REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD
Pastor James J. Barker
Text: EPHESIANS 1:7
INTRODUCTION:
- Redemption describes the act whereby we were bought from the slave market of sin (cf. I Cor.6:20).
- The term redemption means to deliver by paying a price, to free from bondage. In the Bible, the blood of Christ is represented as the payment of a ransom.
- "The idea of ransom is that of the payment of a price in order to set another held in bondage free. Thus Jesus said that He had come to give His life a ransom for many (Matt.20:28; Mark 10:45), and the work of Christ is spoken of as a redemption (Luke 1:68; 2:38; Heb.9:12)" – Henry Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology.
- The theme of redemption is dealt with in over 150 different passages of Scripture, in both the Old and the New Testament.
- REDEMPTION IS THROUGH THE SHED BLOOD OF CHRIST
- REDEMPTION INVOLVES THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS
- REDEMPTION IS ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF GOD’S GRACE
- REDEMPTION IS THROUGH THE SHED BLOOD OF CHRIST.
- Our English word redemption is derived from a Latin word meaning "a buying back." According to the Bible, sinners are slaves to sin (John 8:34; Rom.6:17) and need to be redeemed with a price.
- The price was paid on Calvary when the Lord Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross for our sins (Eph.1:7; cf. Acts 20:28; Col.1:20; I Peter 1:18,19; Rev.1:5; 5:9).
- Our Lord explained the concept of redemption when He said: "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matt.20:28).
- Some people get confused over this and teach that the ransom was paid to Satan – the Bible does not teach this at all. The ransom was paid to God. Satan has no legal claims against the sinner, and so does not need to be paid in order to set the sinner free.
- According to our Lord, the devil is a murderer and a liar. Murderers and liars are not paid a ransom, but are put in jail. Satan will soon be cast into the lake of fire.
- "God’s mercy ransoms man from God’s justice" (William G.T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, Vol. II).
- Another area of confusion concerns the blood of Christ. For many years, liberals and other unbelievers attacked the doctrine of blood atonement. Now even so-called conservatives are disparaging the blood of Christ.
- For example, John MacArthur, a popular radio preacher and author, who pastors a huge church in southern California, has stated that we are not saved by Christ’s blood but by His death. This is incorrect.
- The Bible says: "For it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul" (Lev.17:11).
- Pastor MacArthur says: "Obviously, it is not the blood of Jesus that saves…When Romans 3:25 speaks of `faith in His blood,’ everyone understands that to be a reference to His death – not the blood running through His body" – cited by Ian Paisley, Ten Impossibilities if the Blood of Christ Perished.
- MacArthur is way out of line here:
- It is not "obvious" to "everyone" that Romans 3:25 refers to Christ’s death and not His blood. Devout students of God’s Word have always understood this to refer to our Lord’s shed blood. This can be verified by reading old sermons, doctrine books, hymns, etc.
- By qualifying his statement by the phrase "running through His body," MacArthur is deliberately clouding the issue and confusing his listeners. No one is saying that sinners are saved by the blood running through our Lord’s body, but by His shed blood on the cross.
- Romans 3:25 says that the blood atonement is "for the remission of sins." According to Hebrews 9:22, without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin!
- According to Ezek.18:4, "the soul that sinneth, it shall die." God’s law and God’s justice demands the death of the transgressor but "it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul" (Lev.17:11).
- I could devote an entire message to a refutation of MacArthur’s error but I do not want to stray too far from Ephesians 1:7, "In whom we have redemption through His blood…" (cf. Heb.9:12).
- REDEMPTION INVOLVES THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
- A few minutes ago I quoted Hebrews 9:22 – without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. This is a basic Bible doctrine – the blood atonement which includes the forgiveness of sins (Eph.1:7; cf. Col.1:14).
- This means that God has canceled the debt which our sins incurred. The Lord Jesus paid the penalty on the cross; it never needs to be paid again.
- Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.
For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calvary’s Lamb Elvina M. Hall.
- There are two aspects of forgiveness. First of all, every true believer is eternally forgiven the moment he trusts in Christ.
- However, there is a second aspect of forgiveness. A Christian can get out of fellowship with God. He can walk in disobedience and even sink to the level of an unsaved man. When that happens, there must be acknowledgment of sin, confession of sin and forsaking of the sin (cf. Ps.32:1-5; 51:1-12).
- I heard a radio preacher say on several occasions that I John 1:9 is only for the unsaved and does not apply to Christians (You have to be very careful what you listen to on the radio!). A friend of mine’s wife was listening to this radio preacher and I warned him that the man was teaching heresy. Not long afterwards, the man was caught with a prostitute and he in no longer on WMCA. However, I still see his books advertised in "Christian" book catalogues.
- REDEMPTION IS ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF GOD’S GRACE.
- If we could measure the riches of God’s grace, then we could measure how fully God has forgiven us! God’s grace is infinite and so is His forgiveness.
- Redemption begins and ends with God’s grace. This might be a good time to define the word grace.
- Grace is the unmerited favor of God toward men. Grace is the favor God is able to show to men because Christ died for them – "by grace ye are saved" (Eph.2:5, cf. 2:8).
CONCLUSION:
- In conclusion, let me remind you that redemption is "according to the riches of His grace," not "out of the riches of His grace."
- Allow me to make an illustration. We are seeking a building for our church and school but have been hindered by our lack of funds. Suppose one of you met a wealthy gentleman and he said, "Come to my office tomorrow, I’d like to help your church."
- You have discovered that he is a multi-millionaire, perhaps even a billionaire. He can easily write a check for a million dollars that would allow us to purchase and remodel a suitable building anywhere in Elmont.
- You arrive at his fancy building and his secretary ushers you into his beautiful private office. You sit down and he gets out his checkbook. Your heart is thumping as he writes a check and hands it to you.
- You are so nervous that you do not even want to look at it until you are outside. You smile and thank him and walk out. As soon as you hit the sidewalk, you look at it – it is for $100.00! You get in your car and cry!
- Now, suppose he said to you, "Here are a few blank checks. Whatever you need to buy a building and fix it up, use these checks. If you need more, let me know." Beloved, now he is giving "according to his riches."
- Before it was just out of his riches. As you can see, there is a tremendous difference! God has saved us and redeemed us and forgiven us "according to the riches of His grace" (Eph.1:7).
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