This is an easy-to-follow word study in Hebrew and Greek, with all the words transliterated into English. And then redemption and ransom are applied to our lives today. Also, was Christ sent to ransom “many” or “all”?
The basic concept is that God had to reach down and bring us out of one condition (sin and slavery) to another condition (light and salvation), by dying on the cross. This is the price paid for our redemption.
The concept of ransom is included in this post too.
I use the NIV in this post. For more translations, please go to biblegateway.com.
I. Old Testament Terms
The Old Testament was written in Hebrew (and Aramaic), and here are two key verbs that describe “to redeem.”
A.. The first verb is ga’al.
It means to “ransom,” “redeem,” or “function as a kinsman redeemer” and is used 104 times.
1.. The verb is used in a legal context, of the redemption of property that had been forfeited.
In the bigger picture, God owned the land of Israel, and each tribe and clan was promised a share. Each tribe or clan could never sell it permanently. However, if it was sold to pay a debt, then a go’el, a kinsman redeemer, could buy it back or redeem the land. A kinsman redeemer belonged to the tribe or clan (hence the “kinsman” aspect), so this qualified him to redeem the forfeited property (Lev. 25). If the unfortunate man had to sell himself into slavery for a limited time, like seven years (Deut. 15:1), he could be redeemed or released by the go’el. Or the land was released in the year of Jubilee, every fifty years when all debts were canceled (Lev. 25:10-13).
Liberty and Redemption in Leviticus 25 from a NT Perspective
2.. God had to deliver the Israelites.
The the people of Israel were enslaved in Egypt and God redeemed them by his mighty outstretched arms and powerful acts (Ex. 6:6; 15:13; Ps. 19:14; Is. 41:14; Is. 51:10).
In the next verses, God delivered Israel through the Red Sea, or “the great deep” may refers to the chaotic deep sea or chaos by itself. God can conquer it.
10 Was it not you who dried up the sea,
the waters of the great deep,
who made a road in the depths of the sea
so that the redeemed might cross over?
11 Those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away. (Is. 51:10-11)
Much later God promised through Isaiah to redeem his people again, from their exile in Babylon (Is. 35:9-10; 51:11). Their new name is the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord.
6 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. (Exod. 6:6)
13 In your unfailing love you will lead
the people you have redeemed.
In your strength you will guide them
to your holy dwelling. (Exod. 15:13)
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Ps. 19:14)
I include v. 13 in the next passage because it is so wonderful:
13 For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.
14 Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob,
little Israel, do not fear,
for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. (Is. 41:13-14)
3. The application to our lives
We were sold into debt for our sins, and Christ, our kinsman redeemer, bought us back or redeemed us, by dying on the cross in our place. He stepped in and took our place, just as were about to be nailed to the cross (so to speak). He became a sin offering (2 Cor. 5:21, see below). With our debt paid in full, our sins were forgiven and we were released from the debt.
B. Another verb in the Old Covenant Scriptures is padah.
1.. This verb means “to redeem,” or “ransom”
It is used 60 times. It involves the exchange of money to buy something back.
God commanded the Israelites to “redeem” their firstborn son or firstborn animals. This meant heads of households had to pay a fee to “redeem” them (Exod. 13:13-15; Num. 18:18-15). This payment was made to the temple was a sacrifice.
Numbers 18:14-16:
14 “Everything in Israel that is devoted to the Lord is yours. 15 The first offspring of every womb, both human and animal, that is offered to the Lord is yours. But you must redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of unclean animals. 16 When they are a month old, you must redeem them at the redemption price set at five shekels [2 ounces or 58 grams] of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. (Num. 18:14-16,)
So the redemption price was five shekels of silver. The head of household paid this money to redeem or buy with a price his firstborn son or daughter, and then the head got to keep him or her. The money went to a holy place–the earthly sanctuary.
2.. The application to our lives is also clear. Jesus, the firstborn Son, was sacrificed as the price to redeem us. He is our Redeemer. It could be said that he sprinkled his blood in the heavenly sanctuary, and his blood is priceless, infinitely more than just five shekels of silver!
In another passage applying this to our lives, Hebrews 9:11-15 says that by Christ Jesus’ entered the heavenly tabernacle by means of his own blood. His blood obtained eternal redemption and cleanses our consciences. The new covenant is much better than the old!
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Heb. 9:11-15, emphasis added)
His death ransomed us from our own sins when he paid for them with his blood. This payment went into the heavenly tabernacle. I believe it also went into God’s justice system behind and above the degraded injustice system of sin, to which we were bound. He is our redeemer who lifts us out of this injustice system, so now we can serve the living God with a free conscience (v. 14).
4.. Another use of the verb padah is to recue people from their distress.
The Psalmist cries out, “Redeem me!” (Ps. 25:22; Ps. 119:134). He rescues them from illness, enemies, or sin. The people who are saved from the nations of the world can return home (Jer. 31:11) and be called the “ransomed of the Lord” (Is. 35:10; 51:11).
Rescue and deliverance and redeeming add up to the same result:
22 Deliver Israel, O God,
from all their troubles! (Ps. 25:22)
134 Redeem me from human oppression,
that I may obey your precepts. (Ps. 119:134)
God will gather his people back to Jerusalem and Judah–and Israel.
10 “Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;
proclaim it in distant coastlands:
‘He who scattered Israel will gather them
and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’
11 For the Lord will deliver Jacob
and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. (Jer. 31:10-11)
These verses refer to the Messianic Age, but they echo a return to the land at their time:
9 No lion will be there,
nor any ravenous beast;
they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,
10 and those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away. (Is. 35:9-10)
5.. God did not pay Satan; God simply steps in and saves or rescues or redeems us out our troubles and sickness and self-inflicted captivity.
II. New Testament Terms
The New Covenant Scriptures were written in Greek, and here are some key words.
A.. The verb is exagorazō (pronounced ex-ah-goh-rah-zoh).
It means to “redeem” or “make the most of,” and is used 4 times. “Agora” is the term for “marketplace.” He bought us out of the marketplace of the world.
1.. Christ entered the world at the right time.
He did this to redeem us from our sins and the curse of the law, (Gal. 4:5), by suffering the death embedded in the law’s curse (Gal. 3:10). The sinless, blessed Christ suffered an accursed death (Deut. 21:23). In Ephesians 5:16 and Colossians 4:5, Paul uses the Greek verb “to redeem” the time or “make the most of” time. But we don’t need to quote it here.
4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. (Gal. 4:4-5)
2.. Another background to the marketplace is slavery.
It is just as it was in Exodus and the exiles in Babylon (Luke 24:21). Indeed, Christ bought us out of the slave market. He redeemed us or bought us back from our slavery to sin and from the exile that our sin imposed on us, when we were far from God.
Here Cleopas and his traveling companion had desired that Jesus was the one to redeem Israel from Roman occupation:
21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. (Luke 4:21)
3.. But who got the “price” of his blood? Who or what was paid?
I believe it was not the slaveowners in the marketplace but God’s justice system, behind the degraded slave market. So when Christ paid for our freedom by his sacrificial blood, the payment went to God’s legal or justice system. And then God canceled the injustice of our enslavement. See the second point in the previous section.
B.. Another verb is lutroō (pronounced loo-troh-oh).
It is used three times and means simply “to redeem.” All three occurrences of the verb are found in 1 Peter 1:18-19, and an actual payment is made. We have been redeemed from a futile sinful life, and the “money” or “currency” is the precious blood of the lamb, which was without blemish.
18 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, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (1 Peter 1:18-19)
In the grand finale of the plagues on Egypt, the lamb’s blood was to be put on the doorframes so the death angel would pass over that household where the blood was applied. The lamb had to be without defect (Exod. 12:3, 5). A lamb used in an offering must be without blemish (Lev. 3:6).
3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb[ for his family, one for each household. […] 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. (Exod. 12:3, 5)
6 “‘If you offer an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering to the Lord, you are to offer a male or female without defect (Lev. 6:7)
Titus 2:14 teaches that he has redeemed us from all wickedness and to purify us to be his people who are his own, eager to do good works. So the same idea of redeeming us from our sins is clear here.
[…] the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:13c-14)
C. A noun is apolutrōsis, (pronounced ah-poh-loo-troh-sees).
It is used ten times, and it combines the prefix apo- (“from” or “away”) and the stem lutrōn– (ransom), so it means “ransom or redeeming us away from slavery or sin.” In Hebrews 9:15 Jesus died as a ransom to set us free from sins.
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Heb. 9:15)
In Hebrews 11:15-16, the idea is to release from captivity, even though the noun is not used.
15 If they [heroes of the faith] had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Heb. 11:15-16)
Christ redeemed us through his death on the cross (Rom. 3:24; 1 Cor. 1:30).
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Rom. 3:23-24)
30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30)
There are two temporal aspects of redeeming: the present and future. We have redemption now (Eph. 1:7-8a; Col. 1:13-14).
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. (Eph. 1:7-8a)
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Col. 1:13-14)
And our redemption will be completed in the future, at the return of the Lord, when we are finally released from the world, the sin nature, and the devil (Luke 21:28; Rom. 8:2; Eph. 1:13c-14; Eph. 4:30).
28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)
There is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus:
2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Rom. 8:2)
[…] the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1:13c-14)
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Eph. 4:30)
D. Another noun is lutrōsis (pronounced loo-troh-seess).
It is used three times, and it means “redemption.”
Zacharias, John (the future) Baptist’s father, said God has made redemption for his people (Luke 1:67-68).
67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them. (Like 1:67-68)
When Jesus was presented at the temple, Anna the prophetess proclaimed that God provided redemption through Jesus (Luke 2:38).
38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:38)
And finally Christ has become our eternal redemption through his blood (Heb. 9:12).
12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. (Heb. 9:12)
E. The noun is lutron (pronounced loo-trohn).
It is usually translated as “ransom.” Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45 says that Christ gave his life a ransom for many.
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:28)
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
1.. The Greek noun in broader Greek writings at the time most often referred to the purchase price for freeing slaves. It is their emancipation from slavery and into freedom.
23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. (1 Cor. 7:23)
2.. Jesus was the price that was paid to free his people and many others from their enslavement. Yes, it is true that there is never any mention in the NT of the person who was paid, but maybe we can say that it refers to our sin nature.
3.. He is also the redeemer. He paid the price by becoming vicariously a sin offering and thereby paying the penalty for our sin, which was death.
So the price and penalty merged, and it was death, and he paid that price by becoming a ransom. Remember: Jesus had just spoken of his death (Matt. 20:17-19).
The christological aspect is the best-known issue in this verse. “Ransom” [lutron] has its background in the OT idea of the kinsman redeemer (Boaz and Ruth) but mainly in the idea of the payment made to redeem the firstborn (Num. 3:46-47; 18:15) as well as the Hellenistic idea of freeing a slave or buying freedom of a prisoner of war. It denotes a “ransom” payment and has two connotations here and in the parallel apolutrōsis passages (“redemption” –e.g. Gal 4:5; Eph 1:7, 14; cf. Rom 3:24; Heb 9:12), the payment (the “blood” of Jesus) and the freedom from sin that it purchases for people. (Grant R. Osborne, comment on Matthew 20:28)
Yet 1 Timothy 2:5-6 says he gave his life a ransom for all.
5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. (1 Tim. 2:5-6)
4.. How do we resolve the “many” and “all” difference?
Many = all in some contexts. BDAG, a thick Greek lexicon which many consider authoritative, cites Mark 10:45 and Matthew 20:28 (ransom for “many”) and 1 Timothy. 2:6 (ransom for “all”). Yet Mark 10:44 says that a disciple must be a servant of “all.” The lexicon also cites Matthew 12:15 which says a large crowd (“many”) followed him, and he healed all who were ill. BDAG calls this an “ascensive all.” So combining those three verses theologically, they could be translated as follows: give his life “a ransom for many, even all.” Note how “many” ascends to become “all.”
Bottom line: in many instances, “many” and “all” are interchangeable, or in other contexts “many” means a large number as distinct from a “few.” We should see “many” and “all” as synonyms and take the fuller, ascensive “all” as the meaning of those verses.
Is the Atonement for ‘Many’ or ‘All’ People?
F. The noun antilutron (pronounced ahn-tee-loo-trohn) is also translated as “ransom.”
As noted, 1 Timothy 2:6 says Christ gave himself a ransom for all people. The anti- prefix means that one thing is equivalent to another, so Christ’s ransom is a sufficient substitute for our need and our sin. It also means a process of intervention, so Christ’s ransom intervenes for our need of it.
III. Basic Question and Answers
A. Who needs redemption?
John 8:34 teaches that everyone who sins is a slave to sin. He has no permanent place in the family, but the son does. So now the Son of God sets us free. So we are the ones who need redemption from our slavery to sin.
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. (John 8:34)
Romans 6:17-18 rejoices that we were once slaves to sin, but have come to obey Paul’s teachings, and now we are slaves to righteousness. So we too were slaves, just as Israel used to be in Egypt, but we have been redeemed.
17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (Rom. 6:17-18)
Psalm 49:7-9 says that no one can redeem another person, or give to God a ransom for them; the ransom is too costly, and no payment is ever enough.
7 No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—
9 so that they should live on forever
and not see decay. (Ps. 49:7-9)
The pattern here is slavery to sin, and all slaves need to be brought out of it. This “bringing out” is redemption.
B. Then is there no one who can redeem us?
No human can do this, so God sent the God-Man, Christ Jesus, the mediator between God and us (1 Tim. 2:5-6a; Heb. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24). So we need a heavenly redeemer.
5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. (1 Tim. 2:5-6a)
6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. (Heb. 8:6)
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Heb. 9:15)
24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Heb. 12:24)
In one of the greatest verses in the Bible, Romans 3:24 says that we have been justified freely by his grace, and this justification came by the redemption through Christ Jesus. “justified” can only mean being declared righteous, or else we can never redeem ourselves by enough good works.
24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Rom. 3:24)
Colossians 1:13-14 says we have been brought or transferred over from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of the Son whom God loves, and it is through him that we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. So redemption is related to forgiveness. The way to leave darkness and enter his light is to receive forgiveness of sin.
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Col. 1:13-14)
C. What was the ransom paid?
There were two prices paid that secured our ransom: Christ’s blood and his death.
Christ’s blood (Eph. 1:7-8a; 1 Pet. 1:19; Rev. 5:9)
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. (Eph. 1:7-8a)
We were not redeemed with things like gold or silver, but …
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (1 Peter 1:19)
The lamb of God steps forward to take the scroll.
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. (Rev. 5:9)
Christ’s death (Mark 10:45; Heb. 9:15; 1 Tim. 2:6)
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45, see II.E for more discussion)
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Heb. 9:15)
[…] Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. (1 Tim. 2:5c-6)
D. If the Greek and Hebrew words speak of payment, who was paid? Satan? The slave market?
1.. No, Satan was never paid, nor was the slave market, which is an incomplete image for biblical illustrations. It goes much deeper than the slave market.
2.. God was not obligated to meet’s Satan’s demands, for Satan has no say in redemption and God’s plan of salvation. Satan does not now own Christ’s blood in an exchange.
3.. Instead, God gave his Son to be a sin offering, and this sacrifice paid the self-inflicted debt of our sins. So some theologians say that God’s justice was paid.
a. He demands legal perfection and righteousness from the human world he created, but no one can be perfect or perfectly righteous, so he needs to reach down out of his love and help us.
b. His Son paid the price of our deficient funds; he made up our shortfall.
c. His blood placated or appeased and propitiated or satisfied God’s justice-wrath-judgment.
d. So Christ paid the justice of God, say these theologians.
4.. In the ultimate sense, Christ paid the justice of God, which demanded payment for the debt of sin. Christ did this by becoming a sin offering and released us from our sins (2 Cor. 5:21).
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21)
“To be sin” means that Jesus became sin vicariously or representatively. We should not see him as changing his ontology (being) from a righteous man to a literal sinner.
5.. This payment for us relates to the redemption of the firstborn, instituted at Passover.
Redeem every firstborn among your sons. (Exod. 13:23)
6.. So, again, who was paid? The verse in Numbers says it was the sanctuary shekel. The sanctuary is the image we need to solve the puzzle.
16 When they are a month old, you must redeem them at the redemption price set at five shekels [two ounces or 58 grams] of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. 17 “But you must not redeem the firstborn of a cow, a sheep or a goat; they are holy. Splash their blood against the altar and burn their fat as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. (Num. 18:16-17)
The unredeemed animals must be offered at the tabernacle and altar (Num. 18:17). Thus the context implies that the tabernacle is paid. And so in God’s eyes, Christ blood was paid to God’s system of justice, not to Satan or the world or some abstract, ill-defined justice.
7.. Let’s spell out the dilemma and solution, point by point.
a. God’s justice demands absolute sinless perfection.
b. To fall short of sinless perfection brings death. We cannot achieve sinless perfection.
c. So we have to pay the penalty for our sins: death. Paying the penalty for us, God sent his Son to die in our place.
d. God himself through his Son paid the penalty.
e. Therefore, God paid his own demands for justice. God paid into his own justice system.
f. He himself through his Son accomplished our redemption.
See also the two quoted Scriptures under the Old Testament, point no. B.
E. But doesn’t the idea of paying a debt seem old fashioned and disappear with Christ?
Some theologians argue for this, saying that out of his love God redeems us through Christ. God reached out and redeemed us from our sins. The release is from judgment (Rom. 3:25-25), sin (Eph. 1:7-8a), and death (Rom. 8:2).
25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,[i] through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Rom. 3:25-26)
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. (Eph. 1:7-8a)
There is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus:
2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Rom. 8:2)
However, the concept of the price and payment are embedded in Scripture. We were “bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20). And as noted throughout this study, the transaction never disappears throughout Scripture.
You are not your own, but your bodies now are the mini-temples of the Holy Spirit. Why?
20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Cor. 6:20)
Bottom line for this question: Some more liberal theologians may not like the talk of blood as the means of redemption, but the NT is clear about this.
IV. The Accomplishments of Redemption
To understand the benefits or results is also to know the purpose of redemption.
A. Christ’s redemption means we have been declared righteous.
Romans 3:24 teaches this. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). Now what’s the solution?
24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Rom. 3:24)
B. Christ’s redemption frees us from wickedness and the dominion of sin.
Romans 6:6c-7 and Romans 6:22 tell us that thanks to the redemption and sacrificial death of Christ we are no longer under the domination of sin—the power of sin has been broken. And the penalty of sin is paid.
[…] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. (Rom. 6:6c-7)
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. (Rom. 6:22)
C. Christ’s redemption frees us from the law.
Galatians 4:4-5 teaches that the old law of Moses no longer bosses us around, with its curses and wrath. However, we now live in the law of Christ, which is love, but when a believer gets confused about this, moral law is also found in the New Covenant, so let’s not throw that out too.
4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. (Gal. 4:4-5)
D. Christ’s redemption frees us from the curse of the law.
Galatians 3:13 says that not only are we free from the law of Moses, but we enjoy freedom from its curses (Deut. 28:15-68). The passage in Deuteronomy has been linked because it is too long to quote here. If you want to read all the curses, then click on it. Christ redeemed us from them.
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” (Gal. 3:13)
E. Christ’s redemption frees us from an empty life.
Peter in his first epistle (1:18) says that we are foreigners in a land not our own, but since we have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus, we no longer live empty or futile lives, but we can live for him, from an eternal perspective, and for eternity. I also include v. 19.
18 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, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (1 Peter 1:18-19)
F. Christ’s redemption means we have been forgiven.
Ephesians 1:7-8a and Colossians 1:24-14 link redemption and forgiveness of sins. We have been brought out of a life or world of sin and brought over to the light, where sin may not disappear entirely, but its dominion is broken (Romans 6:14).
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. (Eph. 1:7-8a)
3 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Col. 1:13-14)
14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. (Rom. 6:14)
G. Christ’s redemption means we now life lives of freedom.
Galatians 5:1, 13 tell us that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free, and then we should stand firm, so we do not come under the yoke of slavery. We should not use our liberty to indulge in our sin nature, but serve each other in love.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Gal. 5:1)
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh;; rather, serve one another humbly in love. (Gal. 5:13)
H. Christ’s redemption means we now serve God.
1 Peter 2:16 says we are free people, but we should not use our freedom as a cover-up for evil. Instead, we live as God’s slaves. So far we have learned that we are somebody’s slaves, either God’s slave or sin’s slave. God is infinitely better than sin!
16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves (1 Peter 2:16)
I. Christ’s redemption secures our ultimate redemption.
Luke 21:27-28 says that when signs draw near, we are to look up to God, because our redemption is drawing near. We will be delivered or brought out of this present evil age transferred over to the age of Christ’s dominion.
27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:27-28)
Romans 8:23 says we await the redemption of our bodies. Our physical redemption has not happened yet, but we will be reunited with our earthly bodies at the Second Coming of Christ. In this verse, adoption indicates the full adoption; we already have it at our conversion (Gal. 4:4-5), but its fulfillment will happen at the return of Christ.
23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. (Rom. 8:23)
Ephesians 1:13c-14 says that the Holy Spirit is the deposit that guarantees our inheritance until the ultimate redemption.
[…] the Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1:13c-14)
V. Is Christ’s Death on the Cross Divine Child Abuse?
No. Here’s why:
Christ’s Death on Cross = Cosmic Child Abuse?
How does this post help me grow in Christ?
We see three deep truths, which we should take to heart.
First, redemption means God purchased us or bought us out of our enslavement to sin, and the price paid is the blood of Christ. Who was paid? Satan? Probably not, but the Scriptures are not clear, but most theologians say God’s justice was paid because God himself presented Christ as an atoning sacrifice. He demanded justice and he himself paid it for us, since we could never pay it; our own sins put us far below the price range. A working-class man can never buy a huge mansion, but what if the owner gave it to him?
Second, God’s law and holiness required payment for human degradation and sin, if redemption is to be done. God cannot ignore or overlook sin. So how can humankind be reconciled or brought near to God, with such a wide gulf? Christ willingly became a sin offering in our place (substitute) and paid the penalty of sin that engulfed humankind. Now reconciliation between God and humans can take place because Christ is the mediator between the two. God can be just and the justifier of humanity (Rom. 3:26).
Then, third, there is another point of view. Redemption is a gift. Out of his love God gave his all through his Son and his Spirit. Humanity that was plunged into sin and darkness and the devil’s kingdom overcomes by Jesus atoning life and work. God maintains his justice, expresses his love and triumphs over darkness and Satan.
Applying these words to our hearts means we can come to know Jesus better.
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The Trinity: What Are His Roles in Creation and Redemption?
SOURCES
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 