REDEMPTION by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 1, 1877

REDEMPTION

By James White

THE primary signification of the word redemption is to purchase back, to release, to ransom. Theologically, redemption means the bringing back of that which was carried away in the ruin of the fall. When all was lost in Adam, the plan of complete redemption through Christ was instituted. That we may better understand the nature and extent of redemption through Christ, we will first consider what was lost in Adam.

1. Innocence and purity of character were lost in the transgression by the representatives of the race, and their offspring became the lawful prey of the author of sin. Their lost condition is expressed by the apostle in these words: “I am carnal, sold under sin.” Rom. 7 : 14. The plan of redemption proposes to save men from the condemnation and practice of sin in this life. The announcement of the angel to Joseph respecting the infant Saviour was that he should “call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matt. 1 : 21. And Paul, writing to the church at Colosse respecting Christ, says: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” Col. 1 : 14. The apostle also bears this triumphant testimony to the Romans: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Chap. 8 : 1. The first stage in redemption is freedom from sin. And the accomplishment of this deliverance demands action on the part of the sinner, as verily as on the part of the Redeemer.

Repentance is demanded of the sinner. He must have a godly sorrow for his sins, and must forsake them before pardon of them can be granted, and redemption from them can take place. But he must first have a knowledge of the nature and extent of his sins before he can understandingly repent of them. And this knowledge is derived from the moral code which God has given as the rule of men’s lives. “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” Rom. 3 : 20. And has God no other mirror into which the sinner may look and see the imperfections of his moral character? In his personal experience the great apostle answers: “Nay, I had not known sin but by the law.” Rom. 7 : 7.

It is admitted that the Spirit of God and the gospel of the Son of God both act upon the sinner’s mind and heart in harmony with the law of God. But if these are the means, independent of the law of God, in his conversion from a life of sin to obedience and holiness, we should be able to read somewhere in the New Testament words like these: By the Holy Spirit is the knowledge of sin. Nay, I had not known sin but by the Holy Spirit. Or, by the gospel is the knowledge of sin. Nay, I had not known sin but by the gospel.

But as there are no statements in all the Bible that the Spirit of God and the gospel of Christ are the agents to give the sinner knowledge of his sins, and as Paul does say by the authority of the Holy Spirit that by the law is the knowledge of sin, the reader will acknowledge that the grand old moral code of Jehovah, given as a rule of life, is the means by which sinners may learn the nature and the measure of their sins. The beloved John defines sin in these words: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3 : 4.

The perpetuity of the law of God, transgressed, makes the death of Christ a vital and perpetual truth in the system of redemption to be set forth in the gospel of the Son of God as long as human probation shall last. This fundamental truth ranked first in the gospel preached by Paul. He reminds the church at Corinth of this fact in these words: “I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.” 1 Cor. 15 : 3. And to the church of the Romans he makes the broad declaration: “Where no law is, there is no transgression.” Rom. 4 : 15. Take away the moral code, and sin is removed from the world, and Christ and his gospel are no longer needed.

But the glorious gospel of the Son of God presents Christ as now pleading the merits of his blood which was shed for our sins. This fact constitutes the highest evidence of the perpetuity of the law of God. It gives force to the grand truth, lying at the foundation of redemption, to be perpetuated in the gospel message to the end, as uttered by John in these words: “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2 : 1. The sinner needs an advocate with the Father, because the wrath of God is upon him for breaking the moral code given as the rule of his life. Our adorable Redeemer, who in love inexpressible shed his blood for the offending sinner, is his advocate with the offended Father. In the plan of redemption the sinner has to do with both the Father and the Son. He must first see the nature and extent of his sins by the light of the moral law, exercise true repentance toward its divine Author, and then the way is made ready for him to exercise a consistent and scriptural faith in Jesus Christ. With this agrees that portion of Pauline theology rehearsed by the great apostle in the presence of the elders of the church assembled at Miletus: “I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20 : 20, 21.

Away with the idea that the law of God alone can save the sinner, however carefully he may observe all its precepts. The law is the rule of conduct. It condemns the violator, and holds him guilty until he suffers the penalty of its transgression, or receives pardon through a mediating party. There is no redeeming power in law. If it were the province of law to redeem the transgressor of law, then Christ need not have died for our sins. The Jew is blind, to say the very least, in one eye. But away, away, with the heresy that men may be saved by Christ and the gospel while trampling the law of God under their feet. God gave Christ to the world because his law was as changeless and enduring as his eternal Self. And there was no other way to meet the demands of that law, and at the same time save the sinner, than that Christ should die, the just for the unjust.

The Christian who trusts in Christ for salvation while breaking the commandments of God, is suffering as great blindness as the Jew, though it be in the other eye. He dishonors both the Father and the Son, by making God’s moral government of trifling importance, and consequently the atonement of the Son of corresponding value. He is even flinging insult into the very face of Heaven in boasting of saving faith in the Son, while rejecting the commandments of the Father. But John sees a loyal army obedient and true, who are not swayed by Satan to the right or to the left. These have sight in both eyes. The prophet says respecting them: “Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14 : 12.

It is when the sinner sees himself exposed to the wrath of God by the violation of the divine law that he feels his need of Christ, and casts himself upon his mercy as his only hope. And it is here that the repenting, confiding sinner finds pardon, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit as he seeks for that fulness of grace there is in the Redeemer. His life is now in joyous harmony with the exhortation of the apostle: “And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Rom. 12 : 2. And as he travels on in the Christian life, and reaches out by faith for complete deliverance from the power of Satan, and redemption from the dominion of sin, he reads his own experience in the triumphant words of Paul:—

“That ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son; in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” Col. 1 : 9–14.

This is redemption in its first stage. It is a deliverance from the power of darkness, and a translation above the corruptions of this world into the kingdom of Christ’s abounding grace. Bible conversion is a great change. When men are understandingly convicted of sin by the very moral code given as a rule of life, and are led to Christ as their only hope of pardon and eternal life, they will, with very few exceptions, remain steadfast, and grow in grace. Why so large a per cent of the fruits of the popular revivals of our day immediately fall back, is because they do not experience Bible conversion. The moral code is not applied as the measure of sin, preparatory to their casting themselves upon Christ as their only hope of redemption from sin.

Those who are really converted as they enter upon the Christian life will gain victories, add graces, and increase in spiritual strength, as they pursue their journey home to their eternal reward. This is forcibly expressed in 2 Pet. 1 : 5–11; 1 John 1 : 3–7. Our heart exults that we are able to bear testimony upon the best authority that the sinner may repent before God of the transgression of his law, and may find in Christ a complete Redeemer. His heart and life may be in harmony with the law of God and the gospel of Christ, and in fellowship with the Father and the Son. He may walk in the light as God is in the light. He may be cleansed from all sin, and pursue the path of light that leads in through the gates of the golden city, triumphant in the love of the Father and the Son. J. W.