Redemption Study

Source: Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity by David Cloud. (Purchase from Way of Life)

Redemption means bought and released, describing the act of buying a slave from the market in order to give him freedom.

A. There are three Greek words translated "redemption" which give a wonderful picture of our salvation in Christ:

  1. AGORAZO means to purchase in a market. This word is used in a general sense in Mt 13:44, 46; 27:7; Lu 14:18-19. In reference to salvation, agorazo is used in 1Co 6:20; 7:23; 2Pe 2:1; Re 5:9; 14:2-3. Agorazo pictures the Lord Jesus Christ paying the awful price required by our sin. Jesus Christ came into the slave market of this fallen world and paid the full price to redeem men by His blood and death.

  2. EXAGORAZO means to buy out of the market. This is the word agorazo compounded with the Greek preposition ex, meaning out from. Jesus not only paid the purchase price, He completely removed the believing sinner from the position of condemnation and from Satan's dominion.

  3. LUTROO means to loose, to set free. The believer is purchased, brought out of slavery, and released to a life of spiritual freedom in Christ. Lutroo is used in Tit 2:14; 1Pe 1:18 and Heb 9:12.

B. What Is the Price of Redemption?

We are redeemed through Christ's blood (Col 1:14; Heb 9:12; 1Pe 1:18-19). Those who say the blood of Christ is only symbolic for death are wrong. The blood of the O.T. animal sacrifices was symbolic, typifying the blood of Christ, but the blood was real and was required by the law of God (Le 17:11; Heb 9:22). To change the word "blood" to "death" as some modern versions do is wickedness and is a denial of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

C. How Permanent Is Redemption?

It is eternal! "...having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Heb 9:12).

D. What Does Redemption Involve?

The term "redemption" is used interchangeably with "salvation." It refers to the fullness of our salvation in Jesus Christ. Redemption involves forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7); justification (Ro 3:24); eternal inheritance (Heb 9:15); resurrection (Ro 8:23).

E. Three Aspects of Redemption.

(1) Past (Ga 3:13). We have been redeemed from the condemnation of sin and the dominion of Satan.

(2) Present (Tit 2:14). We are being redeemed from the power of sin and Satan in our daily lives.

(3) Future (Ro 8:23). We shall be redeemed from the very presence of sin when Christ returns and we receive resurrection bodies.