Redeemed By The Blood!

Redeemed by the Blood

Dr. Russell K. Tardo

I. REDEEMED BY THE BLOOD

18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. [1 Pe. 1:18-21]

A. Admonitions to Christians.

Peter admonishes the Christian to be holy, obedient; to be sober-minded; to gird up the loins of his mind. There is going to be a judgment of believers, not to salvation or damnation, but of reward.

B. Significant Points of the Scripture Reference.

1. Peter reminds the Christians of what they were before Christ -- slaves. He tells them that they were not redeemed with corruptible things. They were slaves that needed to be set free. The term redeemed carried a more significant meaning to the people in that day than it does now. At that point in time there were some 50 million slaves. To redeem meant to buy them out of slavery by paying a price. Very few obtained that redemption. Peter tells the church and us that we were bought -- redeemed out of slavery.

Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commiteth sin is the servant of sin.

[Jo. 8:34]

16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19I speak after the manner of man because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. [Rom. 6:16-23]

As new believers heard the doctrine of Christ, it set them free from sin and being made free from sin, they became slaves of righteousness. Peter is reminding the Christians of what they were, just as Jesus reminded them in John and Paul in Romans. God doesn’t want us looking back to our life before Christ with fondness, for the devil will try to deceive you into thinking that what you left was good and not slavery or the bondage that it actually was.

2. Peter reminded the new Christians they had been delivered from their empty, worthless lives. He says they were delivered from their vain conversation (their empty manner of life), life that knew no real fulfillment.

1Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 4Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you. [1 Pe. 4:1-4]

Consequently, they should live the remainder of their lives with one purpose -- the pursuit of God. Speaking of this empty life, Peter said that most of them (speaking chiefly to the Gentiles) inherited them from their fathers and carried on in that tradition.

3. Peter reminded them of what Christ did -- He redeemed them -- AND US! His blood purchased all out of the misery of sin which enslaved us. When Jesus shed His blood, it was God’s blood that bought our redemption.

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. [Acts 20:28]