DOCTRINE OF REDEMPTION
May 3, 1981
  1. Etymology.
    1. VAntilu,tron, antilutron: compound of the preposition "anti" plus "lutron". "Anti" connotes substitution, while "lutron" connotes payment for the freedom of a slave.
    2. Vapolu,trwsij, apolutrosis: deliverance procured from the payment of a ransom.
    3. Lu,tron, lutron: a payment of a ransom.
    4. Lutro,w, lutroo: to release from slavery because of payment.
    5. Lutrwsij, lutrosis: deliverance, freedom, or redemption.
    6. Lutrwth,j, lutrotes: deliverer, redeemer.
    7. VAgora,zw, agorazo: to buy, purchase.
    8. VExagora,zw, exagorazo: buy out from.
    9. hd'P' , padhah: to redeem by paying a price.
  2. Definition.
    1. Redemption is the work of Christ on the Cross directed toward sin.
    2. The human race is regarded as being born with an old sin nature, spiritually dead toward God.
    3. This means mankind is born in the slave market of sin (with one exception).
    4. Redemption is the saving work of Christ whereby He purchased our freedom from the slave market of sin.
    5. The coin for this purchase is called the blood of Christ (Christ bearing our sins).
  3. Jesus Christ is the only qualified redeemer (Isa.53:9; Jn.8:46; 19:4; 2Cor.5:21; Heb.1:3; 4:15; 7:26-28; 1Tim.3:16; 1Pet.1:18,19, virgin birth, kenosis, impeccability).
  4. Christ was willing to redeem mankind (both sovereignty and human volition coincided, Lk.22:42 "Father if it be Your will, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless not My will but Yours be done [speaking from human volition, He made His decision. The divine decision was made in the divine decrees]"; Rom.5:19 "For as through one man's disobedience many were made sinners even so through the obedience of one man will all be made righteous"; Phil.2:8 "And being made in fashion as a man He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death").
  5. The doctrine of redemption was portrayed in the OT by means of the blood of animal sacrifices (Heb.9:22 "And according to the standard of the law nearly all things were cleansed by animal blood and without the pouring out of animal blood, forgiveness does not happen"; Job.19:25,26 "As for me, I know that my redeemer lives").
  6. The blood of Christ is the ransom money for the purchase price of redemption (Eph.1:7 "In whom we keep on having redemption through His blood; the cancellation of sins according to the wealth of His Grace"; Col.1:14 "By means of whom we have redemption through His blood the cancellation of sins"; 1Pet.1:18,19 "Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver and gold from your empty manner of life but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ as of a lamb without spot or blemish").
  7. It is the soul of the believer which is redeemed in salvation (Ps.34:22 "The Lord redeems the soul of His servants; none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned").
  8. Redemption removes the condemnation of the Mosaic Law (Gal.3:13 "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law having become a curse for us for it stands written [Deut.21:23] 'cursed is everyone that hangs on the wood'"; Gal.3:10 "For as many as are under the works of the law are under the curse of the law, for it stands written [Hab.2:4] cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the law to do them").
  9. Therefore, the results of redemption are:
    1. Deliverance from the curse of the Law (Gal.3:13; 4:46).
    2. Total forgiveness of sins (Isa.44:22; Eph.1:7; Col.1:14; Heb.9:15).
    3. Basis for justification (Rom.3:24).
    4. Basis for sanctification (Eph.5:25-27).
    5. Basis for eternal inheritance (Heb.9:15).
    6. Basis for strategic victory of Christ in the Angelic Conflict (Col.2:14,15; Heb.2:14,15).
    7. Basis for redemption of the body in resurrection (Eph.1:15).
    8. Related to mediatorship of Christ (1Tim.1:5,6).
    9. Basis of our sonship.
  10. The Doctrine of Redemption was portrayed in Israel's deliverance from Egyptian slavery and the subsequent law of the firstborn (Ex.13:1-31 "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both man and animal, it belongs to Me.' And Moses said to the people, 'remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand the Lord brought you out from this place'"; cf. Ex.22.29).
    1. To commemorate the Exodus, the Jews were to give their firstborn sons and livestock to the Lord.
    2. This illustrates the universal sonship of all believers (we are no longer slaves but [adopted] sons).
    3. The Jews were delivered by blood and power.
    4. This is analogous to redemption and regeneration.
    5. All firstborn males were redeemed with money.
    6. All unclean firstborn animals could be redeemed with a lamb or its neck was broken (Ex.34:19,20 "The firstborn of every womb belongs to Me, and all your male livestock, the firstborn from cattle and [clean] sheep. And you shall redeem with a lamb the firstborn of every [unclean] ass; and if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck [neck = volition; ass = the unbeliever; broken neck = results of negative volition, hell], you shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons").
Reviewed: May, 1983
Reviewed: February, 1987
Reviewed: January, 1998
© Copyright 1998, Maranatha Church, Inc.