Theological Term of the Week

redemption
A way of looking at the work of Christ on the cross that emphasizes the ransom price paid by Christ for the freedom of people who are by nature slaves to sin.

• Redemption in 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: It’s 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. John Gill: A Body of Doctrinal Divinity: Of the Redemption by Christ
   
2. John MacArthur, Jr,: The Basics of Redemption - 1 Peter 1:18-21, The Specifics of Redemption - 1 Peter 1:18-21
3. Here at this blog: Redemption: What Does It Mean?; From What Are Sinners Delivered?; For What Are the Redeemed Delivered?
4. Updated to add this sermon suggested by John Bird: Steve Lawson: A Ransom for Many (mp3)

Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.

Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms in alphabetical order.

Comments

[John]

If you can find the audio to the Ligonier conference in Dallas from the fall of 07, Dr. Steven Lawson preached a wonderful sermon on the word "ransom," which is closely related to your post.

[John]

And I'm glad to see that you read Gill.

[rebecca]

Thanks for the tip. I'll look for the sermon on ransom. I like to include a link to audio if I can find good audio on the subject.