Part 1 of Three: Redemption

I used to live in an apartment located in Oregon whose water supply was absolutely horrible. It was like drinking from a length of galvanized pipe. From one little town to the next surrounding couple of towns, it was like they all had their water piped in from the same reservoir. UGH! Therefore, I got in the habit of buying cases of bottled water, not only to cook with, but mainly to drink. I’d buy three to five cases at a time.

However, what this did, however, was to create bags and bags of empty plastic bottles. I didn’t particularly want to take them down to the recycle center because it would take way too much time, time that I could spend. . .writing. Besides, the disposal station stunk badly and just about made me gag.

It just so happens that I knew a lady that would gladly take them off of my hands. Therefore, I started saving them for her. It was a win/win. I got rid of the bottles and she didn’t mind taking them in and crushing them. She consistently walked out of the recycle center with an extra $65-$70 in her pocket. It turns out that the company who originally owned the plastic containers and their contents, bought back the crushed plastic containers from the recycle center.

Redemption works the same way. God created man in His image (which is spirit) [1], in the Garden of Eden 6000 years ago. All of mankind is God’s children and we belong to Him. Four-thousand years later Christ went to the Cross and bought us back (redeemed us), and the price He paid was with His own Blood. However, to claim that redemption, we have to receive it through repentance and by accepting what Christ did for each of us on the Cross at Calvary.

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. . .[Ephesians 1:7 KJV]

The wages of sin has always been death [2]. Christ took all of our sins and nailed them to the Cross with Him. Christ forgave all of mankind but with one caveat, each of us had to receive that redemption to become a new creature in Christ [3]. This is worth repeating: we all have redemption through Christ’s Blood, but until we receive that free gift of God’s grace, we will not receive His reward.

Given our anecdote from above, if you are not there at the recycle center (at the foot of the Cross) to crush the bottles (to crush the old sin nature), and receive your monetary payment (which is a new nature); you will not receive that Payment from the recycle center (salvation through the Blood of Christ). Your payment from God is not with monetary funds, as with the recycle center, but with a new Spirit, that makes you a new person/creature [4]. All old things pass away and you become new. To be redeemed is to be forgiven, holy, justified, free, adopted, and reconciled but only through repentance, acceptance, and by His Blood and death on the Cross [5].

Next week, we will find out the difference between redemption and salvation. We will also learn about what salvation really is and some of its benefits. I hope to see you there. I pray that this blog has blessed you.
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[1] John 4:24
[2] Romans 6:23a
[3] 2 Corinthians 5:17
[4] 2 Corinthians 5:17
[5] Colossians 1:14