REDEMPTION

A Sonship Right

Redemption is one of the five Sonship Rights that all born again believers have, the others being Sanctification, Justification, Righteousness, and the Ministry of Reconciliation. What is redemption, and what does it mean to you?

First, let us look at the word redeemer.

A redeemer is one charged with the duty of restoring the rights of another and avenging his wrong. The book of Leviticus notes that another human, usually a relative, could be a redeemer under the Old Testament law. (see Leviticus 25: 48, 49). Of course, it is God who is most often depicted as a redeemer in the Old Testament.

Psalms 19: 14 – Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength [rock] and my redeemer.

The word redemption means that something that has been lost is purchased back by the payment of a ransom. What was lost? Mankind's relationship with God was lost in Genesis, by the sin of Adam and Eve. But God made a way available for our rights as His children to be restored. He had plans for a redeemer, Jesus Christ. Note that what Christ did made the debt marked "PAID IN FULL", not merely cancelled.

Now we will look at some of the scriptures that tells us about our redemption through Christ Jesus:

Romans 3: 24 -- Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Here redemption is paired with another sonship right, justification.

Galatians 3: 13 -- Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Because of the price paid, we are no longer under the Old Testament law. Now that we are once again children of God, we do not need the law.

Galatians 4: 5 -- To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Once again, the law no longer has any hold on us as sons of God.

Ephesians 1: 7 -- In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness [remission] of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Colossians 1: 14 -- In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness [remission] of sins:

Christ paid for us with his blood, his life.

Titus 2: 14 -- Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Christ gave his life willingly for us. It was not taken from him against his will.

Hebrews 9: 12 -- Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Christ was the ultimate sacrificial lamb. No longer are believers expected to go to the temple and offer sacrifices of goats or calves several times a year. Christ was sacrificed once, and thus gained eternal redemption for us. It cannot be taken away, nor do we ever have to offer any more sacrifices for our redemption.

I Peter 1: 18, 19 -- Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation [behavior] received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

The usual ransom is paid off with gold or silver or some form of money. But we were bought by the blood of Christ, and we can never be 'kidnapped' again.

Christ knew that he was sent here as a redeemer as he says in the gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 20: 28 -- Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Paul reiterates Christ's mission in the book of Acts:

Acts 20: 28 --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 (the Lord), which he hath purchased with his own blood.

The following scriptures also indicate that the ransom has been paid:

I Corinthians 7: 23 -- Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

Galatians 1: 4 -- Who [Jesus Christ] gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

This is another benefit of redemption: we are rescued from this present evil world. Even though we live in it, we are not part of it anymore.

Ephesians 5: 2 -- And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Christ died for us because he loved us, and so we are urged to also love others.

Pertaining to our Sonship Right of REDEMPTION, here are some other scriptures that you should review:

Romans 8: 23 – And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit [know], the redemption of our body.

Ephesians 1: 4 – According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Hebrews 9: 15 – And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

I Timothy 2: 5, 6 – For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Galatians 2: 20 – I am [was] crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

In conclusion, we have learned that Christ's sacrifice restored our rights as children of God. The ransom has been paid, and we are no longer captives of the law, of sin, or of the present evil world. In turn, we are to love one another like Christ (and God, of course) loved us.

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