothed. Clothing is for public appearance. God desires that the mark of his acceptance and acknowledgment of them be manifest to the whole universe. That is why Adam and Eve are clothed, and this is the primary purpose of clothing.
We are concerned about clothing today, because it makes us acceptable in the eyes of others. We feel that we look better, and others think so too. Remember that in the story of the prodigal son, in the New Testament, the first thing the father did when the son returned home was to clothe him with a new robe. It is a public mark of acceptance, a public demonstration that he was back in full favor with his father. Also, in the story of the healing of the demoniac of Gadara, we are told that the Lord cast many demons out of this man, a legion of devils. When the disciples returned to the Lord they found the former demoniac sitting at the feet of Jesus, "clothed, and in his right mind," (Mark 5:15, Luke 8:35). That clothing is a significant expression of his return to normalcy.
We want our clothing to be expressive of what we are. If clothing does reflect an inner condition then it does not help much to force an outward change. Clothing is very significant. The proof of that is that, whenever people experience the regeneration and their inner rebellion ceases, the first sign of it is that their clothing changes. Their whole outward look changes because the inward attitude has changed. Now notice that God clothed Adam and Eve. He killed the animals, he made the skins, and he clothed them. They did not even clothe themselves, but he dressed them. It is important that we let God do this to us.
This why when Jesus enters into our world and preaches something radically different. In Jesus, God takes on this system of scapegoating most directly. Jesus preaches the gospel of the kingdom of God, He says, “Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! “Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them! “Happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised! “Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully! “Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them! “Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God! “Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them his children! “Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! The Scriptures never report Jesus participating in animal sacrifice in the Temple, and, in fact, just days before he is killed he goes into the temple and drives out all those who were selling animals to be sacrificed! Jesus goes and embraces those who have been rejected and scapegoated in his society: the tax collectors, the prostitutes, the women, the lepers, the fishermen, and even the Gentiles.
Jesus also goes around preaching gospel, healing people, forgiving people’s sins…not because they have sacrificed an animal to a bloodthirsty deity, but because God is able to forgive and heal because God is merciful and accepts the sacrifice of a contrite heart!
As Hebrews 10:4-6 says: For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.
Jesus shows us once and for all what God is really like. Jesus, as the God-man, becomes the victim: not a victim to God’s wrath, but to humanity’s sin. Jesus is the victim of our scapegoating mechanisms and structures. The inevitable end to Jesus’ life was death…and he knew it. Jesus shows us that, rather than condemning and victimizing others, God willingly becomes the victim to take the place of all our scapegoats. It is no coincidence that Jesus died on the day of Passover, the day when the lambs were killed, the scapegoats of the day. Jesus takes the place of every scapegoat, and becomes instead, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!
Why does Jesus become the victim? Is it to encourage victimization and call us to be victims? No! It is to put an end to all scapegoating and victimization! Jesus’ death took the place of the paschal lamb and of every scapegoat. We no longer need to abuse, kill, or sacrifice victims or scapegoats because God has already taken on that role in its fullest form. The cross exposes and reveals OUR sin of scapegoating and then, immediately forgives it! Jesus is the Lamb of God; he died on a cross to take the place of all scapegoats, animals and humans alike. Jesus’ death is substitionary only in that sense.
We, as a people, are all guilty of the sin of scapegoating in one form or another. Some of us have also been victims of it. The Cross exposes all of us. We must exercise the sacrifice of mercy, not of violence. That is the call of the cross. Jesus, the Lamb of God, has been slain for this purpose.
Man's greatest need is to be forgiven of his sins. This can only be done through faith in the blood of Jesus. Bible says in Heb. 9:22 "...without shedding of blood is no remission" , We read in Exodus."...when I see the blood, I will pass over you..." As the scripture says, "...we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Eph. 1:7). To be redeemed means to be bought back. The price has been paid and it is through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Peter reminds us of this when he says, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold... But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Paul said “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)
Christ is given to us by God, or appointed by him to be our wisdom, That is, he is to us the source of wisdom; it is by him that we are made wise. It is wise for a sinful and dying creature to prepare for eternity. But none but those who are instructed by the Son of God, become thus wise. By whom we become righteous in the sight of God. it is affirmed that we become wise, sanctified, and redeemed through him. He is the author of redemption, not from the Egyptian bondage, or Babylonian captivity, but from the servitude of Satan, the dominion of sin and death, and from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, or the redemption of the body, (Romans 8:21-23)
It was by the sovereign choice and regenerating grace of God, that they were in Jesus Christ by faith. He is made of God to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; all we need, or can desire. And he is made wisdom to us, that by his word and Spirit, and from his fullness and treasures of wisdom and knowledge, we may receive all that will make us wise unto salvation, and fit for every service to which we are called. We are guilty, liable to just punishment; and he is made righteousness, our great atonement and sacrifice. We are depraved and corrupt, and he is made sanctification, that he may in the end be made complete redemption;
Righteousness - The sole ground of our justification, who were before under the wrath and curse of God.
Sanctification - A principle of universal holiness, whereas before we were altogether dead in sin.
Redemption - That is, complete deliverance from all evil, and eternal bliss both of soul and body.
Christ is the "author" of righteousness; he has wrought out and brought in one for them, which is well pleasing to God, satisfying to his justice, by which his law is magnified and made honourable; which justifies from all sin, and discharges from all condemnation or in other words, this righteousness, by an act of the Father's grace, is imputed, reckoned, and accounted to them as their justifying righteousness:
The entrance of sin into the world robbed man of his pure fellowship with God. So Human beings have an innate desire to rid themselves of guilt when they know they have done wrong. There is nothing beautiful like a clear conscience. It is always an important moment when an individual admit to God the sins he or she has committed. King David of Israel said: “Lord, I prayed to you again and again, but I did not talk about my sins. So I only became weaker and more miserable. Every day you made life harder for me. I became like a dry land in the hot summertime. But then I decided to confess my sins to the Lord. I stopped hiding my guilt and told you about my sins. And you forgave them all! "(Psalm 32:3-5ERV) In another psalm of repentance after he committed two capital sins, David said to God: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10) David was the beneficiary of many instances of personal deliverance from many difficulties and problems during his turbulent reign as ruler of the 12 tribes. In one of his many heartfelt prayers, he asked God to " Draw near to my soul, redeem me; ransom me because of my enemies" (Psalm 69:18) In another of David's most poignant psalms, he wrote: "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities [sins], who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction" (Psalm 103:2-4). David looked ahead to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, having been inspired by God to write passages in the Psalms that foretold events that would happen on the cross about a thousand years later. The benefits that David mentions in this passage are all bound up in the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
In order to understand redemption you have to understand God's system of justice. From the beginning of time, God's Justice System was set up to hold man accountable for whatever sins he/she committed. God warned Adam that the consequence for disobeying His command would be death. And from the moment Adam transgressed against God mankind has suffered the dread and deathly consequences of sin. Adam's disobedience indicted the entire human race. God warned Adam that his rebellion would result in death, and when he disobeyed that's exactly what happened. Now think about something. Did Adam's punishment fit the crime? All he did was eating a piece of fruit and God sentenced Adam, and all humanity, to the curse of sin and death. On the surface that seems terribly unfair—death for biting an apple! It doesn't make sense until you realize how God's system of holiness and justice operates. And the punishment of our sin isn't solely determined by the degree of our sin. Regardless of how insignificant the sin seems, sin's penalty is determined by the holiness of the God against whom it's committed! Keeping God’s word is our safeguard against deception and temptation.
The day Adam violated the law, he activated death (Gen 2:17).The violation of the law gave death its sting or power.(1 Cor 15:56) The law of sin gave birth to the law of death. The Bible tells us that sin entered into the world when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God's commandment and Adam's sin has passed to all his descendants, that is, to all men and women as descendants of our first parents, and their heirs, in human nature already deprived of God's friendship. Adam transmitted to the whole human race not only bodily death and other penalties (consequences of sin), but also sin itself as the death of the soul.”Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, so death spread to all men because all men sinned" (Rom 5:12). By one man's disobedience all became sinners" (Rom 5:19), and in the preceding verse: "One man's trespass led to condemnation for all men" (Rom 5:18).
The sin of the world generates multiple and serious consequences in all areas. Consequently, fear, shame, hate, violence, and death entered the world. Humans are profoundly divided within themselves. The original sin holds that every person born into the world is tainted by the fall such that all of humanity is 1) spiritually died. That is, the separation of man from God, the source of all goodness. 2.) Bodily death. That is, the separation of the body from the soul, the return of the body to the earth. 3.) The shattering and distortion of the "image." That is, darkness of mind, depravity and corruption of the heart, loss of independence, loss of free will, and tendency towards evil. Since then "the imagination of man's heart is evil "(Genesis 8:21). Man constantly thinks of evil. 4.) Guilt. That is, a bad conscience, the shame that made him want to hide from God. 5.) Worst of all, original sin polluted our heart and is hereditary, ethically debilitated, and people are powerless to restore themselves, unless rescued by God.
The word redemption was a prevalent concept in biblical times because it related to slavery. The word redemption applied to the means of ransoming a slave from an abusive slave-owner. It was a "buy back" that liberated them from bondage, restored them to their original family, and consequently brought joy—exactly the redemption of Christ secured for us. As sinners we're in bondage to sin and deserve the wrath and fury of hell. But our faith in Christ's sacrifice on the Cross buys us back from sin's dominance and frees us from its consequences. We are granted eternal life with Christ in Heaven.
To redeem something, means to set free by paying a price. Generally you would redeem land and sometimes people. Redemption is the act of buying something back, or paying a price to return something to your possession. Redemption always involves going from something to something else. The bible speaks of God redeeming us from the bondage of sin though his work on the cross! Redemption is the act of buying something back, or paying a price to return something to your possession. Redemption means to free someone from bondage. It often involves the paying of a ransom, a price that makes redemption possible.. We were redeemed from the power of sin and the curse of the Law. Religious redemption language grows out of the custom of buying back something which formerly belonged to the purchaser but for some reason had passed into the ownership of another. The original owner could regain ownership by paying a redemption price for it. In the Old Testament the terms and ideas are frequently used symbolically to emphasize dramatically the redemptive or saving activity of God. The basic Old Testament reference is the Book of Exodus. God redeemed the Israelites from Egypt.
The New Testament centers redemption in Jesus Christ. He purchased the church with His own blood. As the Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep (John 10; 11) and demonstrated the greatest love by laying down His life for His friends (John 15:13). The purpose of Jesus in the world was to make a deliberate sacrifice of Himself for human sin. He brought hope to sinners, providing redemption from sin and fellowship with the Eternal Father. As the Suffering Servant, His was a costly sacrifice, the shameful and agonizing death of a Roman cross. New Testament redemption thus speaks of substitutionary sacrifice demonstrating divine love and righteousness. It points to a new relationship to God, the dynamic of a new life, God's leniency in the past, and the call for humility for the future.
Why redemption, let us consider few Biblical References:
Ephesians 2:2-3 “All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,”
Colossians 2:14 “He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.”
Hebrews 2:14-15 “ Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death”.
1 Peter 1:18-19 “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”
Romans 3:23-24 “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 1:7-8 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding”
Galatians 3:13 “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."
Colossians 1:14 “Christ was absolutely and totally sinless! He died for our sins. He took them all on Himself. "So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many" (Hebrews 9:28).Our Savior said that He came "to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). And Paul adds, "We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins"
1 John 5:19 “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”
John 12:31 “The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.”
Luke 27-28 “At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."
The Biblical use of redemption means Jesus Christ, through his sacrificial death, purchased believers from the slavery of sin to set us free from that bondage. Jesus paid the price for our release from sin and its consequences (Matthew 20:28 1 Timothy 2:6). His death was in exchange for our life. In fact, Scripture is quite clear that redemption is only possible “through His blood,” that is, by His death (Colossians 1:14). We were slaves to sin, condemned to eternal separation from God. Jesus paid the price to redeem us, resulting in our freedom from slavery to sin and our rescue from the eternal consequences of that sin.
The word redeems means “to buy out.” The term was used specifically in reference to the purchase of a slave’s freedom. The application of this term to Christ’s death on the cross is quite telling. If we are “redeemed,” then our prior condition was one of slavery. God has purchased our freedom, and we are no longer in bondage to sin & devil.
Redemption is the English translation of the Greek word agorazo, meaning "to purchase in the marketplace." In ancient times, it often referred to the act of buying a slave.
Another Greek word relating to this term is exagorazo. Redemption always involves going from something to something else. In this case it is Christ freeing us from the bondage of the law to freedom of a new life in him.
The third Greek word connected with redemption islutroo, meaning "to obtain release by the payment of a price." The price, in Christianity, was Christ's precious blood, obtaining our release from sin.
Therefore Redemption has four basic characteristics.
1) Redemption is a process
2) Redeemer is a person
3) Ransom is the payment
4) Eternal life is the prize
1. Redemption: is a process-
Something or someone was in bondage. What had been bondage was removed and the individual person or object was restored into its original freedom, its primary state. It didn’t bring a newness of situation but a restoration. The freedom that was once available to them was non-existent or, at least, extremely restricted, so that a return to the original state of affairs was required for them to experience ‘freedom’, even though that ‘free’ state may still have had limitations imposed that had previously existed before the bondage came about. That is to say, redemption does not win absolute freedom but is specific in its work.
Man is alienated from God, strangers from the covenant of promise, no hope without God in the world! "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ" (Eph. 2:13). Jesus broke down the middle wall of partition and makes the way possible for us to enter into the very presence of God because He has sprinkled His blood on the mercy seat as an atonement for our sins. Therefore, we are made nigh by His blood.
Paul says, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Romans 5:1) "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself" (Col. 1:20).
To be justified means to be declared free. We know the Bible teaches that all are sinners. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, there is none righteous, no, not one. No one deserves to be saved because of his goodness, but thank God, Jesus Christ died for sinners, shed His precious blood because of His love for us. The scripture says, "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." (Rom. 5:9). the word justified literally means "just as if I had never sinned." The blood of Jesus Christ is what has paid for our sins. What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus? What can make me whole again, nothing but the blood of Jesus? So, there is no remission outside the blood of Jesus.
God's children are redeemed through the blood and justified through the blood, washed in His blood, made high by the blood, sanctified by the blood, and have peace through the blood and daily we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Whenever we sin, we plead the blood of Jesus. For John says, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). In other words, we stay in fellowship with Jesus Christ our Saviour by daily trusting in the cleansing blood. "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (verse 9). This means that the daily walk of the children of God are cleansed by the blood of Jesus.
2. The Redeemer: is the person-
One who would get involved in the liberation of what was in bondage. The redeemer is, in more common terms a ‘buyer’ or a ‘purchaser’ who must pay a price. Religion and redemption are not the same. Religion is about what you do to be close to GOD. Redemption is about what GOD DID, for you to be close to him. Redemption is the opposite of religion. Everyone is in need of redemption. Our natural condition was characterized by guilt: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Christ’s redemption has freed us from guilt, being “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:25).
Christ is the world's Saviour because He paid the penalty for our sins by shedding His blood in sacrifice. He was the divine-human substitute who laid down His life, to save the human race from the penalty of God's broken law. All through human history, the coming of Jesus, as the Lamb of God who would give His life blood as the offering for sin, was the great hope of the world. The animal sacrifices offered by Abel, Noah, Abraham, and other Old Testament characters represented Christ who would come into the world and shed His blood in sacrifice for our sins. And the blood of these slain animals typified the blood of Christ. Notice two texts carefully:
Hebrews 9:12 "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He . . obtained eternal redemption for us"(Matthew 26:28; Isaiah 53:5-7).
John 1:29 "John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God." Christ is the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8). He stood in readiness to make the sacrifice before the world (1Peter 1:18-20). He came from heaven to this earth to accomplish this. None but Christ, one equal to God, whose law had been broken, could redeem man from its curse. The blood of bulls and goats could not do this (Hebrews 10 :4). This blood could serve only as a type of Christ's blood.
3. RANSOM is the payment- -
A price paid by the redeemer as a ransom to cancel the bondage that existed.
There Had to Be The Payment of a Ransom. Even in the midst of God’s earliest response to humankind’s sin, a ransom was cryptically provided when He replaced the first couple’s inadequate fig leaves with animal skins (Gen. 3:21), foreshadowing His Messianic endgame (Isa. 61:10). A ransom is inseparably and necessarily connected to Israel’s return to God (Isa. 35:10; 48:20; 51:10–11). “‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’ For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of one stronger than he” (Jer. 31:10–11).
God Himself Would Have to Pay the Ransom. The Israelite couldn’t afford it (Ps. 49:7–9)! So God Himself would pay the price (49:15): “I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you” (Isa. 44:22).
Without God’s ransom, Israel couldn’t return to God (Ps. 65:3–5; 78:38; 130:7–8; Deut. 32:43; Isa. 54:5–8; Hos. 13:12–14). Although repentance is necessary, it isn’t sufficient (Isa. 59:16–20). Psalm 24 offers a graphic, if perhaps cryptic, demonstration of this principle. Messiah Would Pay with His Own Blood. …For the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has made bare His holy arm” (Isa. 52:9–10; cf. 59:16; 63:5). His “holy arm,” the Son (53:1), will pay the price: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all (Isa. 53:5–7, emphases added; see also Ps. 40:6–8; Dan. 9:24–27; Zech. 12:10–13:1, 7; Ps. 22; 69).
The redemption of Jesus Christ says that God demonstrates his love for us in this, while we were still enemies, GOD DIED FOR US. HE LOVED US, Rom 5:8 said, "God proved His love." Now, if someone desires the well-being of another, and starts out to procure it, but then runs into an obstacle, and if a small obstacle will stop him, the love is small If it takes a great obstacle, the love is great But if that love could overcome even the immense obstacle of the terrible death of Jesus, that love is immense, beyond measure.
It was not only the physical pain, but the rejection by those whom He loved that hurt Him The pain of rejection can be measured by two things: 1) how severe is the form of the rejection; 2) how great is the love for the one who is rejecting.
If someone jostles me in a crowd, that is a small thing But if he wants to kill me, that is far worse, and if he means to do it in the most hideous way possible--then the rejection is at the peak .And what is the love of Jesus? Inasmuch as He is a Divine Person, the love is infinite; inasmuch as we consider the love of His human will, able to overcome such a measureless obstacle, the love is beyond measure.
Romans 5:19 "Just as by the disobedience of the one man (first Adam) the many were made sinners, so by the obedience of the one man (Christ, the new Adam) the many will be constituted just." "By His obedience He brought about redemption." Thus the sacrifice of Christ was pleasing to the Father, and since it was undertaken in the name of the whole human race, it was able to restore mankind to God's friendship, which had been lost by sin.
There are three words that are spoken of as being the ransom (blood, death and life) and we’ll list these first (my italics throughout) before going on to discuss their relevance.
1) Blood -Jesus shed His blood. Eph 1:7-8 - ‘In [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses [that is, sin], according to the riches of His grace which He lavished upon us’
Rev 5:9 - ‘...[the Lamb] was slain and by Thy blood didst ransom men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation...’
I Peter 1:18-19 - ‘...you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers [that is, legalistic observance/Oral law = self-redemption]...with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot’
Acts 20:28 - ‘...the Church of God which He purchased with the blood of His own Son’
2) Death - Jesus died on the cross. Heb 9:15 - ‘...a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant [that is, the people before Christ came]’ the penalty of sin, under the Law, is death - spiritual and physical. Jesus took that death upon Himself, so paying the price for our freedom.
3) Life -Jesus gave His life. Mark 10:45 - ‘...the Son of man came...to give His life as a ransom for many’ ‘Blood’, ‘Death’ and ‘Life’ are the three words that are used to describe the sacrificial offering of Christ to God on the cross. ‘He shed His blood’, ‘He gave His life’ and ‘He died on our behalf’ are three phrases which are synonymous - if you lay down your life by the shedding of your blood, and you die. They’re so integrated in their meaning that we’re virtually saying the same thing no matter which one of the three words that we choose to use. He gave the one thing that He did have in exchange for mankind’s salvation - Himself. We read, therefore, that (Titus 2:14) Jesus ‘...gave Himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity’
4. Eternal life and Freedom is the prize
Freedom from the guilt and penalty of sin is guaranteed because of the person, the power, and the payment of the Redeemer. John 8:36 "If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."
Romans 8:1-2 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, has made me free from the law of sin and death."
1Corinthians 1:18 "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but to us who are saved, it is the power of God."
The benefits of redemption include eternal life (Revelation 5:9-10), forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7), righteousness (Romans 5:17), freedom from the law’s curse (Galatians 3:13), adoption into God’s family (Galatians 4:5), deliverance from sin’s bondage (Titus 2;14;1 peter 1;14-18), peace with God (Colossians 1:18-20), and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). To be redeemed, then, is to be forgiven, holy, justified, free, adopted, and reconciled.
The book of Hebrews tells us that "with His own blood He [Christ] entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption" (Hebrews 9:12). This biblical passage introduces us to the concept of eternal redemption. That means its effects run on and on into the future—encompassing everlasting life in God's family and Kingdom. Even though our past sins are forgiven by means of the blood of Christ, an important aspect of our redemption lies in the future. Ultimately, even the Passover service "finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God" (Luke 22:16, NIV).
The testimony of the apostle John enters the picture from the final book in the Bible. He quotes the 24 elders (powerful angelic beings residing in heaven) as singing a new song about Christ to His Church. ". . . You were slain, and with your blood you purchased menfor God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth" (Revelation 5:9-10, NIV).
This scripture marries our redemption from sin by Christ's blood to our future role as rulers assisting Him during His coming 1,000-year reign (Revelation 20:1-4).
Jesus Himself spoke of these future events in the prophecy He gave to His disciples on the Mount of Olives shortly before His death. "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near" (Luke 21:27-28).Paul also wrote of this same time in the future when He said, "Do not grieve the [Holy] Spirit of God, by [which] you were sealed for the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30). This occurs at the second coming of Christ when the first fruits of God, those who have faithfully served Him over the centuries, will be resurrected to eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:22-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). But during this present age, the world plunges deeper and deeper into moral and political chaos and danger. The apostle Paul acknowledged this when he wrote: "For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. And not only they, but we also who have the first fruits of the [ Holy ] Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption [or son ship], the redemption of our body" (Romans 8:22-23).
Redemption cancels out our sins through the blood of Christ and also looks forward to the day when our physical bodies will be transformed from flesh into spirit (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). Redemption is eternal in its effects. It ultimately means everlasting life in the Kingdom of God.
The future depends on what we do in the present. Wisdom produces solutions for the future because it incorporates vision and design. With wisdom, people can create the future rather than just grasp the present and past. But achieving wisdom isn't easy; people must move successively through the other categories. Wisdom produces solutions. The four main types of wisdom are earthly wisdom (common sense), intellectual wisdom, diabolic wisdom, and divine wisdom. All human beings operate in earthly wisdom. Lawyers, doctors, engineers, journalists and so forth operate in intellectual wisdom. Wicked people operate in diabolic wisdom. God’s anointed servants and messengers operate in divine wisdom. Divine wisdom is superior to physical money. Physical money may fail or lose its value but divine wisdom is eternally valuable and priceless. George Washington, the first president of USA, said ‘‘It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible”. We certainly cannot be smarter and wiser than our Creator. God is the manufacturer of the universe and everything in and under the Heavens. Therefore, it is impossible to rightly govern the world without full dependence on God and the Bible.
The very reason for creation, the purpose for which God made us and the most complete life, is found in the Holy Bible and in living in the Biblical Holiness. A person may almost be known by the books he reads. The Bible is the light that shines the image of Christ upon the soul. The way of the Bible is the way of God, and is therefore the true path of life. Our prayer should be, “let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us,” (Psa. 90:17). “What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and walk humbly with your God”Micah.6:8.God wants us to have more than an intellectual understanding of the principles of His kingdom and more than a mere awareness of His existence. His desire for man is that he might enter into a very personal and intimate relationship with his God.
No one who is not saved from sin here can be saved from hell hereafter. No one can see the kingdom of Heaven above, unless the kingdom of God be in him below. Whoever will reign with Christ in heaven must have Christ reigning in him on earth. Therefore let our whole life flow out in a trend with the word of God, until it wears a channel in holiness and Divine character. If you are born of God, if God has planted in you divine life, which, in theology is called regeneration. If there has been a birth from God, there will also be growth from God. Hence walk humbly with God and live in the most intimate communion with God. Meditate in His law day and night; let the love of your heart grow warmer; let life be the holiest possible. Do this, and you will be one of the jewels God will gather to bedeck the temple of the skies. Therefore “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14) “Because God is holy we should desire to be conformed to Him. His command is, "Be ye holy, for I am holy" (1 Pet. 1:16). When a person understands the truth about holy Life and its original purpose, it becomes the most desirable possibility in all of human experiences. There is nothing so beautiful, so satisfying and so natural in all of human life than knowing the Creator of the Universe fully and intimately and walking with living God Daily.
Beyond the shores of time and the kingdoms of this world there is a kingdom called the Heaven. It is the place where God has His great white throne, around which the angels play upon their golden harps and shout, “praise, and glory, and wisdom, and thanks and honor, and power, and strength, be to our God forever and ever.”(Revelation 7:12). The life beyond death depends on the life here. If we live in humble obedience to God on earth then we will be with Him forever in that celestial holy city of Heaven.
God Bless you
