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Redeemed

1 Corinthians 1:30
    
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

      God has given us many things in Christ.  He is made unto us wisdom.  We have the righteousness of God in him.  We are sanctified - set apart as holy by and for God.  And in Christ Jesus we are redeemed. 
     The Greek word for redemption is apolutrosis.  Apolutrosis means to pay the full price to release or loose that which is being held. It is to be bought with a price.  It is atonement. Because of the sin of Adam, mankind was held captive to sin.  A price was required to redeem man from this captivity.  The word "atonement" means to be "at one with" God.  We were separated from God by the sin of Adam.  A price was required to atone for sin and redeem man so that he could once more be at one with God.

Leviticus 17:11 
     For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

    In God's Word, blood is used to represent life.  The Word declares that the life or soul of the flesh is in the blood.  Therefore, blood is involved in redemption to make an atonement for the soul.  It is not the physical blood but the life that it represents that is the price required for atonement.  However, from Adam to Jesus Christ no man or animal was born with life that had not been corrupted by sin of Adam.  Therefore, the blood of goats and calves was used upon the altar to make atonement with a view toward the future payment of sinless blood which was the legal requirement to redeem man.


1 Peter 1:18-19
     Forasmuch 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;
     But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

      The price required to redeem us was not silver or gold.  Jesus Christ was the only man since Adam's original creation that had blood free from the corruption that came as a result of Adam's sin.  He had this perfect blood because God was his father.  God created this uncorrupted life in Mary's womb.  The word "precious" describes something that is both rare and valuable.  Blood is not rare; but Christ's blood was rare.  It was "one of a kind."  It was valuable as it was life created by God Himself.

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:


     We are no longer held by the punishment due those who have broken the law.  Sin and Sickness no longer have any hold on the believer because we have been redeemed.

Hebrews 9:11-12 
     But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
     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.

     The blood of goats and calves were given as sacrifices with a view toward the perfect sacrifice that was to come.  Those sacrifices were not sufficient to pay the price for man's redemption.  But Jesus Christ gave his precious perfect blood once for all time.  Because of the price he paid for us we have obtained ETERNAL REDEMPTION.  There is no more payment required.  We have been redeemed!

Romans 3:24-25
     Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
     Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation
[payment] through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

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

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

     Jesus Christ obtained eternal redemption for us. 
We confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believe that God raised him from the dead and we receive redemption.  We receive by believing that he gave his life as a payment for ours.  We accept his substitution for us and we are identified with him.   Our sins are remitted.   We are justified freely and made righteous before God.  The price has been paid by Jesus Christ.   We receive freely BY GOD'S GRACE.  It costs us nothing because it cost God the life of His son.

Galatians 4:4-6 
     But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
     To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
     And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

     We have been redeemed and are at one with God.  We have received God's gift of sonship.   We have been given eternal life.  We have been given holy spirit.  We are God's sons and daughters because Christ paid the price to redeem us.

     There is an beautiful oriental custom which is used in God's Word as a figure to illustrate what would be available when Christ accomplished our redemption:

Isaiah 55:1 
     Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

    
In the Bible lands market, the merchant who sells water, wine, and milk publicly announces the price in the market much like one who sell hot dogs, peanuts, and popcorn at a ball game.
     When someone has a birthday he wants to make others happy. He buys the water, wine, and milk from the one selling. The seller then calls out in the market: "Come! Buy without price!" Those that have a need can then get the water, wine, or milk they need without money because it has already been paid for by the person having the birthday. Jesus Christ paid the price to redeem us. We can freely have all that God made available thanks to Jesus Christ who paid the price.


Michael & Christine Cortright's Fellowship Homepage
URL http://www.cortright.org/redeem.htm
© Copyright February 2006  Michael Cortright