Rebecca Stark is the author of The Good Portion: Godthe second title in The Good Portion series.

The Good Portion: God explores what Scripture teaches about God in hopes that readers will see his perfection, worth, magnificence, and beauty as they study his triune nature, infinite attributes, and wondrous works. 

                     

Sunday
Apr302023

Sunday's Hymn: Anywhere with Jesus

 

 

Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go,
Anywhere He leads me in this world below;
Anywhere without Him dearest joys would fade;
Anywhere with Jesus I am not afraid.

Refrain

Anywhere, anywhere! Fear I cannot know;
Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go.

Anywhere with Jesus I need fear no ill,
Though temptations gather round my pathway still;
He Himself was tempted that He might help me;
Anywhere with Jesus I may victor be.

Anywhere with Jesus I am not alone;
Other friends may fail me, He is still my own;
Though His hand may lead me over drearest ways,
Anywhere with Jesus is a house of praise.

Anywhere with Jesus, over land and sea,
Telling souls in darkness of salvation free;
Ready as He summons me to go or stay,
Anywhere with Jesus when He points the way.

Anywhere with Jesus I can go to sleep,
When the darkening shadows round about me creep,
Knowing I shall waken nevermore to roam;
Anywhere with Jesus will be home, sweet home.

—Jessie B. Pounds

Wednesday
Apr262023

Theological Term of the Week: Redemption

redemption
A way of looking at the work of Christ on the cross that emphasizes the freeing of sinners from slavery to Satan and sin by means of a ransom price.
  • From scripture:
    And they sang a new song, saying,

    “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals,
    for you were slain,
    and by your blood you ransomed people for God
    from every tribe and language and people and nation,
    and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
    and they shall reign on the earth.” (Rev. 5:9-10 ESV)

  • From Salvation Belongs to the Lord by John Frame, page 150
    Redemption means, literally, “buying back something.” In the Old Testament when someone sold his property or even got so far into debt that he sold himself into slavery, a relative could buy back the property or buy the man’s freedom. This relative is called the kinsman redeemer, and Leviticus 25 describes him. In the book of Ruth, Boaz redeems Ruth and her mother-in-law from poverty by marrying her. In Mark 10:45 Jesus says that he has come to give his life a “ransom for many,” buying us back as God’s lost property. His sacrifice on the cross was an act of great value, and it purchased for him a people of his own possession. So, we belong to God both by creation and by redemption.
  • From The Atonement: Its Meaning and Significance by Leon Morris, page 130:
    Christians agree that evil is strong and that they cannot break free from it by themselves. But the wonderful thing about the Christian way is that it is the way of freedom. The evil that is part of human nature has been defeated in Christ. Believers live in freedom. Since the price has been paid the bondage is ended. They are no longer to live in slavery.

    The Bible teaching on redemption then is a continuing call to Christians to live in all that freedom means. But freedom is demanding and too often we settle for some form of bondage. This may arise from excess of zeal as we give ourselves over to following some rigorous rule for living the Christian life. Or it may be the consequence of lack of zeal as we acquiesce in the power of evil and make no real attempt to do anything other than go along with it. Either way we are denying the fundamental freedom of the people of God. Neither is the way for those who have been redeemed at the cost of Christ’s death. ‘For freedom did Christ free us.’

 

Learn more:

  1. Got Questions: What is the meaning of Christian redemption?
  2. Derek Thomas: What Does the Cross Mean?
  3. Anthony Carter: The Price of Our Redemption

 

Related terms:

 

Filed under Salvation


Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured as a Theological Term of the Week? Email your suggestion using the contact button in the navigation bar above. 

Clicking on the Theological Terms button above the header will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.

Sunday
Apr232023

Sunday's Hymn: More About Jesus

 

 

 

More about Jesus would I know,
More of his grace to others show,
More of his saving fullness see,
More of his love who died for me.

Chorus
More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus,
More of his saving fullness see,
More of his love who died for me.


More about Jesus let me learn,
More of his holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me.

More about Jesus in his Word,
Holding communion with my Lord;
Hearing his voice in ev’ry line,
Making each faithful saying mine.

More about Jesus on his throne,
Riches in glory all his own;
More of his kingdom’s sure increase;
More of his coming, Prince of Peace.

—Eliza Hewitt