"Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!" Fanny Crosby's well-known hymn celebrates a central pillar of the Christian faith - redemption. While sometimes confused with other terms such as salvation, justification, and forgiveness, redemption holds a distinct and meaningful significance for Christians.
To truly understand redemption, we must first grasp its fundamental meaning. At its core, to redeem means to "buy back." This concept finds its roots in historical contexts, where it originally referred to the act of freeing someone from slavery by paying their ransom. But when the Bible speaks of redemption, it goes far beyond this historical context.
For Christians, redemption encompasses both what we are redeemed from and what we are redeemed to. We are redeemed from a life of sin and guilt, from enmity with God, and from God's righteous wrath against sin. As the Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 2:1-3,
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
But the beauty of redemption doesn't stop at what we're freed from; it also includes what we're freed to. Through Christ's redemptive work, we are brought into fellowship with God, ushered into the realm of grace, and granted eternal life. Paul continues in Ephesians 2:4-5,
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).
The Sacrifice of Jesus
The price of this redemption is so profound that even theologians and angels struggle to comprehend its full magnitude. Peter gives us a glimpse of this incomprehensible cost in 1 Peter 1:18-19:
[K]nowing 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.
Jesus Himself emphasized the sacrificial nature of His redemptive work in Mark 10:45, saying, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Christ, the only begotten Son of God, redeemed us with His very life. He carried humanity's sins to the cross, was forsaken by the Father, and murdered for our redemption.
Paul further emphasizes this transaction in 1 Corinthians 6:20 and 7:23, reminding believers, "For you have been bought with a price," and "You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men." The purchase was made not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.
From Slaves to Servants of God
This redemption fundamentally changes our identity. We are no longer our own masters.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Instead, we are now Christ's, called to obey Him. Paul writes in Titus 2:14, Christ,
gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
We are His people, His own possession, set apart for His purposes.
Redeemed to Holiness and Hope
Our redemption also gives us a new purpose. We are called to live lives that reflect our new status as God's redeemed people. Peter exhorts believers in 1 Peter 1:15-16,
but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy."
Our redemption is not just a theological concept but a practical reality that should shape our daily lives.
Our redemption also gives us hope for the future. Paul speaks of this hope in Romans 8:23, saying, "
And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
Our current experience of redemption is just a foretaste of the full redemption we will experience in eternity.
In our day-to-day experience, it's easy to forget the profound reality of our redemption. We become caught up in the cares and concerns of the present, losing sight of the incredible price paid for our freedom and the new life we've been given. Yet, the truth remains: we belong to Christ, and it's a wonderful blessing to be His.
Redemption is a multifaceted jewel of our faith. It speaks of our rescue from sin and death, our adoption into God's family, our new purpose in life, and our hope for eternity. As we go about our daily lives, may we never lose sight of this incredible truth: we are redeemed, bought with the precious blood of Christ, and now belong wholly to Him. Let us live in the joy and freedom of our redemption, always mindful of the great price paid for our souls.
