Galatians 4 Lesson

REDEMPTION

What does it mean to be redeemed? 

How did Jesus redeem us? 

And why is that important to us today?

These are the three questions that we will answer during today’s lesson. 

We will start, however, with a definition. 

Google 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.

FIVE BIBLE VERSES ABOUT REDEMPTION

The Bible has a lot to say about redemption. For today’s lesson, we have highlighted the following five verses:

1. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” - Ephesians 1:7,
2. “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” - Colossians 1:13-14,
3. “Our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” -Titus 2:14,
4. “For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” - Colossians 1:20-22,
5. “Conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” -1 Peter 1:17-19.

THE LAW MADE US AWARE OF OUR SINS

The Bible teaches us that the Law (The Old Testament) made us aware of our sins.

• “For through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.” – Romans 3:20.

ALL OF US ARE SINNERS

Nobody could keep the Law, and in that sense, everyone became slaves to sin under the Law. 

Consider the following two verses:

1. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23,
2. “Everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” – John 8:34.

OUR SINS HAVE CONSEQUENCES

Because God isrighteousand just, our sins have consequences . 

The Apostle Paul wrote about this in his letter to the Romans: 

• “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23.

The price for our sins is death.

Paul is not talking about death in human terms, he is talking about something much more serious, eternal death!

JESUS SAVED US

Without Jesus, we would all be lost in our sins. 

Without Jesus, we would all be condemned.

But there is good news!

The good news is that Jesus came to earth and was willing to accept our punishment for us.

This changed everything, as we see in the Book of Titus:

• "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.” – Titus 3:5.

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he put it this way:

• “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” – Romans 5:8-11.

The above scripture points out two things:

1. Believers have been justified by the blood of Jesus.  Being justified means, “ Declared or made righteous in the sight of God ” (source: Google Dictionary)   
2. We are saved from the wrath of God through Jesus.

Jesus not only made us right with God, but through Him, we have been given the right to become children of God, Himself!

• “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” – John 1:12.

CONCLUSION

Google 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.

Through the Law, we became aware of our sins, and that our sins have consequences. 

To reconcile us with God, Jesus came to earth and paid the price for our sins. When we follow Jesus, we become children of God (John 1:12).

We will end today’s lesson with the following scripture. It reminds us of the lovethat our Father has for us, and why He sent His Son:

• “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” – John 3:16-17.