Bought it!

So, I was thinking today about the word 'redemption'.  It's not really a common word these days.  The closest we might get is when we have a gift card, or coupon we know that we need to 'redeem' it in order to get the benefit of it.     For example, I was given an 'Experience Day Voucher' for Christmas one year.  It was in a nice little box, and it looked really cool and had a monetary value attached to it, but left in the box it had no value or use. I couldn't show up and use that voucher for a Health Experience or a Cream Tea Experience.  In order to get the benefit of it,  I had to go online and look at the options and REDEEM the voucher for it's worth to book my experience (my husband and I opted to drive fast cars round a track).  

The word redeem according to the dictionary means:

  1. 1.
    compensate for the faults or bad aspects of
  2. 2.
    gain or regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment.

There are several Greek words used for the concept of redemption in the New Testament, but they all have this in common; they all mean to be rescued completely or to be permanently removed from captivity.  

In everyday life, as a general rule, once something has been redeemed, it cannot be undone or reversed, you cannot get it back or 'unredeem' it.  Typically it is understood that you have entered into a legally binding agreement that is expected to be irreversible. This is true for us as Christians.   We have been completely and utterly 'redeemed' 

What Jesus did for us is so amazing, and we often just skim over the significance of it all.   Not only did he more than compensate for our faults, but he regained possession of us in exchange for the payment made by his blood.

So, why is this so important?  

Galatians 3:13 (KJV)
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree:

What is 'the curse of the law'?   Well, for one, it's not a blessing to have to try and fulfill the law; all that effort and all the while, no ability to meet its demands. 

Galatians 3:10 (KJV)
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

The 'curse' presented in Genesis was death (separation from God) and in Deuteronomy 28 it speaks of sickness, diseases, a lack of productivity, poverty, subjection to your enemies, premature death, mental affliction and so much more as the 'curse'.   

Thank you Jesus that he has bought us back from a Kingdom where that was our lot in life!!  Now we are part of his people we can expect that the blessings of the Lord our as natural in our lives as those horrid things were before our redemption. 

As I explore this more and more, I am seeing that Jesus came not only to redeem us but to show us what it was like to live as a redeemed man or woman of God in this world while tapping into the reality of heaven here and now.   

My challenge to us today, to use a modern turn of phrase who do you identify with?  Do you identify with someone who has been redeemed and bought back; someone who has worth and value and who is freed from the curses and conditions that we were under or do you still see yourself in the old location and state.

How we see ourselves totally affects how we carry ourselves, how we live and what we allow in our lives.  

Let's decide daily to identify with who we really are according to God's reality and join with Psalmist when he says:

Psalms 107:2 (KJV)
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

Or in the Passion Translation...

So, go ahead—let everyone know it! Tell the world how he broke through
and delivered you from the power of darkness and has gathered us together from all over the world. He has set us free to be his very own!

I say I AM REDEEMED!   What do you say?

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