INTRODUCTION
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23), but Christians have been redeemed from their sins through Christ so that we do not fall under the same condemnation as others (Rom. 8:1).
If you are a Christian, then realize what redemption means to you.
Your redemption means that Christ paid the price for you. Be thankful!
Your redemption means that you are freed from your sins. Repent!
Your redemption means that you have a Redeemer. Be loyal!
Your redemption means that you belong to Christ. Be useful!
Your redemption means that you know the way to redemption. Share it with others!
REDEEMED BY CHRIST
If you are in Christ, then you have been redeemed.
To be redeemed is to be liberated by payment of ransom. In general, a person can be redeemed from captivity, slavery, debt, or any other situation in which his liberty has been seized.
Every Christian has been liberated by Christ, who paid the price of our ransom. Indeed, Christ is our Redeemer.
Specifically, Christ has redeemed you from the bondage of sin.
Those who commit sin (transgressions, lawlessness) are slaves of sin, but those who obey the gospel of Christ are redeemed from that slavery. Notice Romans 6:16-18:
16Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Redemption is practically equivalent to forgiveness of sins, and the Scriptures sometimes use these terms interchangeably (see Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14).
It is forgiveness that causes our redemption, for by forgiveness we are released and freed from our debt, responsibility, and accountability for our past sins.
In other words, we are no longer bound to our sins when we are redeemed because they are forgiven and forgotten. God has said, "For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more" (Heb. 8:12).
Redemption from sin is found only in Christ. This is stated repeatedly in Scriptures such as these:
Romans 3:24 -- ...being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus...
1Corinthians 1:30 -- But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption...
Ephesians 1:7 -- In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.
Colossians 1:13-14 -- 13For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
The only way to have redemption in Christ is be baptized into Christ according to His gospel (Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27).
The price of your redemption was the blood and life of Jesus Christ.
Jesus stated the purpose of His coming into the world in Mark 10:45 when He said,
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Jesus accomplished His purpose when He "died for our sins according to the Scriptures" (1Cor. 15:3) and when He "gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed" (Tit. 2:14).
The price of our redemption indicates its extreme expense to God and its immeasurable value to us. Consider 1Peter 1:18-19, which states that:
18...you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
THE RESULTS OF REDEMPTION
Christ did not redeem you so that you could sin with impunity, but instead He redeemed you for His holy service.
You were redeemed to become holy like your heavenly Father. If you respond with anything less than holy behavior, then you despise the price of your redemption. Notice 1Peter 1:14-19:
14As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16because it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." 17If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; 18knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
Redemption alone is not the end (goal) of our relationship with Christ, but rather it is the beginning of a life of service in Him. Consider Titus 2:11-14:
11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14who 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.
Whereas you had sinned and fallen short of God's glory (Rom. 3:23), He now has made it possible to be part of His glory through redemption. Consider 2Peter 1:4:
For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
The price paid by Christ for your redemption means that God owns you. Therefore, render the holy service that is due and bring glory to your heavenly Father. Notice 1Corinthians 6:19-20:
19Or 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? 20For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
Because you have been redeemed, you can help others to be redeemed also.
Paul was guilty of blasphemy and persecution of the Lord's church, but his redemption freed him from those sins and enabled him to show others the way of redemption. Notice 1Timothy 1:12-16:
12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, 13even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; 14and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. 15It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
Like Paul, you also can lead others to the redemption you have found in Christ.
Never forget that you also were a sinner. You did not save yourself by your own means, but you were redeemed by Christ.
Have sympathy for sinners who have not yet found redemption in Christ, for you were once in their place. Have mercy on them just as someone had mercy on you, and show them the way of redemption through faithful obedience to Christ's gospel.
CONCLUSION
It is a tremendous blessing to be valued so highly that God would have His only begotten Son to pay the ransom for your redemption. Therefore, live in a way that is worthy of that great price.
The price He paid was not for your redemption only, but it was also for the redemption of the whole world. Therefore, tell those who do not know that God has paid the ransom to redeem them also if only they will believe and obey.