The purpose of this lesson is to understand God’s plan to bring the World back to Himself. We will explore what it is, how it effects us, and it’s benefits.
What is redemption?
According to Webster’s Dictionary – 1. the act of redeeming; the state of being redeemed; ransom; release; deliverance; rescue; repurchase. 2. something that redeems. 3. in commerce, repurchase by the issuer of notes, bills, bonds, or other evidence of debt, by paying their value in money to the holders. 4. in law, the liberation or freeing of an estate from mortgage; the repurchase of the right to re-enter upon an estate on performance of the terms or conditions on which it was conveyed; the right of redeeming and re-entering into possession. 5. in theology, the purchase of God’s favor by the death and sufferings of Christ; the ransom or deliverance of sinners from the bondage of sin and the penalties of God’s violated law. In whom we have redemption through His blood. – Eph 1:7-8 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
What this means to us is that God has paid the price necessary to bring us back to Himself. The fall of Adam & Eve destroyed the direct connection with God for all of mankind. The death and resurrection of Jesus paid the cost of restoring that link. (1Cor 6:19-20)
Through the work of redemption, we are purchased from the kingdom of sin, for and by the King of kings. Because of this, we are free from the requirement to follow the ways of the world. Addiction and depravation can be overcome. God’s wish for us is much greater than that of the world! (1Cor 6:19-20; Rom 6:16-18)
How does redemption affect my life? Why would I need it?
Because of the fall of Adam & Eve, all of us are under the “curse of death”. This is an interesting concept in that we are eternal beings. How can we die if we are eternal? This curse then by definition must be something other than the “normal” understanding of life. Typically we view death as the absence of life in a body. However, the concept of death in scripture goes beyond this to more properly defined as separation from God. Therefore we can’t be truly alive without the presence of God in our lives. We can’t have the presence of God without the acceptance of the payment made by Jesus to restore our connection.
What are the benefits of redemption? What’s in it for me?
Without redemption there is no place in the Kingdom of God that exists outside the realm of what we know through our senses. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins – Col 1:13-14
Our release frees us from sins that would overpower and cause us grief. That which we choose to serve becomes our master and we, its’ slave. As slaves we cannot partake of the resources of the “family”. All we can hope for are the crumbs that fall our way. (John 8:34-36; Rom 6:19-24)
1Cor 10:13 says, “No temptation has seized you except that which is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” From this we see that the redeemed are promised deliverance from temptation. Also see Job 5:19 & Ps 91:2.
We are promised a place with God. Jn 14:2-3
Redemption affords us health. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” 1Pet 2:24
Prosperity – “I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” 3Jn2
God has granted us a position of authority – Rom 5:17; 2 Tim 2:12; Rev 5:10; 20:6; 22:5
All these things are ours through the blood of Jesus, that he shed on the cross. Col 1:14; 1Pet 1:19; Acts 20:28; 1Jn 1:9; Jn 19
How can I be redeemed?
The first step toward redemption is to realize you need it! What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one. – Rom 3:9-10 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Rom 6:23
Next, recognize that the only payment for your redemption is Jesus. Rom 5:6-8 says: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” In John 14:5-6 “Thomas said to him, ‘Lord we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered: “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
Finally, Accept Jesus Payment for your sins through faith, confessing Jesus as your Lord and savior. Rom 10:6-13 – But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
