Redemption: March 12, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY MARCH 12, 2012.

REDEMPTION

DEFINITION:

The act of buying back by paying a ransom; restoration; to free from the consequences of sin.

SCRIPTURE:

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Many people not only do not understand what redemption is, but do not know why they need redemption. So the question that we want to answer is, “Why do we need redemption?”

The theme of the Bible is redemption. From Genesis to Revelation the Bible teaches that the law of God has condemned us all, without exception, because as we read in Romans 3:23 (above) we have all sinned. By sinning we separate ourselves from God and miss the beauty of God’s plan for our life. Because of our sinful nature we stand condemned and we need redemption. Because of the grace of God, He stands ready to rescue us from our sins and redeem us.

In the fourth chapter of Romans the apostle Paul speaks of three phases of redemption. They are justification, sanctification and glorification.

Paul illustrates the meaning of justification by saying that justification means that God gives us a right to stand before Him on the basis of the work of Christ, not because of anything that we have done. Justification is God’s act of declaring us not guilty. He wipes our record clean.

We can stand in God’s presence because another One has died in our place to pay the penalty for our sins. Another One is available to meet our needs because in ourselves we are incapable of pleasing God in our own strength with our own shabby ideas of righteousness. Righteousness is not something we earn but only comes to us when we accept the gift that God gave us to pay our penalty for our sins, His Son Jesus Christ.

Redemption also must include sanctification. Many believers stop with justification feeling that all they need is an escape from going to hell. But Paul reminds us in Romans four the necessity for all believers to be set apart for God and God’s plan to deliver our soul, our mind, our emotions and our will from the control of our sinful nature. Being sanctified simply means that we as believers need to be dedicated to God or set apart for God.

And finally when we are redeemed it is the plan of God for us to glorify God through all of our words and actions. Nothing is more important for us today then to be certain that we understand that we all are born sinners and because we are sinners we must pay the penalty for our sins. But God in His great mercy provided His Son to pay the penalty for our sins and for this we should glorify His name.

LEARNING:

This week we continue to memorize the Ten Commandments. This week’s memory verse is found in Exodus 20:4-6 (paraphrased):

You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness. You shall not worship them or serve them.

PRAYER:

I am so grateful that You sent Your Son to this earth to pay the penalty for my sins. Help me to completely set apart my life to You so that all that I do and say will glorify Your name.