Redemption Part 2

         
          Redemption is the act of God that frees sinners from the bondage of sin
     and the curse of the law, through Jesus Christ, and His death on the cross.


          The following information comes from the book
     Salvation Accomplished by the Son:  The Work of Christ, by Robert A.
     Peterson.

          * Jesus purchased the church (His people)  with His own blood.
             "Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own
     blood."  Acts 20:28

         * Jesus "purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people
     and nation."  Revelation 5:9

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         * Redemption comes through Jesus Christ.

           "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified
     freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." 
     Romans 3:23-24

         * Believers are redeemed already, but our final redemption is still future and
     that is why we live in hope of it.  It will be even greater, for it will involve our
     being raised in bodies that are immortal, imperishable, glorious, powerful, and
     dominated by the Spirit.

           "...we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we
     wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this
     hope we were saved."  Romans 8:23-24a

          "So it will be with the resurrection of the dead.  The body that is sown is
     perishable, it is raised imperishable;  it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;
     it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;  it is sown a natural body, it is raised
     a spiritual body."  1 Corinthians 15:42-44

          "It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wis-
     dom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption." 
     1 Corinthians 1:30

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          * Our bodies belong to God three times over - by creation, redemption, and
     indwelling.

         * God called us to to live for Him no matter the circumstances.

            "Keeping God's commands is what counts."  1 Corinthians 7:19b

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          My Comment
        *(The Bible is not pro slavery.  It just addresses the situation many believers
     found themselves in at the time.  Freedom is a theme throughout the Bible).

          Slaves made up the majority of the first century Roman world.
          Slavery then was not like the slavery of the 18th and 19th centuries in America.
     Many sold themselves to others just to make a living for themselves and their fam-
     ilies.  This was often a temporary situation.
  
          Paul told the Corinthians believers to be content with the situation to which God
     had called them, but they should gain their freedom if possible (1 Corinthians 7:21).


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           * Christ bore the law's curse, its threat of punishment, that He might deliver His
     people from it (Galatians 3:13).  Here, legal, penal substitution and redemption
     overlap.
             Christ, redeems His people by giving Himself in death as a redeeming and aton-
     ing self-sacrifice, receiving the punishment that we lawbreakers deserved.

             He redeemed us so that in Christ Jesus, the blessing of Abraham might come to
     the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith (Gal. 3:13-14).

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         * How God accomplishes redemption:

            The Father is the Elector;  the Son is the Redeemer;  and the Holy Spirit is the
     seal and guarantee (Ephesians 1:14).

            We receive an inheritance as children of God through redemption.

             "But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born
     under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons."
     Galatians 4:4-5

            We also receive forgiveness of sins.

            "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins..."
     Ephesians 1:7a

           * Jesus paid a ransom to God the Father to set His people free from sin.

              We "WERE ransomed", not we "CAN BE ransomed" if we believe.

              "... you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers,
     not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of
     Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot."  1 Peter 1:18-19

              My Comment:
             (A prisoner who has been ransomed will leave his prison and go home.
     Likewise, a sinner who is a prisoner of sin, will leave his life of sin and follow
     God, after the ransom has been paid.  In other words, Jesus paid the ransom for
     His people only, not for everyone in the world.  Many will never believe, or have
     died in their sin.  Jesus did not pay their ransom).


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         * Redemption in Revelation

            "... To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood."
             Revelation 1:5

            1. Jesus redeemed us because He loves us.

            2. Jesus liberated us from sin by His blood.

            3. Redemption's price is Christ's blood.


        * Christ's death is effective  It actually ransoms people so that they belong to God.

            "... [He] has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father."
             Revelation 1:6a

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        * Redemption in Hebrews:

           Hebrews 9:11-15
           Jesus appeared as High Priest and secured an eternal redemption.  He entered the
     Most Holy Place (in heaven, not earth).
           He offered one sacrifice for all time, not many times.  His self-offering does not
     need to be repeated.
           He didn't offer animal blood, but His own.

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        * Redemption is Past, Present, and Future.

         PAST
         "They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the
     Lamb."  Revelation 14:4b

         PRESENT
          "For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us ino the
     kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
     Colossians 1:13-14

         FUTURE
         "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the
     day of redemption."  Ephesians 4:30


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          Christ's death does not save every human, but saves all of God's people from every
     people group, language, ethnic group, and country (Revelation 5:9).