TODAY’S VERSE:  

Ephesians 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace”

We have started a new series in prep school- “What Every Christian Should Know”. We have learned that what God wants believers to understand is all the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished for their salvation. The Bible describes the miracle of salvation using some pretty big words. The 1st word we are going to learn is redemption.  Redemption is defined as “the action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment, or clearing a debt.”

The Bible says we are all born slaves to sin. A slave is a person who is bought by another person, considered their property, and must obey them. Unbelievers are slaves to sin or unrighteousness and do what their flesh tells them to and what the world says is “good”. They obey God’s enemies instead of God. Unbelievers have no desire or power to obey God because their “master” is sin.

Believers are purchased by God with the blood of Christ. They now belong and answer to God, having been freed from the control of sin. They now live to please Him and not self. God makes His power available to His children so they are able to follow His perfect commands and say “no” to the sinful temptations from the flesh.

Galatians 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

Redemption also means to pay off a debt. For example, your parents may have taken out a loan for your house or car. This means they borrowed money from the bank and will pay off their debt over time. We are all born sinners. The only acceptable payment for our debt of sin is the life blood from a sinless sacrifice.

Hebrews 9:22 “… without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

Left on our own, we would remain enemies of God; owned by sin, in debt, and destined to spend all of eternity separated from Him. Jesus Christ, God the Son, became a man. He remained sinless and then was willingly judged for the sins of God’s children. God, the Father, accepted the blood of Christ as payment for our debt. Jesus, literally, paid for believers with His very own life.

Hebrews 9:12 “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.”

We have so much to be grateful for. God has made a way for His children to be saved. Believers are purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ and their debt is paid. They are now free from the control of sin as well as its penalty- blessed to be a part of God’s family forever and ever!

Romans 8:1-2 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”