In whom we have <U>redemption through His blood</U>, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Ephesians 1:7
Someone had stolen little Joe’s train, his favourite toy, and the lad was brokenhearted. He had loved that train, and played with it every day. But it was gone, and he missed it dreadfully, until, one day as he was walking past the neighbourhood pawn shop, he spied his train in the window. He rushed inside and excitedly told the shopkeeper that the train was his. But the shopkeeper said the train belonged to whoever would redeem it, and he quoted a price that seemed too high for little Joe. The boy dug into his pockets and came up with a few pennies. As his tears began to well up in his eyes in disappointment, he felt a hand on his shoulder, and there stood his uncle with a kindly smile. The uncle reached into his pocket and produced the full price of the redemption ticket for the train. Little Joe left the shop joyfully carrying his train and thanking his uncle for redeeming it for him. That should be our attitude today as we consider how we have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.
In a pawn shop, every item is clearly marked as to the price of redemption. Every soul also has a price of redemption, a price that is far higher than we are able to pay. Like little Joe, we may try to pay with a few pennies of religion or good works or good neighbourliness or generosity. But our few pennies are only an insult when compared to the actual cost of redemption. Every sin we have ever committed is worthy of death, and we have accumulated an enormous debt that could never be met with our feeble abilities. That is why we need to be redeemed by someone outside ourselves. If I can’t redeem myself, I certainly can’t redeem my brother, or anyone else. Neither can you. Because death is the only price for sin, a redeemer must be capable of of death. That is why the Lord Jesus took upon Himself humanity. As the perfect Man, He could stand in our place and take our death, shedding His blood to pay the price of our redemption. He fulfilled that role perfectly, and God has accepted His payment. Our salvation depends on our accepting His payment. Upon our acceptance, He becomes our Redeemer.
Among the spiritual blessings referred to in Ephesians 1:3, redemption is the fourth. Our redemption reminds us that we are not our own, we have been bought with a price. So this great spiritual blessing becomes a great spiritual responsibility: we are to submit ourselves to the One Who has redeemed us, that we might live as those who are His possessions. And if we do, we become recipients of even more of His spiritual blessings. -Jim MacIntosh