SEPTEMBER 9, Ephesians 1:7

The apostle says that ‘we have redemption through his blood’. ‘Redemption’ is a big word. What is the meaning? This word means to ‘buy back’ or to ‘repurchase’. People who leave their articles such as jewelry or valuable items in the pawnshops can ‘redeem’ them later. In the Old Testament, if a man was in need of money, he could sell his land, and when he had sufficient money, he had a right to ‘redeem’ the land or buy it back. Men and women who were slaves could do the same or be redeemed by someone else paying the required sum of money. The slaves then became free with the paying of a price.

Why did Jesus Christ come to the world? He came to redeem us. Hear His words – ‘For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give _______ _________ a ransom for many’ (Mark 10:45). We have been redeemed! We have been bought back! The price has been paid! Christ paid the price when He shed his blood on the cross.

Up to now, we have learnt that Christ has paid the price to redeem. To redeem what or who? To redeem us, sinners. There is a price to be paid for breaking the law of God. We have rebelled against God by our sins and have to be punished. As we are the wrongdoers, God’s justice demands that we pay the price, to be punished and to be sent to hell. But the Savior came to pay the infinite price. He has completely paid it. There is nothing left for us to pay. We have no debt. We are free. We are forgiven of our sins.

The English hymn writer Frances Ridley Havergal wrote:
Nothing to pay! Ah, nothing to pay!
Never a word of excuse to say!
Year after year thou hast filled the score,
Owing thy Lord still more and more.
Hear the voice of Jesus say,
Verily thou hast nothing to pay!
Ruined, lost art thou, and yet,
I forgave thee all that debt!’

Thought: How is sin forgiven?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to die on the cross to forgive us our sins that our sins are pardoned and washed away. Our debt of sin is paid by Jesus. I have nothing to pay. Thank you Heavenly Father. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.