The Doctrine of Redemption

Redemption is a term used in the Bible to refer to the special intervention of God for the salvation of mankind. This use of the word deals with the work of Jesus Christ on the cross in which He paid the price to purchase human beings and set them free from their slavery to sin. On account of Christ’s substitutionary atonement, He is called the redeemer.

Redemption is the foundation of salvation; it is the basis of the seven precious graces (Regeneration, Adoption, Justification, Imputation, Sanctification, Reconciliation, and Propitiation) that God bestowed upon us (Romans 3:24-25). Before God could provide eternal salvation to anyone, He had to pay the Ransom required to release the sinner from his sins, so He could bestows all the benefits of salvation to the believer without restraint and compromise of Himself. God not could decree salvation unto man. He had to buy it!

The Principle of Redemption

The principle of redemption, then, is the concept of bondage to the slavery of sin and freedom from its domination (John 8:31-36). To be redeemed means to be purchased from slavery.

Two thoughts are involved in the meaning of Redemption: (1) Freedom (2) Cost. This cost is referred to by the word Ransom (Exo. 21:30), or referred as “price of redemption” (Lev. 25:51-52). It is also called as “redemption money” (Num. 3:49).

In secular use, “redemption” refers to pawnshop transactions, where goods held by a “Pawn Brokers” are redeemed, or bought back by the owner for a price greater than the amount originally advanced by the pawn owner. “Ransom” is the price demanded by a kidnapper for his victim’s release.

So Redemption means to purchase or buy back something that originally belonged to the purchaser. It means “to release for ransom; to liberate; to redeem;” “to loosen; to unbind; to set at liberty.” It refers to the death of Christ where He buys back the sinner, His precious blood being the payment (1 Peter 1:18-19; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14).

The Principles in the Old Testament

• The act of God to set the Israelites free from slavery of the Egyptians (Exo. 6:6; 14:30)

• The act of buying back people or property sold because of debt, and the purchase and liberation of slaves (Lev. 25:25, 28).

• The act of rescuing a person out of poverty (Ruth 2:20; 4:1-12).

• The release of first-born males from mandatory dedication to God (Num. 18:14-16).

• The act of turning or changing of livestock (tithes) into monetary offering (Lev. 27:30-32; Deut. 14:22-25).

The Kinsman Redeemer

According to the laws regarding punishment and retribution for crime, when a person was assaulted, robbed or murdered, it fell to the nearest kinsman to bring the criminal to justice and to protect the lives and property of relatives. This obligation was called “redeeming” and the man who was responsible for fulfilling this duty was known as a “redeemer”.

The job of redeemer would fall to full brothers first, then to uncles who were the father’s brothers, then to full cousins, and finally to the other blood relatives of the family (Lev. 25:48). The kinsman redeemer of the Old Testament was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ as redeemer.

There were four requirements for the redeemer, both in the type and in Christ:

1. The redeemer must be a near kinsman (Lev. 25:25, 48-49; Jer. 32:7-8).

2. The redeemer must be able to redeem (Lev. 25:26; Neh. 5:5,8).

3. The redeemer must be willing to redeem (Lev. 25:25).

4. The redeemer must be free from that which caused the need for redemption; that is, the redeemer cannot redeem himself.

READ Ruth 3:9-13; 4:1-11.

The Typology of Christ

1. Jesus Christ took on human form (Heb. 2:9-11).

2. Jesus Christ is able to save (Heb. 7:25).

3. Jesus Christ was willing to redeem (Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:6-9)

4. Jesus Christ needed no redemption for Himself (2 Cor. 5:21).

Jesus Christ has met every requirement to be our Redeemer!

The Need of Redemption

Redemption presupposes a condition of poverty, bondage, debt, and slavery from which one can only find deliverance by the payment of a price.

1. We are under sin by judicial sentence (Gal. 3:22).

2. We stand before God utterly destitute (Matt. 18: 21-35; Romans 3:10-19).

3. We are sold under sin and death (Heb. 2:14-15; Rom, 7:14).

4. We are slaves to sin (Rom. 16-22).

5. We are in bondage to the law (Rom. 7:7-16)

6. We are under the power of the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2).

7. We are under the curse of the law (Gal. 3:10-14).

8. We are under the power or dominion of darkness (Col. 1:13)

9. We are spiritually dead, cut-off from God, and under the rule of death (Rom. 5:17,21; Eph. 2:1,5).

10. We are under blindness and destitution of the truth (2 Cor. 4:4-6; 1 Tim. 6:5).

In this condition, it is impossible for us to rescue, deliver, and free ourselves. There is utter impossibility for us, by our own efforts, to get ourselves out of this ultimate bondage. Sin, law, death, Satan, condemnation, guilt, blindness – all holds us captive, all rule and dominate us. There is no way we escape! No way for us by our own ability to find release from these things, and freedom to stand and live in the presence of God.

The fact that God sent His Son to redeem us indicates the depth and power of the bondage in which we stand. We need someone to come and redeem us with this hopelessness. We need a total and permanent redemption. Glory! We found it in Christ! – Rom. 3:24.

Calvary exposes the horrific price of our Redemption

We know our bondage is no small matter. It is all-embracing! It is absolute! It is ultimate! So also is the price necessary to redeem us. For the price of the redemption of our soul is precious (Psalm 49:6-8). So it took God to the extreme limit of His power and might to save us (Eph. 1:19). It took his precious Son and with His precious blood (1 Pet. 1:18-19) to redeem us (Acts 20:28; Heb. 9:12).

• Christ gave himself a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6)

• Christ redeemed us from the curse by substitution (Gal. 3:13)

• Christ’s blood obtained eternal redemption for us (Heb. 9:12)

• Christ gave himself to redeem us (Titus 2:14)

• Christ redeemed us from the law (Gal. 4:5)

• Christ redeemed us by His precious blood (1 Pet. 1:18-19; Col. 1:14; Eph. 1:7)

Jesus Christ is our Redemption (1 Cor. 1:30)! He purchased our freedom; and His blood is the payment for the redemption. Therefore, Jesus Christ is man’s redeemer, and as such He is divinely appointed. The redemption that He brought represents both His own love and that of the Father for the whole world.

Calvary reveals the certainty of our Redemption

Redemption is totally the work of God through Christ. It is something He does to and for us. We contribute nothing to it; indeed we have nothing which we could contribute to it. The redemption in Christ stands alone! The one sufficient ransom: complete and absolute. With this ransom God redeems us, delivering us from all bondage.

This Redemption is something that we can never be reversed. It is too precious and costly a thing for God to make its power and effect to be only temporal (He. 9:12). The depths of our bondage and helplessness, the great cost of our redemption guarantees that it is all sufficient, complete, and eternal for every soul.

Some Implications of the Doctrine of Redemption

1. Redemption is the basis of our eternal inheritance (Eph. 1:13-14; Heb. 9:15).

2. Redemption is the basis of Justification (Romans 3:24-26).

3. Redemption includes the total forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14).

4. Redemption is according to the riches of God’s grace (Eph. 1:7).

5. Redemption results in Adoption (Gal. 4:4-6).

6. Redemption is a very costly work of God (Ps. 49:8; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).

7. Redemption orients the believers in time of stress (Job 19:25).

The Believer’s response to Redemption

1. With confidence (Isa. 43:1)

2. With joy (Isa. 51:11; 52:9; Psa. 71:23)

3. With reverence (1 Peter 1:17-18)

4. With zeal (Titus 2:14)

5. With glorifying (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

6. With praise (Rev. 5:9-10)

7. With testimony (Psa. 107:1-2).

The believer must remember that since Christ has bought him, he is no longer his own. He is not to do what he desires with his body, but what his owner desires. – I Cor. 3:11-15, 6:19-20

Evangelist Rodgie Quirante

The Workman’s Treasure Study Series