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Christ Redeemed His People

     We do not read in the Scriptures that Christ died to purchase eternal happiness for sinners. Rather, we find that He died to redeem His people. "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He hath visited and redeemed His people" (Luke 1:70). The church is said to be His "purchased possession" (Ephesians 1:14). "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law" (Galatians 3:13). In due time He came into this world "to redeem them that were under the law" (Galatians 4:5). "Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity" (Titus 2:14). "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation" (Revelation 5:9). Peter said "ye were redeemed...with the precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18-19). Paul instructed the elders in the church at Ephesus to "feed the church of God which He hath purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28). "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Hebrews 9:12). The gracious Benefactor redeemed spiritually bankrupt beggars by His blood. We were in debt to His justice, an indebtedness which we had no ability to pay and about which, by nature, we had no knowledge or concern. The Lord Jesus Christ, by His sacrifice unto death, rendered to His own law the required payment of the ransom. His people were freed from the claims of the law by rightful, legal, justice-satisfying purchase. "Then He is gracious unto him and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom" (Job 33:24). There is not a single sin laid to the charge of those people whose ransom price Jesus Christ has paid. In the Old Testament, the high priest offered to God the appointed sacrifice for the cleansing of the children of Israel. "For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD" (Leviticus 16:30). If the typical blood cleansed the people ceremonially, how much more must the blood of Christ, offered unto God, perfectly, thoroughly and eternally deliver His people from all sin and make them righteous before the Lord! The result of the ransom price paid by Christ was the real and actual redemption of His people. 

Topics: Church Bulletin Articles
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