Great Doctrines of the Bible
Lesson 13
Redemption

Introduction
Redemption is one of those great Bible truths more blessed to experience than to understand. The basic meaning of redemption is “to be set free by the paying of a price.” You and I can actually experience freedom from: the law of sin in our members; the power and control of Satan; the corruption and sin of this world and the curse and bondage of the Mosaic Law. We experience this by faith in the shed blood of Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The purpose of this lesson is to provide a detailed and precise meaning of the word REDEMPTION, so that a full understanding of our complete deliverance through Christ can be enjoyed.

Importance of this Lesson

• It should be kept in mind that REDEMPTION is a vital and integral aspect of our great salvation in Christ. If we are to sing and thrill to such songs as Saved By the Blood, Redeemed, He Ransomed Me, etc., then surely we must grasp the significance of and personally experience this tremendous truth.
• All the doctrines pertaining to our salvation are not simply to be understood theoretically and positionally, but are to be experienced and practiced in everyday living. The importance of this lessons lies in the fact that we cannot understand what it means to be saved until we thoroughly know what it means to be redeemed.

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The Lesson

I. REDEMPTION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

1. In the Old Testament God is revealed as Israel’s “GOEL,” or KINSMAN-REDEEMER – The one who pays.”
   1. Exodus 6:6-7 (Read these verses carefully.)
      1. God takes Israel to Himself to be HIS people. He thus becomes their “Kinsman-Redeemer.”
      2. Note here two things:
         1. God redeemed Israel from bondage with great judgments or power.
         2. God, thereby, brought Israel to Himself.
   2. Isaiah 59:20, “…and the REDEEMER shall come out of Zion.”
1. The word REDEEMER here is “GOEL,” which means KINSMAN-REDEEMER, which is a beautiful type of Christ, as we shall see.
2. This redemption had to do with people and involved their inheritance.
   1. Leviticus 25:25, 48 (Read carefully.)
   2. Just how did this work? Under the LAW every seventh year was a sabbatical year. If during the preceding six years an Israelite had acquired a debt he could not pay, or if he had sold property he could not buy back, or, even worse, if he had sold himself into slavery (because of his poverty), a relative (kinsman) could redeem (buy back) the possession and/or pay the price to redeem him from slavery during any sabbatical year.
   3. Bear in mind four things about this REDEMPTION:
      1. It concerned an Israelite’s inheritance (Leviticus 25:25-27).
      2. It had to be paid by a relative (Leviticus 25:47-49).
      3. The REDEEMER had to be ABLE to pay the price. (Read Ruth 4:4-6 and Jeremiah 50:34.)
      4. The redemption is complete only when the “GOEL,” KINSMAN-REDEEMER, pays the price in full (Leviticus 25:27).
2. A beautiful type of this redemption is in the book of Ruth.
   1. Ruth was heir to Elimelech’s property. But Naomi had sold the property and was unable to redeem it. Ruth was poor and unable to redeem it herself.
   2. Boaz was a near KINSMAN (Ruth 3:9).
   3. Ruth knew that under the law Boaz had both the privilege and responsibility to redeem the property and claim Ruth for himself and have children by her (Ruth 3:11).
   4. Boaz was able and willing to pay the debt (Ruth 4:3-6).
   5. Boaz paid the price and Ruth became his wife (Ruth 4:10-13).
3. How is all this a type of Christ our REDEEMER and the redemption we have in Him?
   1. To fulfill the type, Christ had to become our kinsman or relative!
      1. Hebrews 2:14-15 – Here, Christ identifies or becomes as one of us that he might “deliver” us. He became our KINSMAN-REDEEMER.
      2. Galatians 4:4-5 – Christ was made “of a woman” that He might redeem them that were under the law.
   2. To fulfill this type, our redemption through Christ must relate to people and to their inheritance.
      1. Galatians 4:5, “…that we might receive the adoption of sons.” The context here teaches that through the redeeming work of Christ, we are no longer like children under a tutor or teacher, but are now full sons and heirs of the Father.
      2. Ephesians 1:11, 14 – Here, we see that through Christ we are brought into an inheritance (verse11), and that the gift of the Holy Spirit is the earnest (down payment, assurance, guarantee) that we shall obtain our inheritance!
   3. To fulfill this type, Christ had to be able and willing to redeem us.
      1. John 10:17-18 – “…No man taketh it (my life) from me, but I lay it down of myself….”
      2. Matthew 20:28 – He came, “…to GIVE His life a ransom for many.”
      3. Hebrews 7:25 – “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost….”
   4. To fulfill the “GOEL” or KINSMAN-REDEEMER type, Christ had to pay the price in full for our redemption.
      1. Galatians 1:4 – “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us….”
      2. 2 Corinthians 5:21 – He became sin for us.
      3. 1 Peter 1:18-19 – You were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
      4. Galatians 3:13 – He became a curse for us to redeem us from the curse.
4. Summary of Redemption in the Old Testament.
   1. God is seen as Israel’s GOEL or KINSMAN-REDEEMER.
   2. This truth is beautifully exemplified in the book of Ruth where Boaz redeems Ruth.
   3. All that a KINSMAN-REDEEMER was and had to be is a perfect type of Christ who became our Kinsman-Redeemer.
   4. Redemption is viewed as:
      1. Being accomplished through a person. Moses was Israel’s chosen deliverer (Exodus 3:10). Christ is our chosen deliverer (Galatians 4:4-5; John 3:16-17).
      2. Being entirely of God. (Compare Exodus 3:7-8 with Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19.)
      3. Being secured by shed blood. (Compare Exodus 12:13 with Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18,19).
      4. Being accomplished by supernatural power. (Compare Exodus 13:14 and 14:24-31 with Romans 8:2; Ephesians 1:18-19.)
         • The shed blood of Christ redeems (purchases and sets free) the believer from the guilt and penalty of sin (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19). The power of the Holy Spirit makes this deliverance a practical reality in our lives on the basis of Christ’s redemptive work (Romans 8:2 and Galatians 5:1

II. REDEMPTION IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
There are three primary Greek words used in the New Testament which set forth the teaching of REDEMPTION.

1. The first of these is “agorazo.”
   1. This word comes from the word “agora” which means “the market place.” (Note Matthew 14:15 – Let them go to the market to buy food.)
   2. “Agorazo” actually means “to buy in the market place” and particularly the slave market.
   3. Jesus is viewed as having come down into the “slave market” of this world where He “purchased” or “bought us” (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23; Revelation 5:9; Acts 20:28).
   4. Mankind is viewed in scripture as being a “slave of sin” (John 8:34; Romans 6:16; Romans 7:14). In addition, man is viewed as under sentence of death (Romans 6:16-23; 5:12; Ezekiel 18:20).
   5. However, man is “up for sale” and capable of being redeemed.
   6. Christ was willing and able to pay the price, which was His death and shed blood ,Galatians 1:4, “Who gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil world….” Acts 20:28, “…the church…which He hath purchased with his own blood.”
   7. The word “agorazo” of itself means simply “to buy in the market place” and does not mean to redeem.” It refers only to the price Christ paid for our redemption.
2. The second word employed to present the doctrine of redemption is “exagorazo.”
   1. The meaning of “exagorazo” actually is “to buy out from.” It is a form of “agorazo” which we learned is “to buy in the market place,” particularly, the slave market.
   2. The prefix “ex,” especially in relation to a slave, means to buy him out from the market place with the idea of setting him free.
      Illustrations:
      1. Galatians 3:13, “Christ hath redeemed (bought out from) us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us….”
      2. Galatians 4:5, “To redeem (buy out from) them that were under (in bondage to) the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."
      3. “Exagoazo” means to buy out of with the intention of removing from further sale. This indicates the finality of the transaction. The believer in Christ can never again be enslaved by sin or the law and can never again be put up for sale!
      4. Like “agorazo,” “exagorazo” does not mean the actual redemption, but signifies the price paid to accomplish it.
3. The third word used in the New Testament to define our redemption is “lutroo.”
   1. This word means “to loose or set free by the paying of a price” or “to release upon receipt of a ransom.”
      Illustrations:
      1. Titus 2:14, “…that he might redeem (set free) us from all iniquity.” Here, we are set free from our sinful self-wills.
      2. 1 Peter 1:18, “…ye were redeemed (set free)…from your vain conversation (manner of life) received by tradition….” Here, we are set free and brought out of the bondage of religious tradition.
   2. A word related to “lutroo” is “lutron” which means “to ransom” or “to loose” and is used to mean the redemption price of a slave.
      Illustrations:
      1. 1 Timothy 2:6, “Who gave Himself a ransom….”
      2. Mark 10:45 and Matthew 20:28, “The son of man came…to give his life a ransom….”
   3. Christ came to offer Himself up as a ransom to buy us back, to buy us out of and deliver us from:
      1. The bondage and curse of the law (Galatians 3:13).
      2. The control and power of sin (Romans 8:2).
      3. The power and domination of Satan (Hebrews 2:14).
      4. The corruption and enslavement of this world (Galatians 1:
   4. Summary of Redemption in the New Testament.
      1. Mankind is viewed as being enslaved and in the control of another power (Romans 7:14;
         John 8:34).
      2. Christ came into the slave market of this world where man was being held in bondage but with a price on his head that could be paid.
      3. Christ paid that price (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23).
      4. Christ bought us “out of” the slave market with the purpose of never again allowing us as believers to be put up for sale. It is final!
      5. Not only did Christ pay the ransom price to buy us back (Mark 10:45), but He delivered us and set us gloriously free from the law, sin, Satan, self and the world

Conclusion:
As you ponder this lesson, rejoice in your freedom and let the wonder of it all fill your heart. Apply the truth to your daily life. Remember that redemption is to be experienced and practiced. Let the world know by your life that you have truly been redeemed.

Examination

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