But
when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a
woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we
might receive the adoption as sons.
Galatians 4:5 NKJV
I
may have mentioned once or twice that the Church today bears little resemblance
to the Church I grew up in so many years ago.
There are many reasons for that but one which I notice often, and
probably miss the most, is the singing of the hymns that were for so many years
the mainstay of worship in the Church.
Now before you start thinking I am some sort of traditionalist opposed
to change, let me assure you I enjoy and listen to Christian music and am
blessed by many of the artists who write and perform today. What I miss, and to be truthful something
which I believe is lacking in many of the songs sung in the Church today, is
the theology written into the hymns of the past.
We
talked a bit last week about the redemption of the bride of Christ, the Church,
and the pattern we see in the story of Ruth.
Redemption is a term many have heard, but often take for granted and
never truly explore. It is, also,
something you used to hear preached about often but of late rarely is expounded
on from the pulpit. Yet not only is it
taught throughout the Word, it is something all believers should understand is not
only necessary for our salvation, but something we could never do for
ourselves. It is a gift from God for
which we as believers owe Him our very lives. Take a minute to read the words from this old
hymn I remember singing when I was young.
Redeemed, how I love
to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed through His
infinite mercy, His child and forever I am.
Redeemed, redeemed, Redeemed
by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am.
Redeemed, and so
happy in Jesus, No language my rapture can tell; I know that the light of His
presence With me doth continually dwell.
Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I
am.
I think of my blessèd
Redeemer, I think of Him all the day long: I sing, for I cannot be silent; His
love is the theme of my song.
Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I
am.
I know there’s a
crown that is waiting, In yonder bright mansion for me, And soon, with the
spirits made perfect, At home with the Lord I shall be. Fanny Crosby 1882
The
word redeem in Biblical times was specifically a term applied most often to
slaves. In the Greek, it is the word exagorazō, which is translated; “by payment of a price to recover from the
power of another, to ransom, buy off.” If
you are wondering why a term used in relation to slaves should be applied to
mankind, the apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans makes it very clear.
For if
we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also
shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man
was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we
should no longer be slaves of sin.
Romans 6:5,6 NKJV
Do you
not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's
slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading
to righteousness? But God be thanked
that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of
doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you
became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness
of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness,
and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as
slaves of righteousness for holiness. For
when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of
which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having
been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to
holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the
gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:16-23 NKJV
As
slaves to sin, mankind is destined to be paid the wages of sin, which is death. But as Paul said in his letter to the
Galatians, when the time was right, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, as our
Kinsman Redeemer. In the book of
Leviticus we are told that the Law specifies that only a kinsman could redeem a
person or his property. This is why
Jesus had to be born as a man, to become man’s kinsman. He also had to be God, in order to have the
power to forgive sin. Having God as His
Father, and Mary as His mother, Jesus fulfilled the requirements necessary to
redeem us all.
“Do not
think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy
but to fulfill. Matthew 5:17 NKJV
“looking
for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus
Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from
every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for
good works.” Titus 2:13,14 NKJV
Those
who choose to believe that Jesus was God in the flesh, lived a perfect sinless
life, died on a cross and rose again from the dead on the third day, have been
redeemed. By accepting the redemption
offered to us by His death and resurrection we become children of God and part
of the Church which is the bride of Christ.
He is coming soon to take His bride away to be with Him forever, and by
all accounts the signs of our approaching rapture to be with Him are all around
us. If you have never accepted the
payment Jesus made to redeem you, I pray you do it today, before it is too
late.
“Now
when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your
redemption draws near.” Luke 21:28 NKJV
Keep
watching.
