The Power of Christ as Our Redeemer
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The word “redeemer” in the context of a person isn’t a word we use much outside of Christianity.
Many times I wonder just how many disciples of Jesus Christ truly understand the power and significance of Christ as our Redeemer.
When I first heard my dad preach on the power of Christ as our Redeemer, it changed my whole perspective.
I never looked at the word “redeemer” the same again.
The Power of Christ as Our Redeemer
To understand Christ as our Redeemer, we have to first understand the significance of our poverty in spirit.
It doesn’t matter if you grew up in a Christian home, went to church three or more times a week, read tons of Christian books, and went to a Bible school or Christian University.
Or if you grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in an alcoholic home, did some drugs, partied a lot, and maybe even had a few run-ins with the law.
You are lost.
You are hopelessly and helplessly a sinner.
Whether that means you are hopeless to stop the bad habit of smoking and drinking or hopeless to stop gossiping and judging others.
We are equally hopeless without Christ.
1. Every human is worse than destitute
I think that most Western cultures have no concept of what this means.
We can all point to a quintessential “Rags to Riches” story; someone who was dirt poor and who, through hard work and dedication, altered his destiny.
But there is no rags to riches in Christianity, not without Jesus Christ.
There is no one in all of history who has managed to change his eternal destiny through hard work and dedication.
And here’s why: There is no starting point from which we can change our eternal destiny. There is no ground floor.
As sinners, our starting point is a debt that we can’t possibly begin to pay back in our lifetime. Our hard work and dedication wouldn’t even begin to get us out of debt with God, much less alter our eternal destination!
Our only hope is for someone to come along and buy us out of our situation because nothing else can possibly save us.
When we realize just how helpless we truly are to change our human condition, even one iota, and when we gain a revelation of what the word redemption really means, it forever alters how we live our Christian life.
2. Christ As Our Kinsman Redeemer
In the book of Ruth, we see one requirement for a kinsman redeemer was that he had to be a close, blood relative.
“For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,” Hebrews 2:11
In the New Testament, we see several references to Jesus being our brother.
This truth doesn’t diminish His deity, nor does it enhance our human nature.
There is still a distinct difference between Jesus (fully God and fully man) and us, who are fallen creatures in need of a Savior.
Jesus fulfilled this very important requirement for our redemption.
A redemption which required Him to willingly shed His own blood, as the only person who was completely without sin, to pay full price for the debt we owe to God.
This was the price of redemption.
Perfect blood.
3. Three Greek Words for Redemption
I want to start off by saying that I learned this from the blog Foundational, by Dr. Hackett (who is also my dad).
He has a great post on this titled This Is What Happens When a Christian Loses Their Identity in Christ.
Paul talked extensively about our redemption and the importance of our redemption.
There are three Greek words that translate as “redeem” in the English language.
Lutroo means to be redeemed by paying the price or paying the ransom.
“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14
Agorazoo means someone goes the marketplace to buy a slave (most often translated as “bought” or “buy”)
“And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation'” Revelation 5:9
Exagorazoo is someone going to the slave market to buy a slave and that slave will never go back to slavery again.
“To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Galatians 4:5
Dr. Hackett powerfully illustrates this in his post on our identity in Christ in this quote below:
Jesus Christ, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, came to the slave market, planet earth, and Lucifer’s kingdom. He came for one supreme purpose; “As many as believed on Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His Name.” (John 1:12).
In another article How to Live As a New Creation he boldly states:
Every born again child of God has been delivered from slavery and entered into the life of the redeemed. The blood of Jesus Christ has paid the ransom price for your freedom (Greek word: “lutroo”Titus 2:14). The ransom Jesus paid has purchased you from slavery (Greek word “exagorazo” Galations 3:13; 4:5).
When He brought you from the slave market to His home, He did not make you a slave in His household but an adopted son or daughter with the full privilege of inheritance.
This is our identity!
This is who we are!
We are more than just a child of God, we are a redeemed child of God with all the rights and privileges of our new heritage.
Not because we earned it or deserve it. Not because we were naturally born into it. But because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the abundant grace of God.
We owe everything to Christ and His sacrifice for us.
Without Jesus Christ, we would have no hope in this life at all. Our future would be an eternity of torment in hell. There is no way we could ever alter our eternal condition or destination.
But Jesus came, He bought us out of the slave market of sin, and then He chose to make us an adopted son and daughter of His household.
So much more than we deserve!
But that is our God!
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