The Need for Redemption
Redemption that is being referred to here is the recalling of captives (sinners) from captivity (sin) through the payment of a ransom for them.
John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bond servant of sin.” WEB
Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin. WEB
- Those that have sinned are owned by sin and are a slave to it.
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God they sinned. (Genesis 3)
Gen 2:15-17 Yahweh God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16 Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die.” WEB
- We see here that sin brings forth death
God’s desire for man was to be made into his image and likeness (Gen 1:26) but the path that the Serpent presented to Eve was not the path that would accomplish this. The path that the Serpent presented to them brought forth death.
Gen 3:4-5 The Serpent said to the woman, “You won’t surely die, 5 for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” WEB
- Yahweh is not a god that speaks lies (Num 23:19; Titus 1:2; Heb 6:18) but the serpent has been a liar from the beginning. (Cor 11:3; Jn 8:44,45; Rev 20:2)
The basic meaning for sin is to miss a mark or a way or path, to step to one side. Sin is missing the true end and scope of our lives, which is God.
Scripture describes sin as:
- Knowing what is right and not doing it. (James 4:17)
- The lack of faith. (Rom 14:23)
- All unrighteousness and lawlessness. (1 John 5:17; 1 John 3:4)
Sin is something that all have done.
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
Rom 5:12 Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned.
- Sin is an action that we have carried out in our lives.
The act of man sinning earns him wages and the wages he earns is death.
James 1:12-15 Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. WEB
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. WEB
- Wages are something we receive in payment for what we have earned.
- Being tempted is not sin but the giving in to that temptation and the act of carrying it out in our life is sin.
- Jesus was tempted to sin but he did not give in to it. (Matt 4:1-10; Heb 4:14, 15)
Death is that which causes separation. In physical death the soul and spirit are separated from the body.
Spiritual death is separation from God and all the goodness that goes along with the relationship with him.
The Scripture speak of those that are dead even though are physically still alive.
When Adam and Eve sinned they became separated from God and the life that he had prepared for them and because of this they died spiritually and were on the path that would lead to their physical death as well.
The story of the Prodigal Son is a picture of the death that takes place when we stray from the path that leads to life and the restoration that can take place if we are willing to return to that path.
Luke 15:11-24 He said, “A certain man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ He divided his livelihood between them. 13 Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. 14 When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. 17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. 19 I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”‘ 20 “He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; 24 for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ (1 Tim 5:6)
If we will face up to our sins and allow God to redeem us from sin we will be able to escape death and enter into a relationship with him and be placed on the path that leads to life and all the goodness of God (Ps 145:8,9) that goes with it.
The only other option we are faced with is to remain in our sin and death and suffer the consequences that it produces.
1 Cor 6:9,10 Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortioners, will inherit the Kingdom of God. WEB
Gal 6:7-8 Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. WEB