… to redeem us from all wickedness …
Summary: Being redeemed is not like snapping your fingers. It is a process. There is a payment to be made, and then there is a collection process. Eventually we see our Redeemer face to face. At that point we have been redeemed.
Jesus died on the cross to redeem us. Okay, that seems straightforward enough. Reading the Bible, it is easy to see that we are all deserving of hell (see Matthew 5:21-22). After all, who hasn’t been angry once in a while? Yet, in today’s passage, Paul writes that Jesus died to redeem us from “all wickedness.”
How does that work?
Once, long ago, I was on a trip with a group of people who went rafting on the Deschutes River. The river is not large, but at times it runs fast, and this was one of those times. At a certain spot along the way, we stopped to eat our lunch.
The day was beautiful with a bright sun and a warm blue sky. The river was crowded that day, and after we had eaten someone suggested jumping in and riding the elevator rapids. We were all wearing life vests, and I thought, “How hard could it be?” and jumped in with everyone else.
The rapids were deep enough that there was no danger of getting banged against a rock, but the water was fast and powerful. Once in the current, I felt like I was strapped into an amusement ride. There was no turning left or right and no option to change your mind and get out.
The “elevator” part of the ride was the up and down wave motion of the rapids. The water pulled us along quickly then we dropped like a rock into a hydraulic hole. Half a second later, the water lifted us up, and the elevator part of the name suddenly made sense.
Up and down and up and down we went. Then the ride was over. The river flattened out, and people started swimming for shore. I was a bit disoriented, and it took me a minute to figure out that the current was heading in the wrong direction. People had to struggle to get out of the current and swim hard to get back into the calm water by the edge of the river. I started too late. Before I could get out of the current, I was being carried past my friends on the shore. Around the bend was a waterfall and suddenly I was frightened.
It is moments like this that stick in the mind. Like realizing that my life was headed to hell, I suddenly realized my body was headed for destruction. This was not a good thing. Fortunately for me, there was a “savior” on the bank fishing for people who did not know enough to get out of the current.
A rope came sailing out of the clear blue sky with a rubber float on the end. It had been expertly thrown and landed a few yards past me, trailing the rope within arm’s reach. I grabbed the rope and, with a thankful heart, hung on while my rescuer dragged me out of the current.
I did not know the person who saved me that day, nor did I get their name. They were just standing there with a rope fishing people out of the water. The whole episode comes to mind because Jesus does something similar when he redeems us from all wickedness.
When the rope came flying out of that blue summer sky, I was in the water up to my neck. When God’s salvation came out of the blue, I was in sin up to my neck. My earthbound rescuer pulled on the rope, and I did my best to help, but I was still in the water. God is still pulling on my rope, and I am still in the waters of life on earth.
Eventually, I climbed out of the river onto dry ground. One day I will leave the swirling waters of life on earth and find myself standing in the warm, bright light of God. The turbulence of life will be just a distant memory, and living in sin will be forgotten.
Jesus paid the price for my redemption on the cross. Having grabbed ahold of his promise of salvation, I feel him pull me closer to him every day. While I swim in these waters, I watch him redeeming me. One day, when I walk beside him in his world, I will be redeemed.
Application: Make every effort to swim towards your redeemer. Don’t just sit there, don’t try and swim against the current or in the opposite direction. Swim towards your redeemer.
Food for Thought: What good things happen while we are in the process of being redeemed?
What an excellent and graphic description of being hopelessly lost and wonderfully redeemed. Thank you.
A Few good things:
The love and presence of the Trinity in our lives.
Guidance and Direction from a Good Shepherd who cares, gives a path for our steps, provides for our needs, accompany us in difficulties, trials, and challenges. Heals us. Is with us even when we pss through death and comforts us Psalms 23.
We have the privilege of fellowship, worship, prayer with a Person who understands, and knows what we need as well as providential is providing, and Sovereignly directing what is best for us Roman’s 8, Hebrews 2:18, 4: 14-16, Philippians 4: 1-8.
We have the comfort, inspiration, and instruction of the Word of God Psalm 119.
We are given Spiritual gifts, and abilities and opportunities to be of service to the body of Christ and to be a witness to others 1 Corinthians 12, Matthew 28: 18-20.
Peace, Hope, and Love in the Holy Spirit as well as a faith which endures and encourages us. I Corinthians 13.
There are many more.
A couple of my favorites are an eternal home in heaven which is being prepared for us, John 14: 1-3, redemption of Creation, ourselves, being given new indestructible, perfect bodies, Roman’s 8, 15, and living forever in God’s presence, in an ideal and perfect place, with people who have no sin nature who enjoy each other and the Lord in eternal bliss, and Blessedness Revelation 21, 22.
Jeff,
Thank you! What a great list of blessings both in this life and the life to come!
The cross happened. This opens the door to a relationship with Christ. 1 Peter 1: 18 – 21.
Rich,
Thank you! You bring to mind the fact that redemption is a process that involves all of human history. It begins with the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden, and does not end until we are all safely home with our Lord.
What good things happen while we are in the process of being redeemed?
In the christian world I often hear salvation and redemption being used as if they are simply interchangeable terms meaning the same thing.
The dictionary defines redemption as:
1. The action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.
2. The action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment, or clearing a debt.
Redemption is eternal in its effects. It ultimately means everlasting life in the Kingdom of God.
Redemption cancels out our sins through the blood of Christ and we are saved as spiritually immortal beings, serving God on this earth in these mortal bodies.
Redemption also looks forward to the day when our physical bodies will be transformed from perishable into Imperishable, from mortal to immortal.
1 Corinthians 15:50-54
SPIRITUAL:
Believers are justified by His grace, given spiritual life. It is a gift from God, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. We have been purified by faith, forgiven all our sins, have been given a new heart and a renewed spirit from God. We have peace with God, eternal life, the Holy Spirit to live within us. We are adopted into God’s family, and sealed by the Holy Spirit of God for the day of full redemption.
Romans 3:21-24, Psalms 51:10, Psalms 32:3-5, Colossians 1:18-20, Revelation 5:9-10, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Galatians 4:5, Ephesians 4:30
PHYSICAL:
We are the first fruits of the Holy Spirit. Redeemed, spiritual beings looking forward to the redemption of our bodies. That day we will see Jesus Christ coming in a cloud with power and great glory, and know redemption draws near, our bodies will be redeemed as perfect bodies and returned to us. We will become a people for His own possession, redeemed from all lawlessness and purified by His power.
Romans 8:22-23, Luke 21:27-28, Titus 2:13-14
Ron,
Thank you for looking at this both from a spiritual perspective and a physical perspective. I enjoyed the verses you shared. Psalm 51, especially. We might add verse two from that passage:
“Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.“
Great verse, we will no longer battle our flesh, all joy will come from serving our Lord.