The Redeeming Blood of Jesus
The most precious title of
Christ is Redeemer.
It helps us to understand what
it cost Him to get this salvation for us. It is the
name specifically of the Christ of the cross. He is
Christ our Redeemer.
Whenever we say "redeemer," the
cross is flashed before our eyes and our hearts are
filled with loving remembrance not only that Christ
has given us salvation but the mighty price He paid
for it.
During the first century slaves
could be purchased out of the market place by
payment of a price. It was also necessary to pay a
price to free a prisoner.
According to the Bible we are
slaves to sin, and we cannot escape from this
slavery. However, Jesus has freed us by going to the
cross and paying our redemption by His blood. This
is what the apostle Peter had in mind in 1 Peter
1:18-19, “knowing that you were not redeemed with
perishable things like silver or gold from your
futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,
but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished
and spotless, the blood of Christ.”
The apostle Paul declared that
we are “being justified as a gift by His grace
through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus”
(Romans 3:24). The cost of this redemption is the
death of Jesus Christ. We do not pay the cost of our
redemption. That is an impossible debt for us to
pay. Jesus Christ paid it for us. We have no means
of paying for it because we are spiritually
bankrupt. Our Lord is infinitely rich. He
substituted for us, purchasing our redemption by His
own death. God paid the full cost of our salvation
so that our salvation would be His free gift to us.
In Romans 3:24, the apostle
Paul uses the word “redemption” (apolytrosis)
meaning redemption, release, or deliverance on the
payment of a price. Paul has in mind a word that
always had to do with freeing a slave by paying for
him. Jesus Christ freed us from sin’s slavery by His
own death. His death was the redemption price. “In
Him we have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the
riches of His grace which He lavished on us” (Eph.
1:7-8). The blood testified to His substitutionary.
In the Bible blood signifies
essentially the death and is a clear expression of
the death of Christ for our salvation. The blood is
never mentioned except in connection with the
shedding of it, or with the use of it after it has
been shed. The blood shed is the life poured out,
and the poured out life may be used only for
atonement. Christ Jesus is our atoning sacrifice for
sin.
It is impossible to escape the
idea of the death of Christ being the high cost of
our redemption. Christ’s saving work involves His
purchasing us for Himself in the world’s marketplace
so that we never have to return there again.
Because Jesus Christ redeemed
us by the payment of His blood God can in His grace
freely offer us salvation through faith as a free
gift. He freely offers us “the righteousness of God
through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe .
. . being justified as a gift by His grace through
the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God
displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood
through faith” (Romans 3:22-25).
The gift has been paid for in
full. Have you received it? Do you realize that
Christ is your Redeemer and has actually shed His
blood for you as your ransom? Do you realize that
your salvation has been bought? It was purchased at
a tremendous price, at the price of nothing less
than the blood of Christ, the Holy One of God? Do
you realize that this Christ who has thus shed His
blood for you is Himself your God?
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
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