It is from the spring of redemption that all the rivers of grace flow, for redemption is a most comprehensive term, being associated with regeneration, justification, adoption, sanctification and resurrection.Thinking of the Bible as a whole, what would you say are the two inescapable truths forcing themselves upon our attention? Are they not man's departure from God and God's deliverance of man? Ruin and redemption can fittingly summarize the teaching of Scripture. In its broadest sense, redemption covers the entire work of God in Christ, delivering man from the guilt and goverment, penalty and presence of sin.-------------------------------------------Here are all the dif. words used by the Holy Spirit to express the truth of our deliverance in our redemption:LUTROOThis word means "to loose by a price"; "the price paid for freeing a captive"; "to release by a ransom." (1 Peter 1:18; Luke 1:68; Romans 7:24; Ephesians 1:7,14; 4:30; Colossians 1:6). The thought resident in this term is that of release from bondage or captivity by the judgement of a ransom, the ransom being the precious blood of Christ. He is the One who, by His sacrifice, liberates the sinner from the control of sinful and foolish self by a most costly price to Himself.EXAGORAZOHere is another "redemptive" word meaning "to purchase out"; "to buy up out of the possession of any one." Our Redeemer not only went into the market place to buy us but brought us out of our captivity and set us free. Now Christ exhibits the ransom He paid which perfectly met all the demands of the broken law of God.PAD-dahThe third word, meaning "to set free, to let go," is translated "redeem some 250 times.PAN-rakThis further Old Testament word means "to break off, to tear away, rescue, deliver." The verb denotes "a violent action," which is always characteristic of the Redeemer's delivering power.P'doothThe word division used in Exodus 8:23. "I will put a division between my people and they people." If we have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, then there should be a division between us and the unbelieving world around.GAH-al This further Hebrew word implies not only "to redeem, ransom, recover," but also "to avenge." When Christ returns, He will avenge His choosen people speedily.AGORAZOAkin to the second word we considered (exagorazo), this carries a similar meaning, "to buy or purchase," and is found but three times in the Word, and then only in the book of Revelation (5:9; 14:3,4). His redemption will not cease until we are forever delivered from all iniquity. While Christ's redemption in all its fullness and power and everlasing efficacy is applied to us the moment we recieve Him as our Saviourm yet completion will not be ours until we see Him face to face.----------------------------------------The Bible is a crimson book. Repugnant though it may be to the modernm cultivated yet unregenerate mind, the face remains that the Bible is a blood-drenched Book. From the hour God made coats of animal skins for fallen Adam and Eve, down to the millennial day, blood is seen as the purchase price of access to God.The right to redeem is founded up the blood of the Lamb, and the power to effect it is the glorious power of the Redeemer Himself.Fully to understand the purchase price of our deliverance from sin and death, we must think of all that was involved in Christ's voluntary humilation; His rejection by men; His agonies, bloody sweat, tears, cruel mocking and brutal death. When we remember all that it meant to God to give His Son, and for that Holy Son who knew no sin, to be made sin for us, what else can we do but hate the sin for which He died.At this juncture, it might be fitting to describe the distinction between purchase and redemption, seeing these terms are constantly confounded in current theology. Purchase implies a change of masters- Redemption signifies a change of state and condition.Redemption however is a very different matter from purchase for, as we have seen, purchase merely intimates a change of master. You may purchase a slave, but that is not deliverance from the state of slavery. Redemption gives freedom, an entire change of state, as well as master. The cahnge of position and state- from Adam to Christ, from the flesh to the Spirit, is true in God's sight, and is so presented as doctrine and truth for the saint to make practically his own, and in this sense he is already redeemed.The Scriptures, then, intimate the purchase of makind, but never the redemption of the race. All persons and things have been purchased, and as such belong to Christ, but only believers only now share and enjoy redemption by blood.Redemption rightly understood, covers three realms- past, present and prospective. The first aspect rests immovably upon the finished work of Christ, the second forms part of our daily experiences under the patient leading and testing of the Holy Spirit, the third points forward to all Christ promised us at His return. Thus, in one respect we are redeemed; in another we are being redeemed; and in another, we wait for our redemption.
