Redemption.
Not only
has sin plunged us into guilt, and brought us face to face with condemnation,
but it has entangled us in bondage of a very fearful sort; a bondage from which
we are utterly unable to extricate ourselves.
Then, as
regards the Gospel, not only does it proclaim forgiveness in relation to our
guilt, and justification instead of condemnation, but it reveals to us God,
acting as a Redeemer, delivering His people from bondage, and thereby freeing
His inheritance from all the encumbrances under which formerly it lay.
There is a
good deal about redemption in the Old Testament, and one of the words used for
it has the meaning, it is said, of, "freeing, whether by avenging or
repaying."
In Exodus
we find the great type of redemption. To the children of Israel, who were just
downtrodden slaves, Jehovah said, "I will redeem you with a stretched-out
arm, and with great judgments" (Ex. 6: 6). So this was clearly a case of
redemption by avenging their wrongs upon Egypt; though we also see the repayment
of what they owed to God as sinners in the steed blood of the lamb. When
all was effectively accomplished we find Israel on the further banks of
the Red Sea, singing, "Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth Thy people which
Thou hast redeemed" (Ex. 15: 13).
A striking
illustration of redemption is given to us in the book of Ruth. Boaz
redeemed Elimelech's inheritance by payment, and this involved the raising up
of the name of the dead by the taking of Ruth. Boaz took both to himself — the
wife and the inheritance — by right of redemption.
Both in
the type and in the illustration bondage of one sort or another was in
question. In the type, Israel were in sore bondage under Pharaoh, and again and
again in reference to them Egypt is called, "the house of bondage."
In the illustration, the inheritance of the dead Elimelech was in danger of
passing into other hands, and the widow and daughter-in-law of lapsing into a
condition of servitude. This disaster was averted by the action of Boaz as
their kinsman-redeemer.
Turning to
the New Testament, we find that redemption as well as justification is
mentioned in Romans 3. We are said to be, "justified . . . through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus." This serves to emphasize an important
point; namely, that these different aspects of the work of Christ and its
effects are most intimately connected, so that we cannot have one without the
other. Yet, though never to be divided the one from the other, they are clearly
to be distinguished. The earlier part of Romans 3 has brought before us not
only the guilt and condemnation of sin, but also its bondage. The word itself
is not actually used until chapter 8 is reached, yet the idea is there, for the
Apostle says, "We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are
all under sin." To be "under sin" is to be under the power of
it, that is, to be in bondage to it. Christ has done the great work which
avails to pay off all the liabilities under which we lay, and thus redemption
is in Him for us.
If we read
on through the Epistle to the Romans, we discover, in Romans 6, 7 and the early
part of 8, how we are actually set free from the tyranny of sin and the yoke of
the law; all of which had proved us to be in "the bondage of
corruption." This phrase is actually used in Romans 8: 21, where we learn
that the whole earthly creation lies under its thrall, but that all shall be
delivered and brought into "the liberty of the glory of the children of
God." When the Lord comes and the children of God stand forth in their
glory, then there will be proclaimed a jubilee of liberty for all creation.
For that
moment we wait, and in verse 23 it is said that for us it will be, "the
adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." Here again redemption
appears, since the point in question is deliverance from bondage; and the
redemption of our bodies is presented to us as a freedom gained by avenging, as
it says, "I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O
grave, I will be thy destruction" (Hosea 13: 14). This scripture is
alluded to and applied to the resurrection of the body in 1 Corinthians 15: 55.
In that glad day the bodies of all God's saints will be delivered from the grip
of death, the last enemy.
The
redemption work of Christ also comes rather prominently before us in the
Epistle to the Galatians. We read that, "Christ hath redeemed us from the
curse of the law" (Gal. 3: 13), and this was by paying the price on our
behalf, for it adds, "being made a curse for us."
But not
only did we lie under the curse of the law but the law itself held us in
bondage. We were "in bondage under the elements of the world" (Gal.
4: 3). Lower down in the chapter, Paul speaks of, "the weak and beggarly
elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage" (Gal. 4: 9). The
word translated "elements" has the force of "principles,"
and is so translated in Hebrews 5: 12. We may at first be inclined to wonder
that such terms as these — almost contemptuous terms — should be applied to the
law, which was given of God, but the "we" of Galatians 4: 3, clearly
indicates Jews, just as the "ye" of verse 6 indicates the Galatian
Gentiles. Both were under bondage to the principles of the world. The
law of Moses made no difference as to this. It brought in the demands of God,
but they were to be met according to the principles of the world. The root
principle of the law was that the favour which men were to receive from God was
to be wholly determined by what they rendered to Him in obedience. This is
altogether a principle of the world, whereas grace is not. There was no
bringing in of principles which lie outside the world altogether, as is the
case in Christianity.
From the
principles of the world, whether found in Judaism or elsewhere, weak and
beggarly as they are, Christ has redeemed us that we might receive the adoption
of sons. Such is the mighty grace of God.
Redemption,
as we have seen, extends even to the resurrection of the body, and this side of
the matter we again find in the Epistle to the Ephesians. While we read of,
"redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins" (Eph. 1: 7),
we also read of the earnest of the Spirit being, "until the redemption of
the purchased possession" (Eph. 1: 14), and of our being, "sealed
unto the day of redemption" (Eph. 4: 30). The first of these passages
speaks of that which is ours today, and which never will be more ours than it
is to-day. The second and third speak of redemption in a form for which we
wait. All that Christ has bought by His death shall be taken from
beneath the sway of the usurper and of every adverse power. As far as our
bodies are concerned the moment will arrive at the coming of the Lord Jesus for
His saints. That having taken place, the Lord will set His hand to the work of
redeeming by power from the hand of the enemy all the rest of the possession
which. He purchased by His blood.
This
coming redemption by power is a great theme of Old Testament prophecy. It is
particularly prominent in the latter part of Isaiah. Israel needed redemption
for he was being trodden down by the Gentiles and hence is addressed as
"thou worm Jacob;" and Jehovah announces Himself as, "thy
Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel" (Isa. 41: 14). Having introduced Himself
in this light, He continues to speak of Himself as Redeemer until Isaiah 63 is
reached, where the prophet sees Him in vision, coming forth from Edom and
Bozrah, because at last, as He says "The day of vengeance is in Mine
heart, and the year of My redeemed is come." The redemption of the true
Israel of God means vengeance upon all their foes.
Yet in the
midst of these striking chapters with their many promises of a coming
redemption by means of the avenging might of God, we get a most marvellous
prediction concerning the yet deeper matter of redemption by means of the death
of Christ. We read, "Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be
redeemed without money" (Isa. 52: 3). This is followed by the heart-moving
chapter wherein the blessed Servant of Jehovah is portrayed as the suffering,
dying One, whose soul is made an offering for sin by Jehovah Himself. The
Redeemer is going to "come to Zion, and to them that turn from
transgression in Jacob;" (Isa. 59: 20), but this is only possible inasmuch
as He has first redeemed them without money as the result of the travail of His
soul.
It is to
this scripture perhaps that Peter referred when he wrote, "Ye were not
redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold . . . but with the
precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot"
(1 Peter 1: 18-19). Isaiah 52 speaks of our being "redeemed without
money." Isaiah 53 of the One who "had done no violence, neither was
any deceit in His mouth," and yet "He is brought as a lamb to the
slaughter" for our redemption.
We
sometimes hear people speak of "the finished work of redemption." Is
it quite correct to speak thus in view of the fact that we still wait for the
redemption of our bodies?
Not quite
correct, no doubt. But when people speak thus they are probably dwelling in
their minds exclusively upon the work of redemption by blood. That part of the
great work is indeed finished, and never to be repeated. Propitiation has been
made once and for ail, so when it is a question of that, or of forgiveness, or
of justification, there is no future aspect to be considered. But there is a
future aspect of redemption, as we have seen. And it is well to remember that,
and to speak with care lest we obscure the finishing touches which are to be
given to the work of redemption in the days to come.
On the
other hand, seeing there is this future aspect of redemption, is it quite right
if we speak of ourselves as having been redeemed? Ought we not rather to speak
of ourselves as being redeemed?
"We
have redemption through His blood." So says the Scripture twice over — in
Ephesians 1 and Colossians 1. Therefore we cannot be wrong if we say with all
boldness that we have it. But it is through His blood, you
notice. Redemption, in that aspect of it, is wholly in the past. The redemption
of our bodies is wholly in the future. But redemption is never presented in
Scripture as a process which is going on. It is never said that we are being
redeemed day by day, though there is such a thing as day-by-day salvation.
Is it not
a rather uncomfortable doctrine that redemption, a certain part of it at least,
lies in the future? Might there not be a loophole here for just a little
uncertainty to creep in?
If
redemption were a human work, or if even a small human element entered the
question, there would be uncertainty right enough — not just a little creeping
in, but floods of it sweeping everything before them. We may well thank God
that it is a work not human but Divine. God never leaves His work uncompleted:
this we may see in the history of the typical redemption which He wrought in
Egypt. He did not redeem the children of Israel by the blood of the Paschal
lamb and then forget them, so that they remained under the taskmasters of
Egypt. No. All those whom He redeemed by blood He also redeemed by His mighty
power clean out of Egypt. Each, down to the youngest child, had to go; not even
a hoof was to be left behind. God will complete His work concerning us. Every
one redeemed by the precious blood of Christ will be there when at His second
coming He redeems the bodies of His saints.
Is
redemption the great end that God has in view for His people?
No. It is
not the end in view, but rather the all-important means to that end. In the old
dispensation the purpose that God had in view was that Israel should be His own
peculiar nation, serving Him in the land He had given them. He had to redeem
them out of Egypt in order that this might be brought to pass, for they could
not serve Him so long as they were in servitude to Pharaoh. In our case the end
in view is of a much higher order.
It is His
purpose that we should be sons before Him in love. Ephesians 1: 5-7 speaks of
this; and we find that redemption is necessary as a means to that end.
Colossians 1 shows that we are made meet for the inheritance of the saints in
light; and again redemption is mentioned as necessary for this. Peter, in his
first epistle, instructs us that God purposes to have us as a holy priesthood
to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Him by Jesus Christ; but as a
preliminary to this he speaks of our having been redeemed by the precious blood
of Christ.
Other
scriptures to the same effect might be cited. God has many thoughts for us His
people, but their fulfilment is only possible upon the basis of redemption.
First we must be redeemed from every adverse power. Then God has His way with
us to carry out His bright designs.
The book
of Ruth shows us that in Israel only certain kinsmen had the right of
redemption. Has this any significance for us?
Undoubtedly
it has. To purchase was one thing — anyone might do that: to redeem was
another. The nearest kinsman had the first right, but one had to be a kinsman
to have any right of redemption at all. There is no kinship between angels and
men: hence no angel could redeem a man even if he had possessed the power to do
so. The Lord Jesus did not become an angel; He became a Man and thereby
established that kinship which qualified Him to become our Kinsman-Redeemer.
How important then is the true Manhood of our Lord.
Hebrews 2
does not contain the word redeem. But it tells us that He did not take hold of
angels, but of the seed of Abraham, when He undertook through death to annul
him that had the power of death and deliver us — that is, to accomplish our
redemption.
We read in
Ephesians 1: 14 of "the redemption of the purchased possession."
Should we then draw a distinction between purchase and redemption?
We believe
that we should. We might put it in this way — redemption involves purchase, but
purchase very often has nothing to do with redemption. Believers are said to be
"bought with a price" (1 Cor. 6: 20). But false teachers will go so
far as "denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift
destruction" (2 Peter 2: 1). The buying of believers involves their
redemption. The buying of the false teachers, who go to destruction, did not
involve their redemption; had it done so destruction would not be their end. By
His death the Lord Jesus has acquired purchase rights over all things, even
where He has not redeemed them.
In
Ephesians 1: 14 however the point is not exactly this, but rather that what He
has purchased by His death He will ultimately redeem by His power from every
adverse force. It is really the distinction between redemption by blood and
redemption by power.
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