Christ
our Redeemer
We have been redeemed through the precious blood of Jesus
Christ. He paid an infinite price for our salvation. The price of redemption is the death of Jesus Christ. That is the
inescapable fact in the Old and New Testament.
The idea of redemption comes from the ancient Greek marketplace. The
word agorazo means "to buy," or "to buy in the marketplace." In
the New Testament the word places the emphasis on the price Jesus paid to redeem
us.
In the Old Testament the Jews used the word gaal, "to
redeem." The word goel was the kinsman-redeemer who as the nearest of kin had
the power, ability, freedom and willingness to redeem his kinsman from difficulty.
The Jews also used the word kofer meaning "the ransom price," or the price of
redemption.
These words suggesting redemption by payment may be strange in our
day, but were clearly ingrained in the Jewish and Greek culture of the first century
Christianity.
The great Gospel of Jesus Christ not only redeems us by the payment
of His death, but it goes a step further. Jesus purchased us out of the slave market and
permanently set us free to never return to its bondage. The redeemed person has come under
new ownership and management.
The apostle Paul wrote, “In Him we have redemption through His
blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He
lavished upon us” (Eph. 1:7-8; cf. Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Matthew 20:28).
The word exagorazo means, "to buy out of the
marketplace" with the idea that the person so purchased might never return to such a
state of slavery again.
To what extent has God redeemed us? It is an effective and permanent
redemption. The promise is we never have to be sold under the power of sin again. Our
salvation is so great that Jesus purchased us, and the transaction is complete so that He
has taken us out of the marketplace and, we never have to return.
The price our Redeemer paid was so great that no one can possibly top
the price He paid! We are not up for sale! No one can purchase us away from the LORD God.
We were purchased at the infinite cost of the blood of the Son of God. Nothing is more
precious than the infinite value of that blood.
We have been delivered, luo, "to set free, to loose, or deliver" by the
payment of a price. Because Jesus Christ purchased us from sin at the infinite price of
His own precious blood, He has also set us free so as to never to return to our slavery
again. The emphasis is on freedom. We are free to love and serve Him who redeemed us, and
now this is why we worship Him.
Have you paused and thanked
God for His Son who actually shed His blood to ransom you?
Have you ever considered the
exceptionally great price that was paid for your salvation? It is the most expensive gift
you will ever receive. It is not cheap just because it is free.
Moreover, your gift of
redemption has been paid in full. All that you can possibly do is come with open hands to receive
it. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of
God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).
The next time you are
tempted to throw in the towel and call it quits remind the tempter you are not, and never
will be up for sale, ever again.
Why should you ever want to
doubt your salvation yet again? It does not depend upon you, but upon the permanent
completed transaction by God through the Lord Jesus, your Redeemer.
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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