What does the Bible say?
About Redemption
Mankind’s old nature that he is born with, that was passed down by Adam and Eve is totally bad. The Apostle Paul sums it up by these statements: “both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin; there is none that seeketh after God; none doeth good, no, not one; there is no fear of God before their eyes; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3). God gave man His holy Law so he could see his need of redemption (Rom. 3:19-20). Man was at a loss, being a sinner he could not keep it. But God was not at a loss, for He planned man’s redemption in eternity past, before He created the world, before He created man. It was not an afterthought. Acts 2:23 tells of the Divine counsel that was held in the foreknowledge of God, that through Christ, man would be redeemed.
To “Redeem” means ‘to purchase, to liberate by payment, to clear, to release from blame, to free from bondage, to rescue.’ Christ is our Redeemer (Title 2:14). Redemption is the act or process of redeeming (Eph. 1:7). It is defined as ‘the forgiveness of sins.’ Calvary is between us and our sins. Our sins are sent away, we are divorced from them.
There are several terms in Scripture that are applied to Redemption in different phases. One is “Propitiation” – Rom. 3:25, “Whom God hath set forth (foreordained) to be a propitiation through faith in His blood.” Propitiation means, ‘atoning victim.’ Christ was the atoning sacrifice for our sins, by means of “Atonement.” Another term applied to redemption (Rom. 5:11). It means ‘to cover by a sin offering.’ It is also translated “Reconciliation” implying grave variance between two parties and means ‘to restore, a through change from.’ “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” – II Cor. 5:18-19. Atonement makes satisfaction between them. It appeases the wrath of the offended party by bearing the penalty due the offender. Through Christ’s death, man has received the atonement.
Another term is “Ransom” (I Tim. 2:5-6). It means ‘a covering or to cover by a sin offering, a consideration paid or demanded for redemption of a captured person. The price paid was the shed blood of our Lord Jesus (I Pet. 1:18-19). We are covered, secured by His precious blood.
There are two sides to Redemption, God’s side and man’s side. God’s remedy for sin is Redemption which is provisional. He has provided that man be counted just by imputing Christ’s righteousness unto man. God is the Justifier (Rom. 3:26). It is all by His grace (Rom. 3:24). It was accomplished by the blood of Christ (Rom. 5:9), and by His resurrection (Rom. 4:25). Faith is the connecting link for Justification to be made real to man. Works of faith are proof of our justification. Redemption is God’s provision and Salvation is our appropriation. ‘Regeneration,’ simply put is the process of being born again (Titus 3:5-6), the washing of water by the Word (Eph. 5:26). Read II Cor. 5:17 and Eph. 1:6.
