Redeem –
1. To recover ownership of by paying a specified sum.
2. To pay off (a promissory note, for example).
3. To turn in (coupons, for example) and receive something in exchange.
4. To fulfill (a pledge, for example).
5. To set free; rescue or ransom.
6. To save from a state of sinfulness and its consequences.
7. To make up for
8. To restore the honor, worth, or reputation of
I think it is safe to say that Jesus did all these things with His blood on the cross. He bought back what He and the Father created by His sacrifice – we were “bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20). Christ’s substitutionary atonement fulfills the Old Testament Law’s demands more than a lamb ever could – He is OUR substitute Lamb. He sets us free – buying us out of our slavery of sin, not with silver or gold, but with His precious blood and spotless, sinless life. If we recognize our sad sinful state and accept His sacrifice to overtake our lives, He delivers us from that way of life and its ultimate consequence (Rom. 6:23). His blood covers our imperfections, our blemishes… our spots. His redemption brings us near to the Father, brings us into the Family as adopted sons and daughters. His work on the cross allows us to also offer a sacrifice – a living one – “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Rom. 12:1-2.
I don’t really know that I think about what redemption means enough. I even admit that I get very emotional when I think about it on a deeper level. I know that I know what it means to BE redeemed (do you?), but sometimes I forget the part about what we are redeemed FOR. Christ didn’t pay the ultimate price for us to simply sit around and be forgiven. If I cost that much – if you cost that much, shouldn’t we want to do more? Not because we are required to pay it back, because we NEVER would be able to even if we tried – that’s not how it works. I am simply saying that we should do our best to be transformed and not conformed because it is an act of worship. We should do this because by being different from the world and by telling the world why, there might just be a few more people in our lives that benefit from being bought back by the redeeming grace of Jesus Christ our Lord.