Redemption By Christ

Isaiah 63:5

The only hope for fallen, guilty, depraved sinners is redemption, a redemption which includes atonement for sin, satisfaction for justice, and effectual deliverance from the guilt, power, dominion, and consequences of sin. Such redemption could be accomplished by only one Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Savior. Not only could he alone do it, he has done it; and he has done it alone. He declares, "I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me."

When we consider the doctrine of redemption, we have come to the most important of all gospel truths. In our day, men more quickly attack the doctrine of the cross than any other. They more vehemently deny the glorious efficacy of Christ’s sin-atoning blood than any other doctrine. Multitudes who sing the words of Cowper’s hymn…

“Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood Shall never lose its power,

‘Til all the ransomed Church of God Be saved to sin no more…”

assert with absolute dogmatism that there is no real saving power and efficacy in Christ’s blood; for they declare that multitudes are in hell today for whom Christ died. Thus demonstrating that they know nothing of that Savior revealed in Holy Scripture of whom the hymn was written.

Because the doctrine of redemption by the precious blood of Christ is so very important, I urge you to carefully study each of the succeeding articles on this glorious subject, comparing scripture with scripture, asking God the Holy Spirit to give you a clear understanding in the teachings of Holy Scripture about redemption.

The Holy Spirit declares in Hebrews 10:1 - "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect." According to those words of inspiration, the law in the Old Testament Scriptures had a shadow of good things to come. That is to say, God, in the Old Testament, under the types and shadows of the law, gave many pictures and prophecies of what he would do for and give to his people through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The sacrifices offered to God in the Old Testament could never take away one sin. However, the law did have many instructive pictures, types , and shadows of our redemption by the blood of Christ. In each of those types , pictures, and prophecies setting forth the redemptive work of Christ several things are obvious. These obvious facts teach us much about the subject.

1. The redemption portrayed or promised was revealed only to a chosen people.

2. The redemption sacrifice was made, offered to God, and accepted by God for a specifically chosen people, named by God himself.

3. The redemption portrayed the effectual deliverance of all those for whom it was accomplished.

Don Fortner