“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God (Romans 1:1).“
Paul, at the beginning of the book of Romans, tells us just who he is and what he is going to write about. Paul is his name, and he is a slave of Jesus Christ and being a slave, he must do what his master wants him to do and write what his master wants him to write.
The thing that he is going to write about is the good news, the gospel. The whole book of Romans is about the good news that is in Christ Jesus for us. One of the words that he uses is “redemption” to try to make us understand just how good this news is.
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24).“
In the meaning of the word redemption, we have both the good news and the bad news. “In redemption, the sinner stands before God as a slave and is granted freedom by a ransom.” We all start out slaves of sin. We are sold to sin. This is the bad news. This is how we all start out so that we all need a redeemer and Christ died to ransom us out of slavery.
“Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). “ Jesus Christ is called the redeemer for He gave his life to ransom all of mankind from being a slave of sin.
There is another meaning of this word, redemption; “to repurchase of captured goods or prisoners.”
There is a story told about a boy who made a model ship. He put a lot of work into it. It turned out very fine indeed and the boy loved his little ship. The boy when he finished it took to the river to see how it would float. It floated well but it got away from the boy and the river took it downstream. He lost his little ship.
Months later he went to the next town down the river. As the boy was walking the street, he looked in a shop window there was his little ship. He went inside and said to the shopkeeper, “That is my ship, I made it.” The shopkeeper said that he had paid $2 for it and if he would give him $2 for it, he could have it back. So, the boy went home and saved his money and went back and paid the shopkeeper the $2 for his little ship. And as he left the store he was heard to say, “Little ship you are mine twice, I made you and now I have bought you.”
This is what God did; he has made us, and he has redeemed us (bought us back) with the blood of His Son.
Note that our redemption came by the grace of God and our redemption is only in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:24) It is by grace that we are ransomed because sinners do not deserve to be ransomed. We all have sinned because we wanted to. God wanted to save us because He loves us. This is the reason that He opens the door into his redemption and His grace through faith in his Son Jesus Christ.
We are redeemed from being a slave of sin to being a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is much better for us than being a slave of sin. If we are slaves of sin, we die. But if we are slaves of Christ, we are also free. Being a slave of Christ, we will live forever, and we also will be friends of Christ (John 15:13-15). Plus, we will become sons of God. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Romans 8:14-15).”
When I think about this I rejoice and want to sing:
“Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am.”
I pray that you can sing this song and mean it.
*Devotional written by Ralph Williams, retired pastor and member of One Hope Mobile.
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