Word of the Week - Rescued and Redeemed

For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” Colossians 1:13-14

As believers, we are qualified to share in the inheritance of God’s kingdom as co-heirs to His mighty Kingdom.  On the surface this does not seem to make sense from a worldly perspective, what have any of us done to receive such an amazing promise?  That is the amazingly good news, we are qualified because of Christ Jesus, who has secured our Redemption through His blood on the cross.  Our Redemption is a eternal transaction where Jesus traded His blood for our eternal destiny.  Moreover, He purchased for us deliverance from the bondage of all sin both original and our own, so we can live and flourish in this life and the next.  We must take hold of this truth and walk in it.Through our Redemption, we are delivered from sin and introduced to the Redemptive freedom of Christ.  When Adam transgressed in the garden, he sold mankind into slavery lock, stock and barrel.  Since that time, humanity was held hostage by the Kingdom of darkness.  It was a hopeless situation because the only way to undo what had been done was for mankind to redeem or ransom what was lost (Leviticus 26:25-26).   Jesus came and took it all back for us.  What Adam did in the garden, Jesus undid on the cross.  “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!  Consequently, just as on trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.” Romans 5:17-18Several things happened when Christ Redeemed us.  First, He rescued us from sin’s domain, which means we are no longer hostage and the enemy has no authority or claim over us.  We are now legally and rightfully under God’s Kingdom and authority and thus share in His power.  This means we cannot experience eternal death due to sin. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 6:23. We exist in an entirely different realm now that this translation has taken place.  We are qualified as His Redeemed sons and daughters because of the ransom He payed for us.Our Redemption includes the forgiveness of our sins, which pardons us from its penalty.  This means we have freedom, pardon, deliverance and remission and do not have to carry the guilt of our sins.  The cleansing agent of Jesus’ blood removes every trace and effect of sin and washes us clean, as white as snow.  He not only forgives, but He takes away our sin as far as the East is from the West.I hope that we can truly take hold of the reality of what Christ has done for us and rejoice in this amazing gift and sing the song of the Redeemed.Rejoice you are Redeemed through the blood of the Lamb of Christ!!!!!-Duane