The prophet Isaiah said, "And a Redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith Jehovah." (Isaiah 59:20) Job said, "But as for me I know that my Redeemer liveth, and at last He will stand up upon the earth" (Job 19:25).
The word redeemer is not found in the New Testament, though the idea is clearly there. Paul wrote that the Lord "gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a people for His own possession, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:14) The one who redeems would certainly be a redeemer. One who pays the price of redemption would also be called a redeemer; and Peter stated that Christ did this. "Knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers; but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, (even the blood) of Christ." (1 Peter 1:18-19) That Christ is our Redeemer is the theme of many of our songs.
"Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child and forever, I am. Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; redeemed, redeemed, His child, and forever, I am."
"Christ, our Redeemer, died on the cross, died for the sinner, paid all his due, all who receive Him need never fear, yes, He will pass, will pass over you."
No theme is sweeter or more pleasant to the ear of God's child.
What is redemption? The apostle Paul wrote that we are, "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:24) From Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, we learn that two New-Testament words are translated redeem or redemption.
- "Exagorazo, 'to buy' ... denotes 'to buy out' ... especially of purchasing a slave with a view to his freedom."
- "Lutroo, 'to release on receipt of ransom' ... 'to release by paying a ransom price, to redeem.'"
Vine then notes, "While both No. 1 and No. 2 are translated 'to redeem,' exagorazo does not signify the actual 'redemption,' but the price paid with a view to it, lutroo signifies the actual 'deliverance,' the setting at liberty.
Who redeemed us? Christ gave himself as a ransom for our iniquities (Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:6); He gave himself to pay the price that we owed (Titus 2:14; cf. 1 Peter 1:18-19). In our deep poverty, condemned as sinners, we could not redeem ourselves; thus, Christ as our kinsman in the flesh, stepped forward and paid the debt of sin. Hebrews 2:9 says that "by the grace of God He should taste of death for every (man)." Hebrews 2:14-15 continues, "Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, He also Himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death He might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."
Man's inability to pay his sin debt is a fact freely stated in the Scriptures. Paul stated that man did not merit the means of his redemption, "not by works (done) in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to His mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5), and "for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, (it is) the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory." (Ephesians 2:8-9) Since I could not pay my sin debt, God in His grace, gave His Son, and He made possible my peace with God "through the blood of the cross." (Colossians 1:20) Christ "delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love" (Colossians 1:13). Paul said, "Ye were bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). These verses do not identify the price, but there can be no doubt, "for Thou was slain, and didst purchase unto God with Thy blood (men) of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation" (Revelation 5:9).
When are we redeemed? In answering this, let us return to the definition of redemption. Certainly, Christ paid the price (Greek-exagorazo) of our redemption at Calvary, but if He provided the actual deliverance (Greek-lutroo) at Calvary, then He delivered today's redeemed from the bondage of sin before they were born and before they ever committed sin. The Scriptures teach that we are "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24). "In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7; cf. Colossians 1:14).
Redemption, the actual deliverance, the setting free from the bondage of sin is "in Christ." Those who are outside of Christ are not redeemed. Therefore, a person is redeemed when he becomes part of Christ's body. The Scriptures teach that we are "baptized into Christ" (Galatians 3:27). We become free from sin (actual deliverance; set at liberty) when we obey. "Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves (as) servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness." (Romans 6:16-18)
The price the Great Redeemer paid is a ransom sufficient for the release of everyone who is in bondage to sin. Therefore, "And the Spirit and the bride say, come. And he that heareth, let him say, come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17)
{John 3:16}