Redemption: the act of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for a payment or clearing of debt.
In the life of a Christian, this means that Jesus, through His sacrificial death, purchased believers from the slavery and bondage of sin to live freely in Him. Another way of expressing this; “to obtain release by the payment of a price”. In the case of our Lord, that price was His life which was forfeit on the cross of Calvary.
Redemption is used in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. In the Old Testament, redemption involves deliverance from bondage based on the payment of a price by a redeemer. The Hebrew word for redemption is a legal term concerning the substitution required for the person or animal delivered. Our redemption is a legal process, and by it, Jesus legally delivers each of us from the eternal punishment of our sin. This redemption stands firm in the court of God’s righteous judgment.
Given this reality, how is your day going? Did you dread getting out of bed this morning? Are you facing unreasonable demands from your employer? Is there ongoing tension in your marriage? Dealing with guilt around repeated sin? Or maybe you just find yourself simply tired of the same old routine and are longing for something new?
Fundamental to the message of the New Testament is the announcement that Jesus is the fulfillment of Israel’s messianic hope and that in Him, our long-awaited redemption has been achieved and that payment has been fully made for your redemption. Men, is this something that you take time daily to ponder and consider? Take a look at these verses:
Ephesians 1:7 – “In Him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
1 Peter 1:18-19 – “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”
Reflection and worship are necessary!
When life gets difficult, we start thinking that we need a break. What we need, however, is a reflection on our redeemed state. Instead of gaining a momentary respite from the madness that surrounds us, living in our redemption is the present promise of God to deliver us from the power and presence of sin.
How do we do this? There are some simple steps that each of us can take, they just require a bit of discipline:
- Make time, either in the morning or in the evening, to put God’s word in your brain. Breath in His Word and allow His Spirit to sift and settle you. For some that means reading scripture and thinking about it, for others, listening to scripture on your phone. Pick a time and dedicate it to God’s word.
- Worship every day! We have more technology to put worship music in our heads, anytime we want, at the volume we want, with the musicians and bands we want, than at any time in history. Pick 4-5 worship songs and play them, sing along with them, scare your friends, whatever…but let the Holy Spirit massage your spirit & soul while you worship.
If you as the leader of your family and head of your marriage are not engaged in these disciplines, who is?
A couple of other thoughts:
Recognize that we are all products of the fall and in need of redemption.
It’s easy to forget that people who bother us are often people just like us. We are all affected and afflicted by the fall. When we view people through the lens of being fallen (instead of expecting them to live as if they were fully redeemed), we can be more sympathetic. Point all people to Jesus, our Redeemer.
Realize that the sufferings of this world are temporary.
This is not to diminish pain & suffering. They are hurtful and we will feel their effects, yet redemption promises that our pain and hurt are not final. We have hope because God Himself has promised to redeem all of creation. If we want others to share in our story of redemption, we do this best when we live in the light of our future redemption. I Cor 2:9 states, “But as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived’ – God has prepared these things for those who love him.”
Respond to God’s grace in your life by offering grace to others.
One of the joys we will experience in the new heaven and new earth is knowing that we are there because someone shared the good news of the gospel with us. Our joy will be so much greater when we know that someone has been redeemed because we shared the story of redemption with them!
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