Key Verse: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.” (Ephesians 1:7-8 CSB)
In 1996, gangster “Big Spender” Cheung Tze-keung kidnapped Victor Li, the son of Hong Kong billionaire Li Shing. Shortly after Li was captured, his father paid a ransom of one billion Hong Kong dollars or close to $130 million U.S. to free Victor Li. Big Spender was eventually executed, but the ransom stands as one of the highest known ever paid.
The act of a ransom being paid is one of the ways the Scriptures describe the incredible spiritual blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus. It’s what the Apostle Paul was speaking of when he wrote, “In him, we have redemption” (v.7). Redemption refers to paying a price in order to secure someone’s release or deliverance from captivity.
Apart from being in Christ, all of us are held captive by sin, Satan and even our own selves. We are trapped in darkness, unable to achieve our own freedom. But in Jesus Christ, we find redemption. “He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).
How did Jesus secure our redemption? What was the price that He paid so that we could be set free from our captivity? According to Paul, it was “through his blood.” As Jesus went to the cross, He sacrificed Himself by shedding His own blood for us. Why is this such a big deal? The author of Hebrews tells us that, “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin” (Hebrews 9:22). Through His once-for-all sacrifice for us, Jesus Christ secured our redemption at a great price, the cost of His own blood. There was no other way.
What does it mean then to be redeemed? First and foremost, redemption is tied directly to forgiveness. The Apostle Paul wrote that in Christ, “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses” (v.7). To be forgiven means to have our record wiped clean. Apart from Christ, none of us could stand before God because of our sin (Psalm 103:3). But in Christ, “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). This is great news for people like you and me who sin often against God. In Christ Jesus, He looks upon us and sees no record of wrong, because Christ has redeemed us.
But what about when we’ve really blown it? What about the times when we fall hard into sin? The good news of Jesus is that redemption is not about our performance. Forgiveness of sin has been extended to us, not because we deserved it or earned it, but “according to the riches of his grace, that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding” (v.7-8). It’s all about grace.
Think about how amazing this is! Even on your worst day, God’s grace is greater. Your greatest sin and failure is not enough to exhaust the abundance of God’s grace. Because Jesus Christ shed His blood for you, your redemption has already been secured. When we turn to God and admit our sin, no matter how big it may seem, God is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). There is freedom in this again today!
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, that I have redemption through your blood. Thank you for the freedom that is found in the forgiveness of sin. Thank you for the abundance of grace that you have richly poured out on me. Help me to live in that freedom today. Amen.
Author: Jonathan Miller has served in pastoral roles for more than 13 years in churches in Barrie, Oakville and Burlington, Ontario. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Prison Fellowship Canada, a ministry that mobilizes and equips local churches to engage in the restorative work of prisoners, ex-prisoners, their families, and victims across Canada. Jon holds degrees from McMaster University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife Adrienne have been married since 2004, and live in Burlington, Ontario with their 4 children. Jon’s greatest passion is to know Jesus and to see lives transformed by Him and for Him.
