(Wouldn’t you know that after I wrote yesterday about my growth in the area of keeping my temper that I lost my temper COUNTLESS times that afternoon? Read my confession here.)
Some people claim they would never embrace Christianity because they don’t want to submit to the authority of Scripture. But those who have not been conveyed into the kingdom of the Son are under the tyrannical authority of darkness and slaves to sin. Not only are we rescued from the brutal dictatorship of Satan, but we have entered the kingdom of God as heirs! (Personally I’d be thankful to be even the street sweeper in heaven!) The sacrifice and blood of Christ was the redemption price to purchase our freedom from the bondage of sin and set us free into His light. Our sin debt has been paid because of His grace!
The word “redemption” is apolutrósis (ἀπολύτρωσιν): a release effected by payment of ransom, literally "buying back from, re-purchasing what was previously forfeited". It is the word used for both the Exodus from Egypt and the Jewish return from Babylonian exile. Like the Israelites who complained in the desert and wanted to return to the “flesh pots of Egypt”, at times believers pine for an easier (fictitious) life they lived in the past. We may fear the very evil power from which we have been delivered. We waste energy on regret rather than believing that we are truly forgiven. What a blessing that although we forfeited our rights as children of God, He counted the cost and repurchased us from a life of sin!
"The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." – Jesus, John 8:35-36
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