The doctrine of redemption

1. The principle of redemption is found in John 8:31-36. In that passage the Pharisees claimed that they were free. Jesus could have pointed out to them that they were slaves to the Roman empire, that they were slaves to their religious customs; but instead He chose to point out to them that they were born slaves, they were born with old sin natures. We are born into slavery we are born with an old sin nature. This is slavery to sin. The only possible way to get out is for a free person, someone on the outside, to free us, to purchase our freedom. There is no one born on the outside, the exception being Jesus Christ, and through the virgin birth Jesus Christ was born free. That was necessary to purchase our freedom. On the cross our sins were judged. He was judged for our sins and therefore we are free to come out, and we come out through faith in Jesus Christ. That is the concept behind redemption.

2. Christ paid the ransom for sin on the cross. On other words, Christ purchased our freedom — Psalm 34:22; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 1:18,19. The purchase price or His blood refers to Christ bearing our sins.

3. Redemption is a doctrine which the believer can apply in time of pressure or catastrophe and find blessing, Job 19:25,26.

4. redemption results in the biblical doctrine of adoption, Galatians 4:4-6. This includes induction into the angelic conflict at the point of salvation, the right to the grace account of God. Remember that adoption in the Bible is not the same as adoption in life. We are adopted as adult sons at the point of salvation. Adoption in the ancient world was a custom whereby a Roman, for example, took his own son and judged him to be mature. Therefore he took off the robe of childhood and put on him the robe of maturity. This meant that he was free to marry, free for military service, free to enter into business. This was called adoption. He adopted his son as a mature person. So adoption in the Bible means to recognise maturity whereas adoption today means to take someone’s child and legally make it your own.

5. The doctrine of redemption was communicated in the Old Testament sacrifices by the shedding of blood, Hebrews 9:22. Redemption provides the basis for the believer’s eternal inheritance, Hebrews 9:15.

6. The blood of Christ is the ransom money or the purchase price of redemption, Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; 1 John 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18,19. The blood depicts the spiritual death of Christ on the cross.

7. Redemption includes the forgiveness of sins, Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14.

8. Redemption provides the basis for justification, Romans 3:24.

Redemption from the Slave Market of Sin

Because of procreation we come into the world spiritually dead - Romans 5:12.

There are three categories in the human race: Immoral: Romans 1:18-32; Moral: Romans 2:1-16; Isaiah 64:6; Religious: Romans 2:17-29; 4:4. All categories have sinned, and come short of God's standard of absolute righteousness: Romans 3:23.

All are born in the slave market of sin: John 8:34,35, " ... whosoever committeth sin is the servant (bond slave) of sin"; Galatians 3:21, The law cannot get one slave out of the slave market of sin.

Only a free man can free a slave: Only Jesus Christ was born free from sin (without an old sin nature) and did not commit personal sin - 2 Corinthians 5:21. Why? Virgin Birth. The OSN is passed down by the father - Psalm 51:5. Jesus Christ had no human father - Matthew 1:20. Therefore He had no OSN and was a free man, not born in the slave market of sin.

The Lord Jesus Christ bought us (paid the price) from the slave market of sin: 1 Peter 1:18,19, "Redeemed with the precious blood of Christ"; 1 Corinthians 6:20, " ... we are bought with a price..." This freedom (from the slave market of sin, and from debt) is dependent upon the exercise of an individual's positive volition.

The gate of the slave market has been removed! There is only one way out of the slave market: John 14:6, " ... I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me ..."; John 8:36, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." So the issue is: What are you going to do with Christ?

The principle of redemption is seen in John 8:31-36 where the Pharisees claimed that they were free. In fact, they were slaves to the Roman empire, slaves to their religious customs, slaves to their distortions of the law; and Jesus showed them that they were born slaves, born with sin natures. The slavery to sin is the real slavery from which all of humanity is powerless to free itself.

Jesus Christ purchased our redemption when our sins were poured out upon Him on the cross and judged. Because He paid the debt we owed we are now free to come out of that slave market - Psalm 34:22; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 1:18,19. The purchase price, or His blood, refers to Christ bearing our sins.

Redemption from the Slave Market of Sin

Because of procreation we come into the world spiritually dead - Romans 5:12.

All are born in the slave market of sin: John 8:34,35, " ... whosoever committeth sin is the servant (bond slave) of sin"; Galatians 3:21, The law cannot get one slave out of the slave market of sin.