Pondering Redemption

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment -- to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ." -- Ephesians 1:7-10

What does Paul mean when he writes that we have "redemption through His blood?" Redemption is the payment of a price or a ransom, and in this case the price was Christ's own blood, and its object was our very souls. All humanity was in the slave market of sin and thus powerless to affect self-deliverance, but Christ purchased His Church with an infinitely valuable price as the Scriptures repeatedly attest: "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed ... but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" [1Pet. 1:18, 19]. "[Jesus] entered the Most Holy Place once and for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption" [Heb. 9:12]. "[Jesus came] to give His life as a ransom for many" [Mk. 10:45]. Our redemption cost the whole life of Christ -- an astonishing mystery which the prophets puzzled over and which the angels 'long to look into' [1Pet. 1:10-12].

"And they sang a new song: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.'" [Rev. 5:9, 10] We, too, will sing this song with the angels, but the best part belongs to us because we are twice His, having been both created by Him and then redeemed by His blood!

Concomitant with redemption is forgiveness [v. 7]. As a believer, the Apostle Paul remained profoundly aware of his sinful life apart from Christ and that he was "the chief of sinners" to use his own words. But along with this conviction was the profound knowledge that he was also forgiven. Even ancient man was aware of his sin. The brilliant Roman philosopher Seneca called himself a homo non tolerabilis, 'a man not to be tolerated.' Furthermore, he despaired that what mankind needed 'was a hand to lift them up.' The tragedy for Seneca is that there was, and is, a hand to lift him up -- complete forgiveness of sins -- though he was unaware of it. The Scriptures sing of this in glorious harmony from start to finish:

...as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. [Ps. 103:12]

"I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you." [Is. 44:22]

"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." [Jer. 31:34]

You will hurl all our inequities into the depths of the sea. [Micah 7:19]

"This is My blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." [Matt. 26:28]

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. [1Jn. 1:9]

Total forgiveness is something to celebrate! It is far beyond anything positive thinking, psychotherapy, hypnosis or the power of suggestion can provide. It is complete, extending to both the conscious and unconscious sins in our lives ... and it is only possible through Christ!

Lastly on top of both grace and discernment [vv. 7-8], Paul concludes by focusing on the future blessings of redemption. The redeemed see that a new order is coming. Paul Hodge claims that this was a "mystery," a secret, in times past, not because it was incomprehensible, but because it was undiscoverable by human reason. It could only be known through divine revelation. What is this "mystery?" Paul relates it simply as, "when the times will have reached their fulfillment" [i.e. at the appropriate time], God will "bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ." As believers, we know this to be true. We do not share the despair and pessimism of the world, such as G. N. Clark who stated at his inaugural lecture at Cambridge, "There is no secret and no plan in history to be discovered. I do not believe that any future consummation could make sense of irrationalities of preceding ages." But the redeemed know otherwise. History is going somewhere. Why do you think it is even called HIS-STORY in the first place? All will make sense when everything is brought under the headship of Christ.

Paul says in Colossians [1:16] that "all things were created by Him and for Him." -- or toward Him as some have it [my preferred translation of this verse]. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. All things came out of Him, and all things will return to Him. Thus all creation is moving toward its consummation in him as described in Romans 8:19-21 -- "The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed ... the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God" [see also 2Pet. 3:10-13; Matt. 19:28]. Thus all redeemed souls, all the universe, and all the faithful angelic hosts -- literally everything in Heaven and on earth -- everything material, everything spiritual, everything within, without, above, and below -- will be united in Christ. This is the blessing of the universe! To the praise of His glorious grace.