In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
In Christ believers have redemption through his blood, which is the forgiveness of sins given according to the riches of his grace. Through his blood means through his sacrificial death on the cross, his shed blood and gift of his own life, and the riches of grace mean an abundant, unsearchable treasure of love, compassion and mercy. He won it by self-denying love, becoming poor to buy eternal life for sinners who deserved nothing, paying the price not with silver and gold but with his own precious blood as the Sin-bearer who bore the iniquity of all who repent and believe. It is freely offered to all and received by faith, when sinners see their need, come with confession and repentance and yield to Christ, trusting his blood as the only means of pardon. What it gives is pardon, justification and acceptance with God, cleansing and renewal in the moral image of God, adoption as children and heirs with Christ, peace and immortal hope, and at last eternal life with restoration to the tree of life, enabling the forgiven to obey God's law, forgive others freely, and live as Christ's property to impart the blessing to others.
Meaning of the Words
In Christ believers possess redemption through his blood, which is the forgiveness of sins granted according to the abundance of God's grace. This redemption is one of the privileges of the Christian and part of every spiritual blessing in heavenly places, freely offered to all with none excluded, given as the price Christ paid for his people through his self-giving sacrifice and gift. It is received by those who respond to Christ's drawing and receive and obey God's word, who are connected with his work and seek him with the whole heart, to whom he is a present help in every time of need, and who are called to return to loyalty and obedience to God's commandments. In the Beloved God freely bestows this grace and makes it abound toward believers in all wisdom and prudence, setting before them their privileges and opportunities to give hope and confidence while lifting up Christ to be seen by all, with eternal life as its crowning gift. Being holy and without blame before him in love should be the condition of those placed in his churches and institutions, comprehended by dying to self, living to God, and following in Christ's footsteps, together with being chosen in him before the foundation of the world, predestined to adoption as children according to the good pleasure of his will, and made accepted in the Beloved to the praise of the glory of his grace.
The one in whom this is found is Jesus Christ the righteous, the Beloved, the Redeemer of the world and the Sin-bearer. As the world's Redeemer he gives deliverance by his death and pardon of wrongs measured by the riches of grace, with redemption and forgiveness as gifts of God's abundant grace. As Sin-bearer he gave himself to redeem from all iniquity and bore the iniquity of all who repent and believe, so that the Innocent is pronounced guilty for our sake while the guilty are pronounced innocent through his merits. By his death on the cross salvation was wrought out and he destroyed the devil who had the power of death.
Through his blood means through his sacrificial death on the cross at Calvary, his shed blood, suffering, and gift of his own life. The cross reveals Jesus as the sacrifice for sin in clear bright light, shining with the light of God's salvation to bring release and pardon for sin. This gift belongs to the present day of salvation, so that those who receive it need not come under the coming wrath against persistent disloyalty and breaking of God's law, and it restores God's moral image in those who believe God is their helper and draw near with confession and repentance. The redemption was not purchased with corruptible things such as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, in which justice and mercy were reconciled, Mercy and Truth meeting together and Righteousness and Peace embracing each other, with mercy reaching out to cleanse from unrighteousness in fulfillment of God's everlasting purpose. His suffering and death make pardon possible, yet forgiveness is received when sinners repent sincerely, recognize their need of mercy, yield will and actions to Christ's control, accept the great gift and cooperate with God with the will conformed to his will, owing the Lord everything as author of salvation; without his pardoning blood they perish, while those who receive this forgiveness are to freely and fully forgive a brother who confesses his wrong and treat him as if the wrong had never been done.
The riches of grace mean an abundant, unsearchable treasure of grace freely offered to fallen men, expressing God's boundless love, compassion, and mercy. That grace is rich and abundant and is joined with wisdom and prudence, able to reform into the soul those who receive it. It offers mercy and forgiveness to those who draw near with confession and repentance, purifying a peculiar people zealous of good works and renewing his moral image in man. These are the true and enduring heavenly riches found in Christ, the glory of the heavenly treasure that outshines the glitter of earthly riches, to be pressed home to hearts absorbed in earthly riches and dazzled by wealth, directing them to the greater treasure in Christ and turning their eyes from vanity and from glorying in their own riches to knowing God and trusting Christ.
Place in Ephesians
In Christ believers are shown one of their privileges and opportunities, redemption and forgiveness of sins according to the riches of grace. This belongs to every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ, freely offered to fallen men through sacrifice and gift, for those connected with His work who seek Him with the whole heart, to whom He is a present help in every time of need. It sets before believers the unsearchable riches of Christ, the treasure of grace giving deliverance by His death and pardon measured by the riches of grace, to give hope and confidence and to lift up Christ to be seen by all. It is part of the great blessing presented in the gospel, to be comprehended by dying to self, living to God, and following in the footsteps of Christ, together with vital connection with God and the knowledge found through it.
Redemption stands with being chosen in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame before Him in love, which should be the condition of men placed in His churches and institutions. It stands with being predestined to adoption as children by Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of His will, and with being made accepted in the Beloved to the praise of the glory of His grace. In the Beloved God freely bestows grace giving redemption through His blood and forgiveness of trespasses, which He makes abound toward believers in all wisdom and prudence, displaying the depth of God's love through which believers are accepted as His children and will be glorified. Every human being matters to God because in Christ He gives rescue through shed blood and pardon out of the riches of grace, God's gift of His only Son demonstrating His love for fallen humanity.
The verse is an assurance of acceptance with God and a divine promise to be claimed in all its depth and fulness by faith in the power of God rather than by leaning on law and worldly powers. The blood of Jesus cleanses the sinful person, so even one who knows unworthiness can claim Christ as Saviour by trusting in His atonement rather than own merits. This trust is a living, continuing reliance on Christ that brings peace and assurance, committing all to Him without reservation, trusting without shame, and loving His name, His cross, and His Word, for His promise is signed and sealed with His own blood. No member of the human family can of himself meet the claims of God's law or satisfy His justice, but faith in Christ as Son of the infinite God, the mighty Counsellor, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace gives assurance and experimental knowledge of what Christ is to the believer, making the believer one with the Father upon the Rock on which every true witness stands.
How Christ Won Redemption
Redemption was won because Christ gave Himself in self-denying love, though rich becoming poor and leaving the Father to give His own life freely under no compulsion to buy eternal life for sinners who deserved nothing. That self-giving is the basis of forgiveness, the price He paid for His people, freely given through mercy to those who respond to His drawing and receive and obey God's word. He paid the price for humanity and it becomes ours as God's free gift when laid hold of, a free blood-bought pardon for sinners condemned by the broken law who cannot save themselves.
The purchase was made at the price of His own blood, the precious blood as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, not with corruptible things such as silver and gold. Entrance into the kingdom is not gained by any merit of our own, for eternal life is taken not as a reward but as a gift bestowed through the grace of Him who gave His life and whose blood purchased pardon. Christ died for the individual sinner and dearly purchased redemption by His own blood, and the salvation thus secured is freely given and must be personally accepted. As Sin-bearer He gave Himself to redeem from all iniquity, bearing the iniquity of all who repent and believe, so that the Innocent was pronounced guilty for our sake while the guilty are pronounced innocent through His merits. This redemption is His victory gained on our behalf, wrought out by His death on the cross by which He destroyed the devil who had the power of death.
He offered His life as a ransom and took the sentence of death upon Himself, and through the merits of His blood and His obedience to God's law people can receive pardon and God's favor and be restored to the garden and the tree of life. After man was lost He held close converse with the Father, pleading until He obtained permission to give His own life as a ransom for the race, to bear human sins and take the sentence of death, thereby making a way of escape so that through the merits of His blood they may find pardon for past transgressions and by obedience be brought back to what they had forfeited. At the cross in that sacrifice justice and mercy were reconciled, Mercy and Truth meeting together and Righteousness and Peace embracing each other, with Mercy reaching out to cleanse man from unrighteousness in fulfillment of the everlasting purpose of God. Forgiveness and justification are given without money because Christ is the propitiation and deliverer who condemns sin rather than licensing it.
He now continues the redeeming work, having died as sacrifice and ascended to serve as Advocate before the Father, since pardon comes through His blood and not through the law which cannot save from the penalty of disobedience. Through His intercession and cleansing blood the fallen can be redeemed, accepted in the Beloved, and renewed in mind and heart and character, receiving wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. He stands as humanity's one Mediator and Advocate before the Father, pleading for people with the marks of His crucifixion, His pierced hands making reconciliation possible on the ground of His complete humanity joined to perfect divinity, given while they were yet sinners. With nail-pierced hands outreached toward heaven and earth He lays hold of sinners on earth with one hand and grasps the throne of the Infinite with the other, bearing the marks of crucifixion as He pleads the causes of souls in sympathy and understanding for every woe, with most pity for those who suffer most. In the heavenly judgment He pleads His blood, inexpressible love, and crucifixion for those who have overcome through faith, asking not only for their pardon and justification but also for restoration to humanity's first dominion and a share in His glory.
How Forgiveness Is Received
Redemption through blood, which is pardon for wrongdoing granted out of abundant favor, is offered without exclusion and is open to all who will accept it. It is received by faith in Christ, by answering his drawing and by receiving and obeying the word of God. Entering into it is learned by dying to self, living to God, and walking in his footsteps. It is the price paid for his people, freely given in mercy, and those who accept it return to loyalty and obedience to the commandments.
Pardon comes to those who see their sin, corruption, unrighteousness and need, and who draw near with confession and repentance. Sinners must humble themselves before God whose law they have broken and whose just displeasure they have incurred, yield will and actions to Christ's control, and trust his blood as the only means of pardon, since without that pardoning blood they perish and since the law cannot save from the penalty of disobedience. He is the sacrifice for sin revealed in clear light at Calvary, bringing present release and pardon so that receivers need not come under wrath against persistent disloyalty, and he ascended to serve as advocate before the Father. Through repentance and faith they are freed from condemnation, met with mercy and forgiveness, cleansed from unrighteousness, restored in the moral image of God, and by grace enabled to obey the law and become zealous for good works.
He accepts people with their wants, imperfections and weaknesses, cleansing them from sin and giving peace and rest to those who consent to take his yoke and bear his burden. Human need and unworthiness do not bar grace but qualify the needy to seek it, and even one who knows his unworthiness may claim Christ as Saviour by trusting the atonement rather than personal merit. The sinner is to come just as he is, in faith with repentance, trusting fully, cutting loose from earthly entanglements to cling to God, taking Jesus as companion, friend and king in reverent and affectionate obedience, with Christ formed within as life, hope and counselor. That trust is a living, continuing reliance that brings peace and assurance, secured by his pleading as intercessor with tender sympathy and inexpressible love, flowing from the love that gave the only begotten Son so that believers should not perish but have everlasting life.
Receiving the gift requires cooperating with God with the will conformed to his will, owing everything to him as author of salvation and working out salvation with fear and trembling while he works to will and to do. It brings spiritual life as his teachings and words are understood, believed, received and practiced in daily experience. Through his intercession and cleansing blood all evil is put away and overcome, the image of God is renewed in mind, heart and character, and the redeemed receive wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. This opens the way to prepare for the second appearing and to be vindicated there, if the beginning of confidence is held firm to the end.
What Redemption Gives
In Christ is redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of grace, by which transgressions and sins are blotted out, the sinner's name recorded in the book of life, and the sinner clothed in Christ's righteousness. This redemption is pardon for past transgressions, forgiveness, justification and acceptance with God, restoring his favor and reconciling sinners to God through Christ the Deliverer. Forgiveness and justification are given without money through his blood, because he is the propitiation who condemns sin rather than licensing it. His pierced hands make reconciliation possible, his complete humanity joined to perfect divinity providing its ground, while he stands as the one Mediator and Advocate before the Father pleading the marks of crucifixion.
It brings cleansing, purifying and sanctifying power through the better sacrifice offered once for all, of which Abel's sacrificial blood only dimly pointed. Through the cleansing blood all evil is put away and overcome, minds and hearts are cleansed from sin, and grace as supernatural power restores the fallen and enables them to resist and subdue sinful tendencies, without which evil cannot be overcome. Through intercession by Jesus Christ the righteous as Advocate, the moral image of God is renewed in mind and heart and character, the redeemed are accepted in the Beloved and made like Christ in character. In him believers receive wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, seen in a life of goodness, righteousness, faith, meekness, patience and self-sacrifice. He accepts people with their wants, imperfections and weaknesses, giving peace and rest to those who consent to take his yoke.
It brings adoption, regeneration and heirship with Christ. Those chosen to be holy and blameless in love are made accepted and adopted as his children, belonging among the spiritual blessings in Christ for those who believe, displaying the depth of love and grace by which believers will be glorified. The human agent may be thoroughly identified with God's Son, one with Christ as Christ is one with the Father, the entire soul, body and spirit bound up with Christ in God through faith. This means sharing the very love with which Christ is loved by the Father and sharing his glory, which is his character, brought into the same close relation to God and enjoying his special favor as his own beloved Son, honored and glorified and intimately associated with God, life hid with Christ in God with a place in heaven in Christ's presence. Grace in the covenant ordained adoption, and grace in the Saviour effected redemption, regeneration and adoption to heirship.
It brings peace and rest, assurance of pardon, rejoicing, immortal hope, full salvation, joy and the true wisdom that comes from God, with Christ as a living Saviour whose power enables service. Assurance grounded in atoning blood and the riches of grace gives peace and joy and immortal hope. Even one who knows unworthiness can claim Christ as Saviour by trusting his atonement rather than personal merits, a living continuing reliance that brings peace and assurance. This redemption purchased by his own blood gives glorious hope, its promised future full of immortality and glory, calling forth praise to God.
Its crowning gift is eternal life. Though rich he became poor, gave himself to redeem from iniquity, and makes eternal life the crowning gift of his self-giving sacrifice. Through the merits of his blood and his obedience to God's law, the pardoned may receive God's favor, be brought back to the garden from which they were driven, be restored to the garden and the tree of life and to humanity's first dominion, and again have access to its immortal fruit to which all right had been forfeited. They may still eat its life-giving fruit, whose fruit had supernatural power to sustain life forever as an antidote to death and whose leaves sustained life and immortality; after disobedience brought sin and death the tree was moved to the paradise above, but its branches extend to the lower world. Those who overcome through faith in his blood share in Christ's glory, which he pleads for in the heavenly judgment.
It enables obedience, for pardon comes through his blood, not through the law, which cannot save from the penalty of disobedience. Through repentance and faith sinners are freed from sin's condemnation, having repented and humbled themselves before God whose law they broke and trusted Christ's blood as the only means of pardon, with Christ as sacrifice and advocate before the Father. Through his grace they are enabled to obey God's law, resist and subdue sinful tendencies, return to loyalty, stop transgressing, and overcome evil. Christ came as one with humanity and lived a spotless life from manger to cross, his life and victory over Satan making him humanity's advocate, so that those restored to favor through repentance and faith return to loyalty.
Grace Freely Given
Redemption rests on grace, free grace, sovereign grace, and everything owed comes through Christ as a gift of God and not anything people earn by merit of their own. Grace in the covenant ordained adoption, and grace in the Saviour effected redemption and regeneration and adoption to heirship with Christ. Eternal life is taken not as a reward but as a gift bestowed through the grace of Him who gave His life, whose blood purchased pardon for sin, while Christ died for sinners and made abundant provision for their redemption. Human need and unworthiness do not prevent receiving grace but qualify the needy to seek it, and those who receive it are to impart the blessings bestowed on them to others as faithful stewards of entrusted capital. This grace is to be revealed to others by sowing patience, compassion, and love, since the harvest reaped matches what is sown while character is now forming for eternity in training for heaven.
Forgiveness of sins and justification are given through the blood of Christ according to the riches of grace, without money, because Christ is the propitiation and deliverer. This stands in contrast to Rome offering pardon for money and making sin a source of revenue, for Christ condemns sin rather than licensing it. Pardon comes through Christ's blood, not through the law, which cannot save people from the penalty of disobedience. Sinners must repent and humble themselves before God, whose just anger they have incurred by breaking His law, and trust in Christ's blood as their only means of pardon. Christ died as their sacrifice and ascended to serve as their advocate before the Father, so that through repentance and faith they are freed from sin's condemnation, and through His grace they are enabled to obey God's law.
Christ died for people while they were still sinners, and His pierced hands make reconciliation with God possible. The ground that brings sinners into reconciliation with God is the completeness of His humanity joined to the perfection of His divinity. He effects this reconciliation with nail-pierced hands outreached toward heaven and earth, laying hold of sinners on earth with one hand and grasping the throne of the Infinite with the other. He now stands as humanity's one Mediator and Advocate before the Father, bearing the marks of His crucifixion as He pleads the causes of souls. He does it in sympathy and understanding for every woe and sorrow, with most pity for those who suffer most.
Salvation means redemption through Christ's blood, revealing the depth of the Saviour's love. Those who accept this salvation can testify that they have been freed from sin and death and rejoice in Christ. His blood was shed for humanity and souls are precious to Him, so that through His death they can become trophies of His grace and heirs of heaven. Saul was chosen to preach this good news of salvation through Christ's blood and to suffer for Christ's name, even though he had been persecuting Christ's believers.
Living From Redemption
Those bought with the blood of the Son of God are Christ's property, redeemed through test and trial to belong to him as Deliverer, and pardon brings full salvation, joy, peace, true wisdom from God, and reconciliation to God. Faith in the atoning blood is the assurance of pardon, and simple daily reliance on that power by faith and prayer through knowledge of Christ gives keen wisdom to discern what keeps the soul from bondage to sin in the last days, keeps the path of holiness, and works out salvation. No one is excluded from the promises offered to all who accept Christ by faith, and those who accept him are called to return to loyalty and obedience to God's commandments and to stop transgressing his law. That grace calls believers to turn from sin, selfish pleasure, pride, and love of the world rather than crucifying the Son of God afresh.
Having received mercy freely, the forgiven are to show compassion and love to fellow sinners and give freely to others. Those who receive this blood-bought pardon, secured not with corruptible things such as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot through his death on the cross, are to freely and fully forgive a brother who confesses his wrong and treat him as if the wrong had never been done. As faithful stewards of the Lord's entrusted capital, those who receive pardon are to impart the blessings bestowed on them to others. Consecrated followers communicate the riches of grace to others as instruments of righteousness carrying the light of truth, and God's people are to receive this grace revealed by close study of his word and impart it to those in need. Constant realization of the preciousness of the better sacrifice offered once for all, whose cleansing, purifying, and sanctifying power Abel's sacrificial blood only dimly pointed to, qualifies believers to point others, including the higher classes, to Christ as the one who takes away sin, and workers who lead children and youth to Christ serve as instruments in that salvation through his blood.
Because such undeserved favor was secured by self-denial and sacrifice, with Christ freely giving his own life under no compulsion to buy eternal life though sinners deserved nothing, those who receive it must imitate him by denying self, restraining indulgence in expensive clothes, furniture, and homes, practicing economy, and keeping money to give to God for saving perishing souls. Redemption through his blood with forgiveness and cleansing of sin calls for minds and hearts cleansed from sin and characters made righteous, seen in goodness, righteousness, faith, meekness, patience, and self-sacrifice. His grace works in heart and character to form a meek and quiet spirit fitting a person for heaven, with no entitlement to heaven apart from this work, and every person redeemed is to lay aside earthly dress and self-seeking ways and put on the robe of Christ's righteousness, living up to the Christian standard to bring honor to God for the sake of the Christian name. This saving relationship is joined to daily preparation of character that God approves and to a life shaped by Christ's character and love, with grace to be revealed to others by sowing patience, compassion, and love while character is forming for eternity in training for heaven.
The verse directs those absorbed in earthly riches to the greater treasure found in Christ. The true and enduring heavenly riches outshine the glitter of earthly wealth, to be pressed home to hearts dazzled by wealth so eyes are turned from vanity of material things and from glorying in their own riches to knowing God and trusting Christ. Its renewing power transforms the affections and counters the sin that causes division. Satan is filled with wrath against Jesus, and his temptations against God's children are the outworking of that wrath, since he cannot hurt the Saviour directly but only by conquering those Christ died for, and when souls are ruined through his devices the Saviour himself is wounded. The forgiveness secured by his blood becomes especially precious when weakness loosens a person's hold on the world.
In Christ believers have redemption through his blood, which is the forgiveness of sins given according to the riches of his grace. Through his blood means through his sacrificial death on the cross, his shed blood and gift of his own life, and the riches of grace mean an abundant, unsearchable treasure of love, compassion and mercy. He won it by self-denying love, becoming poor to buy eternal life for sinners who deserved nothing, paying the price not with silver and gold but with his own precious blood as the Sin-bearer who bore the iniquity of all who repent and believe. It is freely offered to all and received by faith, when sinners see their need, come with confession and repentance and yield to Christ, trusting his blood as the only means of pardon. What it gives is pardon, justification and acceptance with God, cleansing and renewal in the moral image of God, adoption as children and heirs with Christ, peace and immortal hope, and at last eternal life with restoration to the tree of life, enabling the forgiven to obey God's law, forgive others freely, and live as Christ's property to impart the blessing to others.
Meaning of the Words
In Christ believers possess redemption through his blood, which is the forgiveness of sins granted according to the abundance of God's grace. This redemption is one of the privileges of the Christian and part of every spiritual blessing in heavenly places, freely offered to all with none excluded, given as the price Christ paid for his people through his self-giving sacrifice and gift. It is received by those who respond to Christ's drawing and receive and obey God's word, who are connected with his work and seek him with the whole heart, to whom he is a present help in every time of need, and who are called to return to loyalty and obedience to God's commandments. In the Beloved God freely bestows this grace and makes it abound toward believers in all wisdom and prudence, setting before them their privileges and opportunities to give hope and confidence while lifting up Christ to be seen by all, with eternal life as its crowning gift. Being holy and without blame before him in love should be the condition of those placed in his churches and institutions, comprehended by dying to self, living to God, and following in Christ's footsteps, together with being chosen in him before the foundation of the world, predestined to adoption as children according to the good pleasure of his will, and made accepted in the Beloved to the praise of the glory of his grace.
The one in whom this is found is Jesus Christ the righteous, the Beloved, the Redeemer of the world and the Sin-bearer. As the world's Redeemer he gives deliverance by his death and pardon of wrongs measured by the riches of grace, with redemption and forgiveness as gifts of God's abundant grace. As Sin-bearer he gave himself to redeem from all iniquity and bore the iniquity of all who repent and believe, so that the Innocent is pronounced guilty for our sake while the guilty are pronounced innocent through his merits. By his death on the cross salvation was wrought out and he destroyed the devil who had the power of death.
Through his blood means through his sacrificial death on the cross at Calvary, his shed blood, suffering, and gift of his own life. The cross reveals Jesus as the sacrifice for sin in clear bright light, shining with the light of God's salvation to bring release and pardon for sin. This gift belongs to the present day of salvation, so that those who receive it need not come under the coming wrath against persistent disloyalty and breaking of God's law, and it restores God's moral image in those who believe God is their helper and draw near with confession and repentance. The redemption was not purchased with corruptible things such as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, in which justice and mercy were reconciled, Mercy and Truth meeting together and Righteousness and Peace embracing each other, with mercy reaching out to cleanse from unrighteousness in fulfillment of God's everlasting purpose. His suffering and death make pardon possible, yet forgiveness is received when sinners repent sincerely, recognize their need of mercy, yield will and actions to Christ's control, accept the great gift and cooperate with God with the will conformed to his will, owing the Lord everything as author of salvation; without his pardoning blood they perish, while those who receive this forgiveness are to freely and fully forgive a brother who confesses his wrong and treat him as if the wrong had never been done.
The riches of grace mean an abundant, unsearchable treasure of grace freely offered to fallen men, expressing God's boundless love, compassion, and mercy. That grace is rich and abundant and is joined with wisdom and prudence, able to reform into the soul those who receive it. It offers mercy and forgiveness to those who draw near with confession and repentance, purifying a peculiar people zealous of good works and renewing his moral image in man. These are the true and enduring heavenly riches found in Christ, the glory of the heavenly treasure that outshines the glitter of earthly riches, to be pressed home to hearts absorbed in earthly riches and dazzled by wealth, directing them to the greater treasure in Christ and turning their eyes from vanity and from glorying in their own riches to knowing God and trusting Christ.
Place in Ephesians
In Christ believers are shown one of their privileges and opportunities, redemption and forgiveness of sins according to the riches of grace. This belongs to every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ, freely offered to fallen men through sacrifice and gift, for those connected with His work who seek Him with the whole heart, to whom He is a present help in every time of need. It sets before believers the unsearchable riches of Christ, the treasure of grace giving deliverance by His death and pardon measured by the riches of grace, to give hope and confidence and to lift up Christ to be seen by all. It is part of the great blessing presented in the gospel, to be comprehended by dying to self, living to God, and following in the footsteps of Christ, together with vital connection with God and the knowledge found through it.
Redemption stands with being chosen in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame before Him in love, which should be the condition of men placed in His churches and institutions. It stands with being predestined to adoption as children by Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of His will, and with being made accepted in the Beloved to the praise of the glory of His grace. In the Beloved God freely bestows grace giving redemption through His blood and forgiveness of trespasses, which He makes abound toward believers in all wisdom and prudence, displaying the depth of God's love through which believers are accepted as His children and will be glorified. Every human being matters to God because in Christ He gives rescue through shed blood and pardon out of the riches of grace, God's gift of His only Son demonstrating His love for fallen humanity.
The verse is an assurance of acceptance with God and a divine promise to be claimed in all its depth and fulness by faith in the power of God rather than by leaning on law and worldly powers. The blood of Jesus cleanses the sinful person, so even one who knows unworthiness can claim Christ as Saviour by trusting in His atonement rather than own merits. This trust is a living, continuing reliance on Christ that brings peace and assurance, committing all to Him without reservation, trusting without shame, and loving His name, His cross, and His Word, for His promise is signed and sealed with His own blood. No member of the human family can of himself meet the claims of God's law or satisfy His justice, but faith in Christ as Son of the infinite God, the mighty Counsellor, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace gives assurance and experimental knowledge of what Christ is to the believer, making the believer one with the Father upon the Rock on which every true witness stands.
How Christ Won Redemption
Redemption was won because Christ gave Himself in self-denying love, though rich becoming poor and leaving the Father to give His own life freely under no compulsion to buy eternal life for sinners who deserved nothing. That self-giving is the basis of forgiveness, the price He paid for His people, freely given through mercy to those who respond to His drawing and receive and obey God's word. He paid the price for humanity and it becomes ours as God's free gift when laid hold of, a free blood-bought pardon for sinners condemned by the broken law who cannot save themselves.
The purchase was made at the price of His own blood, the precious blood as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, not with corruptible things such as silver and gold. Entrance into the kingdom is not gained by any merit of our own, for eternal life is taken not as a reward but as a gift bestowed through the grace of Him who gave His life and whose blood purchased pardon. Christ died for the individual sinner and dearly purchased redemption by His own blood, and the salvation thus secured is freely given and must be personally accepted. As Sin-bearer He gave Himself to redeem from all iniquity, bearing the iniquity of all who repent and believe, so that the Innocent was pronounced guilty for our sake while the guilty are pronounced innocent through His merits. This redemption is His victory gained on our behalf, wrought out by His death on the cross by which He destroyed the devil who had the power of death.
He offered His life as a ransom and took the sentence of death upon Himself, and through the merits of His blood and His obedience to God's law people can receive pardon and God's favor and be restored to the garden and the tree of life. After man was lost He held close converse with the Father, pleading until He obtained permission to give His own life as a ransom for the race, to bear human sins and take the sentence of death, thereby making a way of escape so that through the merits of His blood they may find pardon for past transgressions and by obedience be brought back to what they had forfeited. At the cross in that sacrifice justice and mercy were reconciled, Mercy and Truth meeting together and Righteousness and Peace embracing each other, with Mercy reaching out to cleanse man from unrighteousness in fulfillment of the everlasting purpose of God. Forgiveness and justification are given without money because Christ is the propitiation and deliverer who condemns sin rather than licensing it.
He now continues the redeeming work, having died as sacrifice and ascended to serve as Advocate before the Father, since pardon comes through His blood and not through the law which cannot save from the penalty of disobedience. Through His intercession and cleansing blood the fallen can be redeemed, accepted in the Beloved, and renewed in mind and heart and character, receiving wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. He stands as humanity's one Mediator and Advocate before the Father, pleading for people with the marks of His crucifixion, His pierced hands making reconciliation possible on the ground of His complete humanity joined to perfect divinity, given while they were yet sinners. With nail-pierced hands outreached toward heaven and earth He lays hold of sinners on earth with one hand and grasps the throne of the Infinite with the other, bearing the marks of crucifixion as He pleads the causes of souls in sympathy and understanding for every woe, with most pity for those who suffer most. In the heavenly judgment He pleads His blood, inexpressible love, and crucifixion for those who have overcome through faith, asking not only for their pardon and justification but also for restoration to humanity's first dominion and a share in His glory.
How Forgiveness Is Received
Redemption through blood, which is pardon for wrongdoing granted out of abundant favor, is offered without exclusion and is open to all who will accept it. It is received by faith in Christ, by answering his drawing and by receiving and obeying the word of God. Entering into it is learned by dying to self, living to God, and walking in his footsteps. It is the price paid for his people, freely given in mercy, and those who accept it return to loyalty and obedience to the commandments.
Pardon comes to those who see their sin, corruption, unrighteousness and need, and who draw near with confession and repentance. Sinners must humble themselves before God whose law they have broken and whose just displeasure they have incurred, yield will and actions to Christ's control, and trust his blood as the only means of pardon, since without that pardoning blood they perish and since the law cannot save from the penalty of disobedience. He is the sacrifice for sin revealed in clear light at Calvary, bringing present release and pardon so that receivers need not come under wrath against persistent disloyalty, and he ascended to serve as advocate before the Father. Through repentance and faith they are freed from condemnation, met with mercy and forgiveness, cleansed from unrighteousness, restored in the moral image of God, and by grace enabled to obey the law and become zealous for good works.
He accepts people with their wants, imperfections and weaknesses, cleansing them from sin and giving peace and rest to those who consent to take his yoke and bear his burden. Human need and unworthiness do not bar grace but qualify the needy to seek it, and even one who knows his unworthiness may claim Christ as Saviour by trusting the atonement rather than personal merit. The sinner is to come just as he is, in faith with repentance, trusting fully, cutting loose from earthly entanglements to cling to God, taking Jesus as companion, friend and king in reverent and affectionate obedience, with Christ formed within as life, hope and counselor. That trust is a living, continuing reliance that brings peace and assurance, secured by his pleading as intercessor with tender sympathy and inexpressible love, flowing from the love that gave the only begotten Son so that believers should not perish but have everlasting life.
Receiving the gift requires cooperating with God with the will conformed to his will, owing everything to him as author of salvation and working out salvation with fear and trembling while he works to will and to do. It brings spiritual life as his teachings and words are understood, believed, received and practiced in daily experience. Through his intercession and cleansing blood all evil is put away and overcome, the image of God is renewed in mind, heart and character, and the redeemed receive wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. This opens the way to prepare for the second appearing and to be vindicated there, if the beginning of confidence is held firm to the end.
What Redemption Gives
In Christ is redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of grace, by which transgressions and sins are blotted out, the sinner's name recorded in the book of life, and the sinner clothed in Christ's righteousness. This redemption is pardon for past transgressions, forgiveness, justification and acceptance with God, restoring his favor and reconciling sinners to God through Christ the Deliverer. Forgiveness and justification are given without money through his blood, because he is the propitiation who condemns sin rather than licensing it. His pierced hands make reconciliation possible, his complete humanity joined to perfect divinity providing its ground, while he stands as the one Mediator and Advocate before the Father pleading the marks of crucifixion.
It brings cleansing, purifying and sanctifying power through the better sacrifice offered once for all, of which Abel's sacrificial blood only dimly pointed. Through the cleansing blood all evil is put away and overcome, minds and hearts are cleansed from sin, and grace as supernatural power restores the fallen and enables them to resist and subdue sinful tendencies, without which evil cannot be overcome. Through intercession by Jesus Christ the righteous as Advocate, the moral image of God is renewed in mind and heart and character, the redeemed are accepted in the Beloved and made like Christ in character. In him believers receive wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, seen in a life of goodness, righteousness, faith, meekness, patience and self-sacrifice. He accepts people with their wants, imperfections and weaknesses, giving peace and rest to those who consent to take his yoke.
It brings adoption, regeneration and heirship with Christ. Those chosen to be holy and blameless in love are made accepted and adopted as his children, belonging among the spiritual blessings in Christ for those who believe, displaying the depth of love and grace by which believers will be glorified. The human agent may be thoroughly identified with God's Son, one with Christ as Christ is one with the Father, the entire soul, body and spirit bound up with Christ in God through faith. This means sharing the very love with which Christ is loved by the Father and sharing his glory, which is his character, brought into the same close relation to God and enjoying his special favor as his own beloved Son, honored and glorified and intimately associated with God, life hid with Christ in God with a place in heaven in Christ's presence. Grace in the covenant ordained adoption, and grace in the Saviour effected redemption, regeneration and adoption to heirship.
It brings peace and rest, assurance of pardon, rejoicing, immortal hope, full salvation, joy and the true wisdom that comes from God, with Christ as a living Saviour whose power enables service. Assurance grounded in atoning blood and the riches of grace gives peace and joy and immortal hope. Even one who knows unworthiness can claim Christ as Saviour by trusting his atonement rather than personal merits, a living continuing reliance that brings peace and assurance. This redemption purchased by his own blood gives glorious hope, its promised future full of immortality and glory, calling forth praise to God.
Its crowning gift is eternal life. Though rich he became poor, gave himself to redeem from iniquity, and makes eternal life the crowning gift of his self-giving sacrifice. Through the merits of his blood and his obedience to God's law, the pardoned may receive God's favor, be brought back to the garden from which they were driven, be restored to the garden and the tree of life and to humanity's first dominion, and again have access to its immortal fruit to which all right had been forfeited. They may still eat its life-giving fruit, whose fruit had supernatural power to sustain life forever as an antidote to death and whose leaves sustained life and immortality; after disobedience brought sin and death the tree was moved to the paradise above, but its branches extend to the lower world. Those who overcome through faith in his blood share in Christ's glory, which he pleads for in the heavenly judgment.
It enables obedience, for pardon comes through his blood, not through the law, which cannot save from the penalty of disobedience. Through repentance and faith sinners are freed from sin's condemnation, having repented and humbled themselves before God whose law they broke and trusted Christ's blood as the only means of pardon, with Christ as sacrifice and advocate before the Father. Through his grace they are enabled to obey God's law, resist and subdue sinful tendencies, return to loyalty, stop transgressing, and overcome evil. Christ came as one with humanity and lived a spotless life from manger to cross, his life and victory over Satan making him humanity's advocate, so that those restored to favor through repentance and faith return to loyalty.
Grace Freely Given
Redemption rests on grace, free grace, sovereign grace, and everything owed comes through Christ as a gift of God and not anything people earn by merit of their own. Grace in the covenant ordained adoption, and grace in the Saviour effected redemption and regeneration and adoption to heirship with Christ. Eternal life is taken not as a reward but as a gift bestowed through the grace of Him who gave His life, whose blood purchased pardon for sin, while Christ died for sinners and made abundant provision for their redemption. Human need and unworthiness do not prevent receiving grace but qualify the needy to seek it, and those who receive it are to impart the blessings bestowed on them to others as faithful stewards of entrusted capital. This grace is to be revealed to others by sowing patience, compassion, and love, since the harvest reaped matches what is sown while character is now forming for eternity in training for heaven.
Forgiveness of sins and justification are given through the blood of Christ according to the riches of grace, without money, because Christ is the propitiation and deliverer. This stands in contrast to Rome offering pardon for money and making sin a source of revenue, for Christ condemns sin rather than licensing it. Pardon comes through Christ's blood, not through the law, which cannot save people from the penalty of disobedience. Sinners must repent and humble themselves before God, whose just anger they have incurred by breaking His law, and trust in Christ's blood as their only means of pardon. Christ died as their sacrifice and ascended to serve as their advocate before the Father, so that through repentance and faith they are freed from sin's condemnation, and through His grace they are enabled to obey God's law.
Christ died for people while they were still sinners, and His pierced hands make reconciliation with God possible. The ground that brings sinners into reconciliation with God is the completeness of His humanity joined to the perfection of His divinity. He effects this reconciliation with nail-pierced hands outreached toward heaven and earth, laying hold of sinners on earth with one hand and grasping the throne of the Infinite with the other. He now stands as humanity's one Mediator and Advocate before the Father, bearing the marks of His crucifixion as He pleads the causes of souls. He does it in sympathy and understanding for every woe and sorrow, with most pity for those who suffer most.
Salvation means redemption through Christ's blood, revealing the depth of the Saviour's love. Those who accept this salvation can testify that they have been freed from sin and death and rejoice in Christ. His blood was shed for humanity and souls are precious to Him, so that through His death they can become trophies of His grace and heirs of heaven. Saul was chosen to preach this good news of salvation through Christ's blood and to suffer for Christ's name, even though he had been persecuting Christ's believers.
Living From Redemption
Those bought with the blood of the Son of God are Christ's property, redeemed through test and trial to belong to him as Deliverer, and pardon brings full salvation, joy, peace, true wisdom from God, and reconciliation to God. Faith in the atoning blood is the assurance of pardon, and simple daily reliance on that power by faith and prayer through knowledge of Christ gives keen wisdom to discern what keeps the soul from bondage to sin in the last days, keeps the path of holiness, and works out salvation. No one is excluded from the promises offered to all who accept Christ by faith, and those who accept him are called to return to loyalty and obedience to God's commandments and to stop transgressing his law. That grace calls believers to turn from sin, selfish pleasure, pride, and love of the world rather than crucifying the Son of God afresh.
Having received mercy freely, the forgiven are to show compassion and love to fellow sinners and give freely to others. Those who receive this blood-bought pardon, secured not with corruptible things such as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot through his death on the cross, are to freely and fully forgive a brother who confesses his wrong and treat him as if the wrong had never been done. As faithful stewards of the Lord's entrusted capital, those who receive pardon are to impart the blessings bestowed on them to others. Consecrated followers communicate the riches of grace to others as instruments of righteousness carrying the light of truth, and God's people are to receive this grace revealed by close study of his word and impart it to those in need. Constant realization of the preciousness of the better sacrifice offered once for all, whose cleansing, purifying, and sanctifying power Abel's sacrificial blood only dimly pointed to, qualifies believers to point others, including the higher classes, to Christ as the one who takes away sin, and workers who lead children and youth to Christ serve as instruments in that salvation through his blood.
Because such undeserved favor was secured by self-denial and sacrifice, with Christ freely giving his own life under no compulsion to buy eternal life though sinners deserved nothing, those who receive it must imitate him by denying self, restraining indulgence in expensive clothes, furniture, and homes, practicing economy, and keeping money to give to God for saving perishing souls. Redemption through his blood with forgiveness and cleansing of sin calls for minds and hearts cleansed from sin and characters made righteous, seen in goodness, righteousness, faith, meekness, patience, and self-sacrifice. His grace works in heart and character to form a meek and quiet spirit fitting a person for heaven, with no entitlement to heaven apart from this work, and every person redeemed is to lay aside earthly dress and self-seeking ways and put on the robe of Christ's righteousness, living up to the Christian standard to bring honor to God for the sake of the Christian name. This saving relationship is joined to daily preparation of character that God approves and to a life shaped by Christ's character and love, with grace to be revealed to others by sowing patience, compassion, and love while character is forming for eternity in training for heaven.
The verse directs those absorbed in earthly riches to the greater treasure found in Christ. The true and enduring heavenly riches outshine the glitter of earthly wealth, to be pressed home to hearts dazzled by wealth so eyes are turned from vanity of material things and from glorying in their own riches to knowing God and trusting Christ. Its renewing power transforms the affections and counters the sin that causes division. Satan is filled with wrath against Jesus, and his temptations against God's children are the outworking of that wrath, since he cannot hurt the Saviour directly but only by conquering those Christ died for, and when souls are ruined through his devices the Saviour himself is wounded. The forgiveness secured by his blood becomes especially precious when weakness loosens a person's hold on the world.