The doctrine of Redemption

Redemption is an important truth in biblical christianity which carries deep theological significance. The doctrine of redemption is at the very heart of the gospel. The dictionary defines redemption as the action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment. Redemption in biblical christianity is the ransom price Jesus paid at the cost of his life to purchase us from the domineering power of sin, and it's eternal consequences. I love how Ligon Duncan, an excellent theologian defined it, "Redemption (apolutrosis) refers supremely to the work of Christ on our behalf, whereby he purchases us, he ransoms us, at the price of his own life, securing our deliverance from the bondage and condemnation of sin". 

Redemption applies to those in prison, to those in bondage, for such people needs a redeemer to redeem them and secure their deliverance. Of a truth, the entire human race have fallen and plunged deep in sin. Through the disobedience of the one Man the human race became sinners by nature. No one is exempted from the consequences of the fall. There are some unlearned dissenting clique who believe by nature they are not sinners, therefore, they always kick against our teaching on original sin to their own eternal disadvantage. The truth is that every person born of a woman is a sinner, and is under the dominating influence and power of sin.

The bible says, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3: 23). The prophet David by the Holy Ghost wrote down these words: Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me (Psalms 51: 5). This was the condition of everyone of us, we were born sinners, for in sin our mother conceived us. We were helpless, and bound by the fetters of lust and worldly passions. We were in a state of separation from God, and the fury of God remained on us. We could not redeem ourselves from the prison we were in. John MacArthur, an excellent theologian wrote, " I remember when I was a little boy I read a book, a little book. It left an indelible impression upon my mind. It was about a little boy who made a little boat. He got some pieces of wood and he kind of carved them out and glued them together and made a little boat and put a little mast on it and made a little sail and attached it to the boat, and worked very hard with his little tools and produced what to him was a very special little sailboat, and painted it up the way he wanted it. Went down to the lake nearby to sail it.

It was carried along, however, by a strong breeze and eventually got beyond his reach and then it went out of sight. He was sad about losing this little prize of his own craftsmanship. And later walking through the little town he lived in he noticed it was for sale in the window of a shop. He went in and told the shopkeeper that it was his and he tried to lay claim to it. He was not believed, however, and the man behind the counter demanded that if he wanted it he’d have to pay for it. He’d have to buy the very boat that he had made with his own hands. He went home, broke open his little piggy bank and found that he had just enough money. So he returned to the shop, put the money on the counter and bought back his little boat. It was surely his then, twice his, he said, because he not only made it but he redeemed it. Made by the Creator and then redeemed by the Creator".

No one could redeem us from our sinful state, except the one who created us, he alone could liberate us from our wretched condition. God in the fullness of time was made manifest in the person of Jesus Christ and he redeemed us through the sacrifice of himself. The ransom price he paid to set us free from our miserable condition was his precious life. Jesus said: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10: 45).The substitutionary sacrifice of Christ has brought us manumission from the dominion and eternal penalty of sin (Romans 6; 14).  I love this amazing quote by the puritan, Thomas Watson, this is what he wrote centuries ago, ''Great was the work of creation, but greater the work of redemption. It cost more to redeem us than to make us. In the one, there was shedding of blood. The creation was but the work of God's fingers''. It is important to know that one of the benefits of our redemption is that we are not only redeemed, but we are forgiven as well, for it is written: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1: 7). Redemption goes hand in hand with remission of sins.

 Another benefit of our redemption is that we have been set free from the curse of the law, as it is written: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"(Galatians 3: 13). How wonderful that the lawgiver would subject himself under the law to fulfill the law by dying an accursed and shameful death on the cross. Remember, he did this because of his immeasurable love for you. The last benefit I would like to accentuate in this article is that our redemption has made has sons of God, for it is written: so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons (Galatians 4: 5). If Jesus Christ had not become flesh to die as our substitute, how then would we have been reckoned as the children of God? We are sons of God and the holy Spirit dwells in us by which we can relate with God as our Abba father, because Jesus Christ has redeemed us by paying the ransom price to set us free from what hindered us from the presence of God.

Beloved, it is a great blessing that we have been redeemed by the substitutionary death of Christ, but our redemption does not exclude us from experiencing pain and grief in this physical world. Deep down we all groan to wit the redemption of our body. The apostle by the Spirit wrote this words: And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body (Romans 8: 23).  A time is coming: For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (Corinthians 15: 53-57). The Holy Spirit in us is a deposit which guarantees our future bodily redemption, see (Ephesians 4; 30). 

We shall also dwell in the new heavens and the new earth, and the amazing part is that God will not only wipe away our tears, but he will pitch his tent and live among us: And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away"(Revelation 21: 3-4). This is our hope, we are anticipating the day that we will be resurrected and our bodies will be glorified like unto his glorious body, and we shall live with our God in the new heavens and new earth, a place in which love, peace, prosperity and every good thing dwells forever. God bless you

             A thought to ponder 🤔

The Holy Spirit in us is a deposit which guarantees our future bodily redemption

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