You can be Liberated by the Power of the Blood (Eph. 1:6-7)
Up to this verse we have learned of ministry of God the Father in providentially planning, purchasing, and providing for the Church by predestinating the entire plan “in Christ” before the foundation of the world. Now in verses 7 thru 12 we will learn how God the Son Purchased (Redeemed) the church.
Each member of the church is redeemed by Christ’s blood (1:7) (Col. 1:14). Christ’s blood is potentially sufficient for all but only effective for those that Believe! We must believe the Gospel before God’s predestination can become an experienced reality in our own lives (1:13; Heb. 11:1). The Bible says Christ is the one:
“In whom we have redemption through his blood. . .” (1:7)
How is it possible that the blood of Jesus Christ has such power to redeem and cleanse us from all sin?
This is possible because of who Jesus is and what he did when He died on the Cross. First, Jesus was, is and always will be, absolutely sinless in thought word and deed. Secondly, Jesus was, is, and always will be “the LORD Jesus Christ!” Jesus is the LORD of LORDS! (Eph. 1:2; Rev. 19:16). “For by Him were all things created. . . and by him all things consist” (Col. 1:16-17). That is why he can take away the sin of the world (John 1:29; I John 2:2).
What Jesus did was bear the penalty due every sin that every one has ever committed or will commit and fully paid for it on the cross (Heb. 10:10, 12-14; Isa. 53:4-6). Jesus fulfilled every Old Testament type that taught salvation by the substitutionary death of a perfect sinless sacrifice in place of the sinner (Isa. 53:7-8; 10:11). Jesus can “take away our sins; because in him is no sin” (I Jn 3:5)!
Illustration: You can redeem (purchase) 10 pennies with 1 dime. Why? Because the government who has the authority to set the standard has made it so. You don’t argue about the standard you just believe it and submit to it and reap the benefits. You can redeem (purchase) 10 dimes with 1 dollar. Why? Because the government who has the authority to, has set this standard and made it so. You don’t argue with the standard that was set by those who had the authority to set it. You simply believe the standard and submit to it and reap the benefits. God has the authority to set the standard for forgiveness of sins. God declared the wages of sin, any sin, is death (Rom. 3:23). God set the standard for redeeming sinners destined for eternal damnation. God determined that if there should ever be a man that lived a perfect life in thought, word and deed, His life, (and thus his blood Lev. 17:11, 14), would be so valuable that He could literally redeem the life of every human being that ever lived! He could redeem every one because His redemptive value would be so high. But we must believe the standard that God has set.
WE ARE REDEEMED FROM SOMETHING
Redemption supposes captivity and slavery, and is a deliverance out of it. God’s elect by nature are in bondage to sin (that dwells in my flesh {Rom. 7:18-2}), Satan (Heb. 2:14), and the law (Gal. 3:13).
Through the grace of Christ we are redeemed from all sin: we are both forgiven and cleansed (I John 1:7).
Through the grace of Christ we are ransomed from the power of and bondage to satan and his hosts of wickedness.
And through the grace of Christ we are ransomed from the curse and condemnation of the law (Rom. 3:25). The last word in the Old Testament is “a curse” (Malachi). The last word in the New Testament is “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Rev. 22:21).
Every enemy of holiness and love has been fully dealt with by the grace of God on the cross of Christ! We are saved from death, hell, and the wrath to come (I Thess.1:10; 5:9-10; Eph. 2:1-5)!
We are redeemed from the lust of our fallen sin nature inherited from Adam as well a from the actual sins we have committed (Rom. 5:19; 3:23). We have been “bought with a price” (I Cor. 6:20) from the bondage inherited through original sin (Gen. 5:3; Rom. 5:12-19; Eph. 2:3).
We are redeemed from the power of satan. God was not paying a ransom price to the devil. That is not taught in the Bible. On the cross Jesus destroyed “him that had the power of death, that is the devil” (Heb. 2:14; Col. 2:14-15; Eph. 2:2). We were in bondage to satan because he held the “fear of death” over our guilty consciences like the executioner’s sword (Heb. 2:14-15).
Christians no longer live in “the fear of death” because “Christ Jesus hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim. 1:10).
We were also in bondage to satan because he is “the accuser of the brethren” (Rev. 12:10) holding us accountable to the just condemnation due our transgression of God’s Holy Law. Christ is our “Advocate” in that trial and has fully justified us before the Sovereign Judge of the Universe! (I John 2:1; 2 Cor. 5:21).
We are also redeemed from the curse of the law. We are delivered from the curse and bondage of the law. We are freed from the judgment due our transgressions of God’s law whether they were committed knowingly or in ignorance. By being delivered from sin we are freed the accusations, curses, and condemnation of the law.
Redemption primarily has to do with satisfying the eternal principles of righteousness which govern the universe: the holy law of God which human sin has outraged. We have been “redeemed from the curse of the law” and the death penalty due our guilt (Gal. 3:13; Col. 2:13-14). Because the wages of sin is death we could not be redeemed without the shedding of the blood of an innocent, perfect sacrifice (Heb. 9:22; Lev. 17:11).
VARIOUS GREEK WORDS USED TO DESCRIBE OUR REDEMPTION IN CHRIST PAINT A VERY VIVID PICTURE OF JUST HOW LIFE CHANGING IT IS.
Two Greek words picture the slave market of sin that required redemption.
“Agorazo” from the root “agora” (market place) stresses the awfulness of the place from which we were redeemed. This word is translated “bought” in I Corinthians 6:20; 7:23. Hosea 3 is a vivid picture of Gomer being bought out of the “slave market.”
“Exagorazo” (the Greek “ex” meaning “out of.”) emphasizes the fact that we were bought “out of” the slave market of sin never to return!
These words are very enlightening in view of the fact that Ephesus had a world famous “agora” (marketplace)!
WE ARE REDEEMED BY SOMETHING.
The blood of Jesus Christ is one the 7 great realities of heaven in Hebrews 12:22-24:
1. The city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem
2. To an innumerable company of angels
3. To the general assembly and church of the firstborn
4. To God the judge of all
5. To the spirits of just men made perfect
6. To Jesus the mediator of the new covenant
7. To the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Why does the Blood of Christ speak better things than that of Abel? Because the blood of Abel cried out for God’s justice and judgment which Cain’s sin deserved (Gen. 9:5-6). But the Blood of Jesus cries out for God’s mercy and a forgiveness which we don’t deserve (Lk. 23:34; Eph. 1:7).
One Greek word reveals the great cost of our redemption.
“Peripoieo” is translated “purchased” in Acts 20:28. God “purchased the church with his own blood.” God took upon himself “flesh and blood” (Heb. 2:14; John 1:1, 14; Col. 2:9) to redeem us. God incarnate died on the Cross for our sins (2 Cor. 5:19). Therefore we “know that we were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from our vain conversation received by tradition from our fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (I Pet. 1:18-19).
In the Old Testament, if a man were unable to redeem himself from being a bond-servant, his kinsman might redeem him (Lev. 25:48; Boaz in the Book of Ruth). Hence, the Son of God became the Son of man, that as our kinsman He might redeem us and thus fulfill this Old Testament type (Matt. 20:28).
WE ARE REDEEMED FOR SOMETHING: TO BE FREE!
Several Greek words picture the results of our redemption.
“Lutroo; lutrosis” means “to release on receipt of ransom. The idea is of deliverance; to issue the papers of emancipation. The emphasis is on the state of being free from the power of sin (John 8:34; Rom. 6:17-18).
The word translated “redemption” in Ephesians 1:7 is “apolutrosis” the “apo” placing an added emphasis on the fact that the ransom has been paid in full. We are completely set free forever!
Robert E. Coleman writes that he once “heard a missionary tell about a boy who appeared at a mission hospital in Kenya with a gaping wound in his foot. He had been accidentally injured while cutting grass far out in the jungle. Part of his heel was cut off. Without waiting to inform anyone of the mishap, he set out across country to find the mission station where he had heard medical help was available. Every time the little foot touched the sandy earth it left a faint trace of blood. The journey was long and difficult, but at last he arrived.
A little while later the boy’s mother appeared. The doctors were surprised that she found the way. There were no well-defined trails, and she had never made the trip before.
"How did you do it?" she was asked. The dear woman, overjoyed to be with her child, replied, "Oh, it was easy. I just followed the blood!" (Robert E. Coleman is Distinguished Professor of Evangelism and Discipleship, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary).
If will will just follow the blood through the pages of Scripture it will lead us to Freedom! Because by the power of the Blood of Jesus Christ:
We are free from being victims of our upbringing (I Pet. 1:17-18).
We are free from the power of sin so we can live holy lives for God’s glory (Titus 2:11-14).
We are free from our physical body of corruption (Rom. 7:24-25; Col. 2:11; Rom. 8:23).
We are set free from the fear of death (Heb. 2:14).
We have been set free in order that we might live for the one who set us free (2 Cor. 5:14-15).
Jesus is my substitute in death: “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead” (2 Cor. 5:14; I Pet 3:18; Rom. 6:3-5).
Jesus is my substitute in life: “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again” (2 Cor. 5:15; I Pet. 2:24; Rom. 6:6, 11)
Many people have tried to accept Jesus as their substitute in death but continually refuse to accept Him as their substitute in life! They think Christianity is all about purchasing fire insurance from Hell sometime in the future; when it is really all about being empowered to live in victory over sin right now! The whole of Romans chapter 6 is about this spiritual truth. “Know this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Rom. 6:6). Hallelujah! I’m free at last, free at last!
Understanding our redemption in Christ is a powerful motivation for us to live “holy and without blame before him in love” (1:5). For “ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit which are God’s” (I Cor. 6:20; 7:23; 2 Cor. 5:15; Rom. 12:1-2).
Because we are redeemed we have received “the forgiveness of sins. . .” (1:7)
This includes “all sin” - original and actual; of motive (heart), word (mouth), and deed (life), secret and open, past, present, and future sins.
This includes freedom from all the power and all the guilt of all our sin.
“How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:14)
It is the “riches of God’s grace” that provides “redemption through Christ’s blood” (1:7)
Each member of the church is a recipient of these incredible riches of God’s Grace. Have you believed? Have you received your freedom?
