Pastor Rockwell / REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD

Pastor Jerry Rockwell

REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD

Ephesians 1:7-12

Review: Last week we launched in the study of Ephesians and covered the first of the three explanations of the involvement of the Godhead (Trinity) in the salvation of those who are saved. The Father in Ephesians 1:3-6, the Son in Ephesians 1:7-12, and the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 1:13-14. God the Father chose us “in Christ,” the Son, Jesus Christ redeemed us by His blood, and by the Holy Spirit we are “sealed” until the redemption of our body (Rom. 8:23). We covered the point that the words “chosen,” “predestinated,” and “adoption” applied to believers “in Christ.”  It was explained that when God the Father “chose” a Christian, He chose them “in Christ.” The word “predestination” carries a similar application in that the Father determined that anyone “in Christ” would have eternal life and “. . .we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (Eph. 1:4). The Father determined (“predestinated”) that when we were “in Christ” we would receive “adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,” (Eph. 1:5). Note the end of vs. 5, “according to his good pleasure of his will.” If you are a believer, you have these benefits as “children of God” (Gal. 3:26; Rom. 8:16, 21).

Introduction:

Redemption is defined by Dr. Charles Ryrie as, “Redemption means liberation because of a payment made. To believers the concept has a special significance since the payment was the death of the Lord Himself.” Our “redemption” is stated in Ephesians 1:7 (KJV), “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” This definition indicates that “Redemption” means something is released by someone paying the ransom required and releasing that person from the debt or “ransom” required (Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45; 1 Tim. 2:6). Note the following verses which carry the idea of the believer being set free from the “bondage” of sin and the payment being made by the Lord Jesus Christ by “his blood.” 

Romans 3:23-25 (KJV) “23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.”
Ephesians 1:7 (KJV), “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”

Hebrews 9:14-15 (KJV), “14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” This is one aspect of salvation that is provided for mankind. It is seen by a “type” in the Old Testament because God set Israel free from the bondage of slavery (to us “sin”) and the price to set them free was the “Passover Lamb” of Exodus 12 and the placing of the blood on the doorpost of their house and the firstborn child was not put to death. This subject will be explored a bit later. 

  1. REDEMPTION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. Redemption also carries the meaning of a person being released from slavery. There are two places where God gave an example and a type of Redemption. The example is in Exodus 21:1-6 and the type is the story of Ruth, where Boaz paid the redemption price to take Ruth and fulfill the responsibility of being her husband.
  1. Exodus 21:1-6. A man could purchase a slave and was to be set free after serving six years. The man could go free but if he chose to stay, he would be taken, and a hole was put in his ear as a symbol that he was a person wholly committed to his master.
  2. Ruth 1-4. This book is a story of the “redemption”
  3. Isaiah 53:3-7. This passage of scripture clearly emphasizes the “substitutionary" aspect of redemption. This passage is one the national Jews, when Jesus was on the earth prior to his crucifixion, did not consider as a message of the coming Messiah they were looking for. It seems mysterious that when Jesus was on the cross any Jew who knew the Old Testament would say, surely this was the Messiah. There is one record of a comment about Jesus other than the two thieves crucified with Jesus, which was the Centurion’s comment in Matthew 27:54 (KJV), “Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.” The verses before this one tell of the graves being opened in Matthew 27:52-53 and many “bodies of the saints which slept arose” and they went into the “holy city” (Jerusalem) and appeared to many. Why is there no record of anyone other than the Roman Centurion acknowledging who Jesus was? The blindness of the nation of Israel is somewhat overwhelming because they had the word of God to tell them about this event. 
  1. REDEMPTION IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. In the New Testament, an aspect of redemption must be understood. There is redemption when the work of Christ on the cross and shedding His blood is applied to the believer and delivers them from the “bondage of sin.” This is seen in the Old Testament enactment of the “Passover” which delivered the nation of Israel from the bondage of Egypt. The blood of the “lamb” applied to the doorposts of the house protected the occupants from the power of death delivered by the angel of God (Exod. 12:3-7). Any family that did not have the blood applied to their doorposts would experience the death of the “firstborn.” God was giving a type to fit in the New Testament. Every person in the world has a “first birth.” What they need is a “second birth,” or as Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:7 (KJV), “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” God was preparing the nation of Israel for the time when He would invade history in Jesus Christ. Redemption in the New Testament is about our relationship with Jesus Christ. This is one reason for the reply Nicodemus received in John 3:10 (KJV): “Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?” In all of this discussion of “redemption” do not forget what John the Baptist said when he saw the Lord Jesus approaching him in John 1:29 (KJV), “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” You may reme                              Qmber when studying the Revelation the title of Jesus was “Lamb” which is found 27 times and they all are capitalized and will have an application at the close of this lesson. During the Tribulation the emphasis will be on the “Lamb” of God “. . .which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Israel will eventually be redeemed at that time as we have see at other times in Zechariah 12-13. The study to this point leads us to the teaching of the Bible about Redemption. Now, lets explore the text of Ephesians 1:7-12.
  1. The Glory of God’s Grace, Ephesians 1:6b. Make note of the last phrase in Ephesians 1:6, which says, “. . .wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” Many people suffer from a faulty “self-image.” They struggle with who they are and they are accepted by their peers. People want to be accepted by others, which I call the “herd mentality.” They seldom struggle with the idea of being accepted by God. The phrase under consideration speaks volumes about what God wants us to know, that there is a way to be accepted by God and that is in a relationship with the Saviour, Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 1:6-7 the phrase “his grace” occurs two times. Note the first one in vs. 6 says the “glory of his grace” which is attached to the phrase under consideration, “made us accepted in the beloved.” The second phrase is in vs. 7, which says, “the riches of his grace.” This phrase is the last phrase of vs. 7, wherein it says, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin. . .” Our redemption comes from the “riches” of God’s grace. The word “abounded” in vs. 7, means “to exist in large numbers.”
  2. The Provision for Redemption, Ephesians 1:7. Here, we encounter the magnitude of God’s grace. Through the Pentateuch we are given pictures of what God was planning to do for the human race because of the sin of Adam in the Graden of Eden (Gen. 3). The entire human race was affected by the sin of Adam. Note Romans 5:12 (KJV), “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” God’s plan included the “forgiveness of sin” (Acts 5:31; 13:38; 26:18; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14) and pictured in the many sacrifices enacted by the nation of Israel in their history. This occurred when they would bring a “lamb” to the altar, lay hands on that animal which would be “accepted for him to make atonement. . .” (Lev. 1:4). In making these sacrifices by a Jew in the Old Testament, they would be forgiven of their sins (Lev. 4:20, 26, 35; 5:10, 13 et al.). In these passages, the Priest applied blood on behalf of the person bringing the sacrifice. This is a type of what we are dealing with in Ephesians 1:7, the “forgiveness of sin” because Jesus shed his blood for the redemption of mankind. A person will never be forgiven of their sin(s) until they believe that Jesus Christ paid the price for their release from the bondage of sin and is risen from the grave and is alive now (Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:9-10; Gal. 3:22; 1 Tim. 1:16; 1 John 5:11-13). Ephesians 1:7 concludes with “. . according to the riches of his grace.”
  3. The Abounding Grace of God, Ephesians 1:8. Note how this verse attaches itself to vs. 7 which says, “. . .according to the riches of his grace” and the word “Wherein” is the connector. It can be used as an adverb or conjunction and here it is a conjunction. It has an emphasis of “in which.” This tells us that God gives the believer's “redemption” “in wisdom and prudence” (Eph. 1:8). Wisdom is defined as “the ability to use your knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgments.” Prudence is defined as “behavior that is careful and avoids risks.” As humans, it is difficult to comprehend the magnitude of these two elements of God's “grace.” These two definitions come from the ability of man to define words. These are limited in not knowing the magnitude of God’s wisdom and prudence. He never does anything that is not part of His nature, which is above any human in existence at any time in history. But God’s “wisdom and prudence” is far-reaching to provide for us the things stated in this passage. We are simply being told that God knows what we need and His wisdom and prudence provide these things we cannot provide for ourselves. That leads us to the next verse which indicates that the three verses, 7-10, are connected in a way that demonstrates God’s provision for us the things we desperately need. We are a needy people! 
  4. The Mystery of His Will, Ephesians 1:9-10. When God says “Having made known unto us. . .” He is saying this is a revelation that you knew nothing about apart from your relationship with Jesus Christ and His word, the Bible. We are told in Ephesians 1:9 (KJV), “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.” We are given insight into something that was not known in ages past (Rom. 16:25-26). This was a “mystery.” It came about “according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.” God is pleased for us to know what He is going to reveal to us and what the purpose of our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Saviour provides for us. Look at Ephesians 1:10 (KJV), “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” This verse has caused a great deal of consternation and confusion. The “dispensation of the fulness of times” is still in the future. It should be observed that the “dispensation” under consideration is when God will “gather all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth; even in him” (vs. 10). To understand what something means, it is important to understand what it says. The vers says that God “might gather together in one all things in Christ.” Note it says “all things” which is “God’s dealings, doings, designs, and dispensations.” Note it says “all things” not people only. These are gathered “in Christ” which would suggest the period after the Millennium and beginning in Revelation 21-22. This is the period where Jesus is magnified as the “Lamb” and the focus of all that takes place. It says in Revelation 22:1-5 (KJV), “1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. The last phrase in Ephesians 1:10 concides with this when it says, “. . .both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.”
  5. The Inheritance Obtained, Ephesians 1:11. The best commentary on a verse is what is said in another verse or verses. It says in Galatians 4:1-7 (KJV), “1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” We are “sons” and by the “adoption” (Eph. 1:5; cf. Gal. 4:5) we have an “inheritance.” The word “inheritance” is found in Ephesians 1:11, 14, 18.

CONCLUSION: The last verse of this section says, Ephesians 1:12 (KJV), “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” We have so much to give praise to our God the Father and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

 

 

                                                REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD

                                                                               PART 2

 

Ephesians 1:7-12

Introduction: Since the last study, some important matters should be addressed. One writer has an interesting take on the word “redemption.” He calls it a “modern development,” found “neither in antiquity in general nor in the Bible in particular.” It is not sure what he calls “modern” and “antiquity.” The word “redemption” is found 20 times in the Bible, with nine of these found in the Old Testament and eleven found in the New Testament. The word “redeem” (present tense) occurs 56 times in the Bible, with all but two being in the New Testament. The word “redeemed” (past tense) is found 62 times, all in the Old Testament except for seven in the New Testament. The King James Bible translation was first published in 1611; thus, it is unclear what the writer above considers recent. The writer discusses the antiquity of the word in Greek usage. He indicates that “redeem” is correctly translated as “ransom.” It is derived from a Greek word meaning “to loose.” This was in the first century and even earlier. He suggests it was used to mean “loosing of prisoners of war when a ransom price had been paid.” That is precisely how the word is used in the New Testament and in the Old Testament. The term “ransom” is found three times in the New Testament and is always translated from the same Greek word. The writer is making a point that is not defensible.

Redemption, redeem, and redeemed are an integral part of Bible doctrine. Jesus paid the price with His blood so that people of humanity could be redeemed and released from the slavery of sin. Redemption is a doctrine that is significant for anyone with a “sin nature” or “old man” as described in Romans 5:12 (KJV), “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (cf., 6:6; Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9). The phrase “all have sinned” or “all under sin” also found in Galatians 3:22.

Another matter to consider is the “blood of Christ.” The New Testament contains eighteen references to the “blood of Christ” without those in the Old Testament. These include “his blood,” “blood of the Lord,” “blood of Jesus Christ,” “blood of Jesus,” “blood of his cross,” “blood of sprinkling,” and “blood of the Lamb.” In about 1970 a controversy arose over the fact that redemption is not acquired by “the blood” but by the death of Jesus Christ. It is true that when the “blood of. . .” someone is mentioned, it is associated with his death. The two cannot be separated. The Bible says in Leviticus 17:11 (KJV), “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” The shedding of blood of a living person (or animal) will bring death. A person can die without losing all their blood, yet when the heart stops pumping blood through the body, cells begin to die because of the lack of oxygen. Medical science indicates that brain cells can function hours or days after death. A preacher (now deceased) named R. B. Thieme, Jr. published a book titled The Blood of Christ. In this book, he declares, “. . .His [Christ’s] literal blood was not efficacious for substitutionary atonement.” He holds the position that death occurs when the “soul departs the body.” He calls the blood of Christ a “metaphor.” Our position is that Christ's blood cannot be separated from His death. This is why the blood is so significant in the Bible. Some criticize Christianity as a “bloody religion.” Jesus, on the night before His crucifixion, introduced the apostles to what we now call the “Lord’s Supper.” In that event, we are told in Mark 14:22-25 that Jesus “took bread” and told the disciples to “Take eat this is my body” (vs. 22). He was not giving them a piece of His flesh. Thus, He was using it as a symbol of what was to happen. Then He took a cup, gave thanks, and told the disciples, “This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many” (vs. 24). Jesus was not saying the bread was his literal flesh and the wine was His literal blood, but representative of what was to take place shortly when He was crucified. The Bible connects the “blood of Christ” and His death and considers them synonymous.

The Glory of God’s Grace, Ephesians 1:6b. Make note of the last phrase in Ephesians 1:6, which says, “. . .wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” Many people suffer from a faulty “self-image.” They struggle with who they are and they are accepted by their peers. People want to be accepted by others, which I call the “herd mentality.” They seldom struggle with the idea of being accepted by God. The phrase under consideration speaks volumes about what God wants us to know, that there is a way to be accepted by God and that is in a relationship with the Saviour, Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 1:6-7 the phrase “his grace” occurs two times. Note the first one in vs. 6 says the “glory of his grace” which is attached to the phrase under consideration, “made us accepted in the beloved.” The second phrase is in vs. 7, which says, “the riches of his grace.” This phrase is the last phrase of vs. 7, wherein it says, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin. . .” Our redemption comes from the “riches” of God’s grace. The word “abounded” in vs. 7, means “to exist in large numbers.”
The Provision for Redemption, Ephesians 1:7. Here, we encounter the magnitude of God’s grace. Through the Pentateuch we are given pictures of what God was planning to do for the human race because of the sin of Adam in the Graden of Eden (Gen. 3). The entire human race was affected by the sin of Adam. Note Romans 5:12 (KJV), “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” God’s plan included the “forgiveness of sin” (Acts 5:31; 13:38; 26:18; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14) and pictured in the many sacrifices enacted by the nation of Israel in their history. This occurred when they would bring a “lamb” to the altar, lay hands on that animal which would be “accepted for him to make atonement. . .” (Lev. 1:4). In making these sacrifices by a Jew in the Old Testament, they would be forgiven of their sins (Lev. 4:20, 26, 35; 5:10, 13 et al.). In these passages, the Priest applied blood on behalf of the person bringing the sacrifice. This is a type of what we are dealing with in Ephesians 1:7, the “forgiveness of sin” because Jesus shed his blood for the redemption of mankind. A person will never be forgiven of their sin(s) until they believe that Jesus Christ paid the price for their release from the bondage of sin and is risen from the grave and is alive now (Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:9-10; Gal. 3:22; 1 Tim. 1:16; 1 John 5:11-13). Ephesians 1:7 concludes with “. . according to the riches of his grace.”
III.The Abounding Grace of God, Ephesians 1:8. Note how this verse attaches itself to vs. 7 which says, “. . .according to the riches of his grace” and the word “Wherein” is the connector. It can be used as an adverb or conjunction and here it is a conjunction. It has an emphasis of “in which.” This tells us that God gives the believer's “redemption” “in wisdom and prudence” (Eph. 1:8). Wisdom is defined as “the ability to use your knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgments.” Prudence is defined as “behavior that is careful and avoids risks.” As humans, it is difficult to comprehend the magnitude of these two elements of God's “grace.” These two definitions come from the ability of man to define words. These are limited in not knowing the magnitude of God’s wisdom and prudence. He never does anything that is not part of His nature, which is above any human in existence at any time in history. But God’s “wisdom and prudence” is far-reaching to provide for us the things stated in this passage. We are simply being told that God knows what we need and His wisdom and prudence provide these things we cannot provide for ourselves. That leads us to the next verse which indicates that the three verses, 7-10, are connected in a way that demonstrates God’s provision for us the things we desperately need. We are a needy people! 
IV.The Mystery of His Will, Ephesians 1:9-10. When God says “Having made known unto us. . .” He is saying this is a revelation that you knew nothing about apart from your relationship with Jesus Christ and His word, the Bible. We are told in Ephesians 1:9 (KJV), “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.” We are given insight into something that was not known in ages past (Rom. 16:25-26). This was a “mystery.” It came about “according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.” God is pleased for us to know what He is going to reveal to us and what the purpose of our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Saviour provides for us. Look at Ephesians 1:10 (KJV), “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” This verse has caused a great deal of consternation and confusion. The “dispensation of the fulness of times” is still in the future. It should be observed that the “dispensation” under consideration is when God will “gather all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth; even in him” (vs. 10). To understand what something means, it is important to understand what it says. The vers says that God “might gather together in one all things in Christ.” Note it says “all things” which is “God’s dealings, doings, designs, and dispensations.” Note it says “all things” not people only. These are gathered “in Christ” which would suggest the period after the Millennium and beginning in Revelation 21-22. This is the period where Jesus is magnified as the “Lamb” and the focus of all that takes place. It says in Revelation 22:1-5 (KJV), “1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. The last phrase in Ephesians 1:10 concides with this when it says, “. . .both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.”
The Inheritance Obtained, Ephesians 1:11. The best commentary on a verse is what is said in another verse or verses. It says in Galatians 4:1-7 (KJV), “1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” We are “sons” and by the “adoption” (Eph. 1:5; cf. Gal. 4:5) we have an “inheritance.” The word “inheritance” is found in Ephesians 1:11, 14, 18.
CONCLUSION: The last verse of this section says, Ephesians 1:12 (KJV), “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” We have so much to give praise to our God the Father and our Saviour Jesus Christ for.