Redemption In Christ

   Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things . . . but with the precious blood of Christ. 1 Peter 1.18–19

The verb redeemed is one of the greatest words in the NT and carries with it one of the highest truths ever revealed to man. Its primary meaning is to deliver from slavery or captivity from the power of your enemy by the payment of ransom. The principle of ransom was involved in the act of sacrifice; that is, the sacrifice became the ransom that removed the slavery/captivity or some other penalty.

On some occasions, when the Israelites were required to make a sacrifice, money was given instead of a sacrificial animal—the money took the place of the animal. The ransom, paid in money, was called the atonement, and it exempted the worshipper from punishment (Ex. 30.15).

In the death of Christ, His blood was a ransom, and the atonement accomplished by Him is redemption. Money utterly fails as an acceptable ransom. Money touches the externals of life, but not the heart. Money cannot compensate for broken vows or atone for a lack of love. Money can only purchase things as corruptible as itself; its currency cannot pass into the sphere of the soul.

But Christ’s blood can redeem us from our vain manner of life handed down from our fathers. Any living outside of Christ is an empty life, devoid of anything that will last; devoid of true hope or fact-based faith. Any life that knows not redemption, the love of God, and cleansing from sin is a vain life, empty of all real satisfaction.

Kenny Chumbley