In Him We Have Redemption
In Him We Have Redemption
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In Him We Have Redemption
Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our transgressions, according to the riches of His grace
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God for salvation (Rom 1:16). Almighty God desires men to hear a specific message concerning what his Son has accomplished, and by believing it be saved from the wrath to come (1 Thess 1:10). Because faith comes thru hearing and hearing by the word of Christ (Rom 10:17). The verse you see written above contains such a large serving of divine truth in it, that if I attempted to fully explain it the world could not contain the books it would require (John 21:25). However, by God’s grace and for his glory, I pray you come to an understanding of what Jesus Christ has accomplished today and be saved from the wrath to come. The verse above begins with, “In him”. Naturally we must ask ourselves, who is this? Who is this “him” speaking of? It is none other than the Godman himself (Isaiah 7:14). As to his divinity he is the Son of God, the very creator and sustainer of the universe (John 1:10). As to his humanity he is the Son of Man and rightful heir of the universe as Messiah and King (Dan 7:13-14). He is the judge of the whole earth (Gen 18:25), and he is the friend of sinners (Matt 11:19). At his wrath the earth trembles, and the nations cannot endure his indignation (Jer 10:10), and at the same time he gently leads his flock (Isaiah 40:11). He is the good doctor who came not for the healthy but for the sick (Mark 2:17). He is the lamb slain from the foundation of the universe (Rev 13:8), and there is salvation in no other name but the great name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). We see that in him we have redemption, but what does that mean? What is redemption? What does it mean to be redeemed? To be redeemed is to be purchased, to have a debt settled on your account. We read here that this Jesus mentioned above has redeemed us, he has purchased us, but what was our debt? Our debt is the penalty for our crimes against a Holy God for the violation of his law (1 John 3:4). For the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23), and humanity is sold as a slave to sin (Rom 7:14), storing up wrath as in a bank account for the day of judgement (Rom 2:5). Seeing that we have all sinned and incurred this debt (Rom 3:23), what then did this Godman offer to settle our accounts? We see the price that was paid was his own blood, for in him we have redemption, through his blood.
Through his blood? How does this work, how does this save sinners from the wrath to come? God is a righteous judge, and a God who is angry with the wicked every day (Ps 7:11). God’s throne is established in justice and righteousness (Ps 89:14), he loves righteousness and hates wickedness (Ps 45:7). The wrath of God must be satisfied as it is a righteous and holy wrath. The demands of God’s justice cannot be laid aside or else he would not be a just judge; God will punish every sin that has ever been committed. However, God is willing to accept on your behalf a substitute. God is willing to let someone pay the penalty for your crimes in your place, in order to redeem you! The wages for sin is death, and so you owe God a death for the sins you have committed against him. This is where Jesus comes in, he came to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). The entire Old Testament was written before, and points towards the Lord Jesus Christ (John 5:39). The Old Testament gives us a shadow of redemption, every year mothers would pay a price of silver to redeem their firstborn sons (Ex 13:13). The nation would sacrifice a lamb every morning and every evening thousands of years before Christ was even born (Ex 12:6). This was all pointing to the ransom Jesus would pay, the debt he would settle and the once for all sacrifice he would make for sins (Heb 7:27). The New Testament reveals that all of these ceremonies pointed towards Jesus who redeems us not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with his own precious blood (1 Peter 1:18-19). Paul told the elders to shepherd the church of God which he purchased for himself with his own blood (Acts 20:28). In the Revelation we see all of heaven praising that lamb who was slain, why? Because he has purchased for God, with his blood, men from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation on earth (Rev 5:9).
God has made it clear that he will not forgive even a single sin, let alone pardon a lifetime of sins apart from the debt being literally and actually paid for. Seeing that mankind has fallen into sin from a state of grace we are all wretched, miserable, and poor (Rev 3:17). Consequently, we have nothing too offer God as a satisfaction for our debt. Yet we read in this verse we have forgiveness for our transgressions? That is why Jesus came, he is God’s plan so you might be forgiven for your sins. For in him we have redemption, the forgiveness of our transgressions. For without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (Heb 9:22), and in him we have the forgiveness of our transgressions. God satisfied the demands of his justice, by pouring out his wrath and crushing his own Son (Isaiah 53:10), so that he might forgive you. In Christ, God has wiped out your transgressions, he has blotted out your sins with the blood of his own Son, he commands you today to return to him for he has redeemed you! (Isaiah 43:10). The Son of God is the redemption price for sin. That is why Jesus said he is the only way to the Father (John 14:6), for apart from him who will pay for your sin? Perhaps you say your sins are too great for God to forgive, or that you have ignored God for decades now. My friend read the next line of the verse, this forgiveness is not given according to how generous I am, or you are, but according to the riches of his grace!
According to the riches of his grace? How much grace does he have? Dear reader he is the almighty Yahweh and has decided to lavish his grace upon sinners abundantly! (Eph 1:8). Even amongst such chief of sinners as Paul the apostle who likely murdered Christians! Your sins may be darker than scarlet, but the blood of Jesus can wash them whiter than snow (Is 1:18). God’s purpose for doing this was so that in the ages to come, for all of eternity he might display like a trophy the magnificence of his grace (Eph 2:7). This is why Paul when writing the book of Ephesians prayed the believers might understand the unfathomable riches of Christ (Eph 3:8).
My friend, are you willing to admit you are ungodly? Then take heart Jesus died to justify the ungodly! (Rom 4:5). Are you willing to admit you have sinned against a Holy God? That you have stored up a large debt and are unable to pay it off? Jesus says to you today, come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest! (Matthew 11:28). Do you feel the sting of death? Do you fear it is approaching, can you sense the vanity of pursuing a life of sin and indifference towards God? To Jesus you must go because the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law, and God is offering you victory over sin in Christ! (1 Cor 15:56-57). For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to all those who believe (Rom 10:4).
Are you willing to abandon your self-righteousness? Are you willing to look at the sum of your entire life and all your labor and agree with God that it is worthy of one thing only, the lake of fire. Are you willing to cry out to God be merciful to you the sinner! (Luke 18:13). The law of your conscience is merely meant to be a tutor that brings you to Christ, that you might be justified by faith (Gal 3:23-24). My dear self-righteous friend, it is time for you to graduate from elementary school! If you have read over this letter faithfully today you will see that God will accept nothing other than a perfect satisfaction for your sins, and you will agree you are bankrupt. Choose today to stop trusting in yourself, your baptism, your church, your morality, and cast yourself upon Christ, never hold up anything to God for your righteousness but the blood of his own Son! For he is Yahweh our righteousness (Jer 23:6), and in him all his people will be justified, and will glory (Isaiah 45:25).
Jesus was delivered over because of our sins and was raised from the dead for our justification (Rom 4:25). Receive him today, believe in him, call upon his name and you will be saved (Rom 10:9). Reject him and you will be condemned, for whoever does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16). www.Foolishministries.com
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