I have been intrigued with the word "redeemed" for many years. Exactly what does it mean, and how can understanding it change my view of my relationship with Christ.
The thought came up again today as I read Chapter 3 of the Book of Hosea. The "title" of the chapter is "Hosea Redeems His Wife". So I decided that I should look up what the word means. I turned to the 1828 Dictionary because it more closely represents the meaning of words in the Bible than our Websters of today. So, what did I find? Below are the top two definitions, which I found very enlightening.
1. To purchase back; to ransom; to liberate or rescue from captivity or bondage, or from any obligation or liability to suffer or to be forfeited, by paying an equivalent; as, to redeem prisoners or captured goods; to redeem a pledge.
2. To repurchase what has been sold; to regain possession of a thing alienated, by repaying the value of it to the possessor.
When we look at these two definitions in light of our relationship with Christ there are a few things I observe. First, we were purchased back, were we not? We were liberated from captivity. The bondage that held us, our sin and the evil in this world, those are the things from which we needed liberation.
But what really strikes me is in the second definition. "...to regain possession of a thing alienated, by repaying the value of it to the possessor." Satan had us in bondage. Our sins had us in bondage. But the BLOOD of Christ repaid the value - our value - and set us free. That's how much we are valued by our Creator God. So much that the only thing that was the equivalent payment for our freedom was the life of His only Son.
Wow. I cannot get over that thought. Hosea redeemed his wife by paying for her to get her back from those who had enslaved her into prostitution. In the same way, God has paid the price for us to free us from those things which once enslaved us.
Now, how then should we live in light of this understanding? That's the toughest part. Learning to live for Christ alone and celebrating the freedom we have that came through His sacrifice. Let us not keep turning back to the things that once held us in bondage, but remain faithful to our savior who has redeemed us.
-Sarah Staples
