Title: Redeemer
Author: Gary Witcher
Company: none

Jesus: Redeemer

     One of the major problems that translators encounter is choosing the correct word to use for a given idea.  A word in the original language can often be represented by more than one word in the second language.  The question is, "Which most accurately carries the intended meaning?"
     This is complicated by the fact that the opposite is also true.  A single word in the second language is frequently used to take the place of a number of terms in the original tongue.  The question becomes, "It says this in the translation, but what was the word in the original language?"
     These considerations become most crucial when we are dealing with translations of the Bible.  We want to know what the Holy Spirit intended as He inspired the original writers.  Because of the large quantity of manuscripts and translations available, we have little trouble being certain about the intent of the writers.
     But we also like to study the words behind the words because of the fuller meanings which become evident.
     For example, the New Testament refers to Jesus as the "Redeemer."  But a variety of Greek words are behind this concept of Jesus as redeemer.  By looking at these words we can develop an even deeper appreciation for Christ and for what He has done for us.
     Sometimes the original word means to "buy" or to "purchase."  It frequently refers to the purchase of a slave with the intention of granting freedom.
     Toward the end of 1 Corinthians chapter six the apostle Paul stresses the importance of moral character.
     "Flee immorality," he admonishes in verse 18.
     "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you," the thought continues in the final two verses, "whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
     "For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body."
     The idea here is that we have been bought.  As a result, we should behave in a way which makes the purchase worthwhile.
     In the middle of the next chapter Paul discusses false teachers who attempt to enslave others with man-made ideas.
     "You were bought with a price," Paul reminds the readers; "do not become slaves of men."
     The point here is that, if we have been bought by one, we should not be eagerly running after another.
     "But false prophets also arose among the people," 2 Peter 2:1 warns, "just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves."
     The concept of the Lord buying or purchasing His followers is also found in the book of Revelation.
     "And they sang a new song," John writes in Revelation 5:9, "saying, 'Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.'"
     The same idea is used in Revelation 14:3-4.
     In Acts 20:28 Paul reminds the Ephesian elders that the Lord has purchased the church with His own blood.
     So Jesus is our redeemer in the sense that He has purchased us with the intention of setting us free.  But redeem can also carry the idea of paying a ransom to regain freedom which has been lost.
     "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve," Jesus reminds His followers in Matthew 20:28, "and to give His life a ransom for many."
     "Who gave Himself as a ransom for all," 1 Timothy 2:6 says in reference to Christ.
     As we might expect, the word which is translated "redeem" often means just that: to redeem or to "buy back."
     "But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus," 1 Corinthians 1:30 says to those who have obeyed the message of the cross, "who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption."
     Sometimes the Bible is referring to redemption from the Law of Moses.
     "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law," Paul points out in Galatians 3:13, "having become a curse for us - for it is written, 'Cursed is every one who hangs on a tree - '"
     "In order that He might redeem those who were under the Law," Galatians 4:4 says in reference to the arrival of Christ, "that we might receive adoption as sons."
     In other passages, however, the reference is to redemption from a futile way of life.
     "Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers," 1 Peter 1:18-19 points out, "but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ."
     "For the grace of God has appeared," we read in Titus 2:11-14, "bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds."
     As we notice in this last passage, our redemption is sometimes associated with the return of Christ.
     "And not only this," Paul writes in Romans 8:23, "but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body."
     Jesus has redeemed us from the Law.  He has redeemed us from a futile way of life.  And He has also redeemed us from sin and the accompanying guilt.
     "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23-24 notes, "being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus."
     Romans 6:4 explains how this takes place.
     "Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death," this verse states, "in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life."
     "In Him we have redemption through His blood," Ephesians 1:7 says, "the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace."
     Colossians 1:14 and Hebrews 9:15 also point to redemption from sins through Jesus.

     What does it mean for us that Jesus is our redeemer?  Before we can understand anything, we must recognize the fact that there was a time when we were not redeemed.  There was a time when we had sold ourselves to sin.
     "Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience," Romans 6:16 inquires, "you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?"
     But it is even more important to understand that the price has been paid for our redemption.  We have already seen from passages such as Acts 20:28 and Revelation 5:9-10 that Christ has given His blood to buy us.
     We must also realize, however, that our redemption is conditional.  The price has been paid, but it is up to each of us to accept or reject it.
     It is easy to see that the blood of Christ is the price of our redemption.  It is equally clear that only those who are washed by this blood have been cleansed.
     "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation," John is told of a group of people in Revelation 7:14, "and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
     "How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" Hebrews 9:14 asks.
     "And corresponding to that," 1 Peter 3:21 states following a reference to Noah and the flood, "baptism now saves you - not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
     Jesus is our redeemer.  But this redemption is conditional upon our obedience.  And there are some words of caution which accompany our redemption.
     According to Matthew 6:24, we cannot serve two masters; we cannot serve God and riches.  If we want to belong to God we cannot pretend to follow the world.
     Paul cautions in Galatians 4:9 against returning to serve the weak and worthless things of the world after having been redeemed.  Hebrews 6:4-8 contains a strong warning about those who have been enlightened and then fall away.
     "For after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," 2 Peter 2:20-22 says, "they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
     "For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.
     "It has happened to them according to the true proverb, 'A dog returns to its own vomit,' and, 'A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.'"
     We sold ourselves into slavery.  Jesus paid His own blood to redeem us.  But that redemption is conditional upon our obedience.  And we are expected to live like servants of God and not like slaves of sin.
     It's wonderful, isn't it, that Jesus has purchased us in order to set us free from sin.
     Romans 6:18-23 urges us to live our lives of freedom as servants of righteousness.  The theme of the book of Philemon is a slave who runs away from his master, only to have the opportunity to return to the same master as a brother.
     "Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son," Galatians 4:7 promises; "and if a son, then an heir through God."
     We have sold ourselves to death through sin.  But the truth can redeem us and set us free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.lockman.org)