Redemption-What Jesus Did & Why?
We all have heard it many times that Christians are the “redeemed” but what were we redeemed from? What does the redemptive work of Christ mean? What does it mean to believe in Christ, and the redemptive work that was done on the cross? Who really believes it was done? Who wrought the work of Redemption in the first place? We must understand these elements of Redemption before we can fully come to understand what Jesus redeemed all mankind from and why redemption was necessary!
The word redemption means to “tear loose, a ransom”. (to tear loose!) Rooted in the secular usage of the word, the New Testament use of redemption draws it’s meaning from a parallel with the market-place concept “to buy back”, and describes the specific means by which the larger salvation concepts may be gained. We see in the bible, Jesus using concepts of every day life to help the disciples to understand life in the Kingdom of God by using the things which they were familiar with and could relate to. That is where the meaning of redemption or the “buying back” comes from. It is taken from the concept of selling and buying back something in the market-place! It is the “buying” back of the souls of men condemned under the law of sin and death and the price paid for that “buy back”.
Originally restricted to its commercial usage, the word is used in the New Testament to mean the idea of deliverance and the price of that deliverance. It is a two-fold meaning which all mankind should understand. It is not solely the means of what was done.. but also the price (ransom) it required!
The bible records in Romans 3:24 states that man is freely justified by grace “through redemption that is in Christ Jesus”(the price to mankind was free). In I Corinthians 6:20, where redemption is viewed as being “bought with a price” (the price was Jesus Christ) and in Galatians 3:13, where Christ is said to have redeemed us “from the curse of the law being made a curse for us”, (the law required a sacrifice, a price) God provided the sacrifice… Jesus! (Eph. 1:7; I Peter 1:18-19; Rev. 5:9).
Redemption is from the enslavement of sin and release to a new freedom. This new freedom is presented in Scripture as always residing in Christ!
The fundamental idea of the word is a dual one: Redemption FROM and redemption TO. Redemption is from the law; from the penalty of the law; from sin; from Satan and from all evil. Redemption is to a new freedom from sin, a new relationship to God, and a new life in Christ. It is the TEARING AWAY of YOU from the TEACHINGS OF MEN, FROM THE TRADITIONS OF MEN, and FROM THE VOICE of ANYONE OTHER THAN GOD! THE ORIGINAL SIN FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN!
Think about it, wasn’t that the very thing that God said was the reason for the curse, that Adam had hearkened to the voice of another? ASK GOD!!
Redemption rests in Christ’s satisfaction of the requirements for ransom! God was satisfied that the ransom (Jesus) met all the requirements of the Law, therefore, redemption for all mankind was established! He paid the price for all mankind! No one was left out! He took sinful nature upon HIMSELF in order that He might satisfy the demands of the LAW by assuming our guilt. Exercising GOD’S WILL to do so, He achieved the ransom within HIMSELF in order that He might deliver us from the bondage of sin. He did this for all of us! It was God’s will that HIS PEOPLE be REDEEMED FROM THE LAW, FROM SIN, and FROM SATAN and FROM ALL EVIL… redeemed to FREEDOM FROM SIN, TO A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST! We are redeemed by GOD through CHRIST!
The price was paid… the Redemptive Work is complete! Mankind has not been sold back into slavery to sin, nor to a sinful nature. You never will be again! How could you be? How could God send Jesus to do the redemptive work on the cross, only to sell you back! Then have the “ransom” paid again! As a result of man being born after Christ, did the redemptive work, we are now FREE from the law, sin, Satan and all evil and free to have a new relationship with God and a new life in CHRIST!
Can you lose this redemption and be under the curse of the law, sin and death again? Yes! How is that possible? Simple, the same thing that Adam did to be put out of the garden,… He listened to what someone else told him, and God cursed Him for it.!! Hear God.. only God.. ASK GOD! And follow what God tells you….
Now let’s address the issue if you believe what you say that you do? Many claim that they believe that Jesus did this redemptive work, but do they? Are they not the ones that continue to claim to sin, and that others are sinners, and with the same voice claiming that Jesus did this work to make us all sin free… no longer able to sin?? Are those people the serpents in your garden? ASK GOD!! He will make it clear to you, and then you’ll have heard it from the only one that can give you the assurance, and confidence that is necessary for you to believe!!
ASK HIM!! HEAR HIM!
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