Ephesians 1:7 ESV
What is redemption? As a child, I remember my family
collecting Blue Chip Stamps and S&H Green Stamps as incentives while
shopping for groceries or getting gas for the car. These stamps could be
exchanged for a wide variety of valuable merchandise listed in their respective catalogs. I vividly
remember spending hours gluing the stamps into redemption booklets which we
would later take to the S&H Green Stamp or the Blue Chip Stamp store to
redeem them for various items. It felt
like receiving a reward without having to pay anything extra, except for the
task of licking stamps and placing them in the redemption books. The main idea
behind the stamps and redemption system was to build consumer loyalty, as the
stores and gas stations you frequented wanted you to keep coming back.
Jesus offers us a life-changing opportunity for redemption,
but it doesn't involve the mundane use of stamps. Instead, we are called to
trade in our selfish lives and aspirations, and allow Jesus to redeem or trade
for our lives, His life for ours. The Father's plan of redemption is a profound
and transformative one - it requires us to let go of our self-centered plans
and allow Jesus to take the reins of our mind and our lives to live a God centered life. In doing so, we
experience the joy of living a life that is filled with the Spirit of the
living God. That means freedom from sin,
guilt, and fear.
Redemption is not something that can be earned or achieved through our efforts alone, but is a free gift of God's grace. It is not based on any unique qualities or achievements on our part, but rather on Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. If redemption were based on our own merits, then Jesus' sacrifice would have been pointless. Only by recognizing and receiving God's grace can we experience true redemption, just as we can only attain salvation through His grace which is available to everyone.
The sacrifice of Jesus is the ultimate payment for our
redemption and the payment for our sins. It is through His sacrifice that we
are able to experience the unconditional love of our heavenly Father and be
restored to our rightful place as His beloved sons and daughters. By
acknowledging this truth, we find joy in recognizing that we are redeemed and
brought back to our heavenly destiny through Christ Jesus.
Have you ever considered what we are redeemed to? It's quite simple really. We are redeemed in a very practical way to a life of peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, through the forgiveness of our sins or trespasses. This redemption is made possible by the riches of God's grace. And what is grace? It's like a rapidly flowing river,that is describing the unbridled passion of our heavenly Father that flows out of our innermost being and is exhibited through us who believe. That's right, believing loyalty has always been the only requirement from the very beginning until now, and in that regard, nothing has changed. So let me ask you this, wouldn't you want to experience the fullness of God's grace and the peace and joy that accompany it? Who wouldn’t?
The hymn below by Charlotte Elliott, written 189 years ago, reminds us that we can come to Jesus just as we are, without fear or hesitation, and His redemption is available and just as vital for us today as it was when Jesus walked the earth 2000 years ago.
Click on the words below to reveal the full lyrics to the song.
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for
me,
And that Thou bidst me come to
Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Stephen Barnett
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