Many people, preachers and teachers speak of redemption because it is a biblical concept however some do not fully understand what redemption means.
The word redemption comes from the biblical Hebrew «gueulla» [גְּאֻלָּה] and it literally means to rescue someone at a price. Also from biblical Hebrew is the word «goel» {redeemer} which is the person that rescues a person or a property by paying a price.
An interesting fact of ancient Hebrew culture is that a person would marry the widow of his deceased relative to rescue his land or property [as was the case of Ruth the Moabite in the book of Ruth]. Such a person was called a goel {redeemer}
A goel was a person who paid the price of a slave to rescue him from slavery and then would set him free. This concept was applied in ancient Hebrew culture in various ways and situations.
In biblical language guella is often used in a spiritual sense which is mainly what we are going to discuss in this article.
We often see the word redemption in the Nazarene Writings also known as the New Testament. The word redeemer appears only a few times but it is understood that if there is redemption there is a redeemer. When we see the word redemption we must remember that it is a concept that implies a rescue, it means to free someone by paying a ransom.
YESHUA OUR REDEEMER
Ephesians 1:7
7 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of trespasses, according to the riches of His favour
Here Shaul (Paul) tells us that we have redemption through the blood of Messiah. This means we have been bought. We were enslaved; we belonged to a master [Satan]. Messiah came and paid a price [His blood] and because of this He becomes our Redeemer that rescues us from slavery.
Then it says
<the forgiveness of trespasses> in other words, when we receive redemption from Messiah, our sin is removed automatically.
<according to the riches of His favour> – we do not deserve this, we receive it as a favour (grace) . We did not receive redemption because we were good on the contrary we were in sin. The concept of redemption applies to an act in the past as well as an act in the future. The Messiah died for us and paid the price but an aspect of redemption is missing that is still in the future
Ephesians 4:30
30 And do not grieve the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Shaul talks of redemption as an event that is still in the future
Luke 21:28 28 And when these matters begin to take place, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. [Yeshua’s words in purple]
Here Messiah tells us about redemption in terms of something still in the future. One thing is to pay the price of redemption and another to remove the slave from the location where he was originally. One thing is to pay the rescue of a prisoner and another is to get him out of jail.
OUR CONDITION BEFORE HEARING THE GOOD NEWS
Ephesians 2:12-13
12 that at that time you were without Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Yisra’el and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no expectation and without Elohim in the world.
13 But now in Messiah יהושע {Yehoshua)}you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.
Through the blood of Messiah, we have been brought near to the following:
- The Messiah
- Yisrael {the Eternal’s people; a spiritual dimension}
- The Covenants of the Promise
- Hope
- The Almighty of Yisra’el
We are no longer foreigners. We are now citizens of Yisrael, not citizens of the political government of the State of Israel or «Medinat Israel» whose citizens are called Israelis.
We are citizens of a wider people called Yisra’el {the people of the Eternal, יהוה}.
(Yisra’el refers to the people of the Eternal and not to the present-day nation called Israel. It is a spiritual dimension)
Being citizens of Yisra’el we worship and serve the Almighty of Yisra’el, יהוה.
Through historical accounts and through the Scriptures we know that the original religion of Yisrael was not Judaism [the present religion of the political state of Israel which includes plenty of ceremonies, rituals, and traditions]. The original religion of the people of Yisrael is known by historians as worshipers of Yahweh, the Eternal, יהוה. To worship the Eternal we must follow the teachings of His Book , the Sacred Scriptures.
We are brought near to the five things mentioned above thanks to Yeshua the Messiah. We have been grafted into the tree of Yisra’el as Romans 11 teaches. We are not Jews we are Yisra’el [people of יהוה]. We practice the religion of יהוה which is obedience to his commandments and the worship of יהוה through His Sacred Name.
In reality, redemption includes our eternal salvation in three times: past [through the blood of Yeshua Messiah], present [we are enjoying it now] and future [it will be completed at the second coming of Messiah].
What will be manifest when redemption takes place?
Ephesians 2:7
7 That He might show to the ages that are coming, the majesty of the riches of His favor
and His kindness, which was upon us by Yeshua the Messiah.
That grace, that compassion, that rescue is in the Messiah Yeshua and for us to avail of it we have to be in Messiah. If we leave Messiah, if we reject Him or if we never accept Him we are not going to have that abundance of compassion, of kindness, that favour that the Father gives us of rescuing us, redeeming us, of buying us, of freeing us from the slavery of sin and from our old master that Scripture calls Satan the Adversary
OUR PRESENT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CREATOR
Romans 8:17
17 and if children, also heirs – truly heirs of Elohim, and co-heirs with Messiah, if indeed we suffer with Him, in order that we also be exalted together. [This is the culmination of Redemption]
When we are adopted into the family of Yahweh through that grafting which is described in Romans 11 we become heirs of the promises of the Almighty. The promises and blessings that the Almighty has for His people become ours. This is available to everybody but not everyone wants to avail of these blessings.
Our redemption started when the Redeemer paid the price, at present, we are enjoying that blessing and finally, we will receive total liberation from sin when we are glorified. We are redeemed by faith but not totally because once in a while, even if we do not want to, we still sin and we still die. Redemption includes eternal life. At present we literally do not have eternal life. Shaul says we have eternal life but it is in Messiah. When He comes for the second time and transforms us into immortal beings [glorification], the redemption process will be complete.
When will our acceptance by the Almighty be apparent to the world?
Romans 8:23
23 And not only so, but even we ourselves who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, we ourselves also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
The words in this verse seem simple but they describe a deep concept. When Shaul says <we>, <ourselves> <our> he refers to the believers in Yeshua the Messiah, he refers to the disciples, he refers to those who have accepted Yeshua as their Messiah and he refers to those who follow the steps and teachings of Messiah Yeshua.
<first-fruits of the Spirit> – in other verses it is said that we have been given the Set-Apart Spirit [Holy Spirit] but no one has received it in all its fullness except Messiah. The only one who has received the fullness of divinity or the fullness of the Spirit {Colossians 2:9} is the Messiah.
The first-fruits are a small part of the whole. The offering of the first-fruits was done under the law of Yahweh in Yisra’el when a sheaf from the harvest was waved before Him by the High Priest.
The first-fruits are never a whole but a part of the whole. In the same manner, this verse tells us that we have not been given the fullness of the Set-Apart Spirit but a <first-fruits of the Spirit>, only a small portion. Those who believe that the Set-Apart Spirit is a person will not understand this. However, if you correctly understand that the Set-Apart Spirit is a divine power that is given to us, then you will understand it perfectly.
Using the analogy of the Feast of First-Fruits where a sheaf of first-fruits is offered and then the full harvest follows, similarly, if we receive the first-fruits of the Spirit now, it means that there will come a time when we will receive the fullness of the Set-Apart Spirit.
< the redemption of our body> – Our body has to be redeemed. This speaks of the hope of resurrection which is a biblical concept contrary to the pagan concept of the immortality of the soul according to which the soul lives on and goes to heaven to be with the Father when the body dies. This concept of the immortality of the soul is of Babylonian origin and is not biblical. In the biblical concept, the whole being will be redeemed and that includes the body. This is why we will not be redeemed in the whole sense of the word until the resurrection which is when we will receive the fullness of the Set-Apart Spirit. In 1 Corinthians Shaul tells us
1 Corinthians 15:53
53 For this corruptible has to put on incorruption, and this mortal to put on immortality.
In the book of Hebrews speaking about our salvation in relation to the animal sacrifices performed in ancient Israel Shaul says
Hebrews 9:12
12 {Messiah as our High Priest} entered into the Most Set-apart Place once for all, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood, having obtained everlasting redemption.
At present, that redemption is applied to us in a spiritual sense. In the physical sense, it is still in the future. That redemption that He obtained for us with His blood will take effect when He returns [the redemption of our bodies].
INHERITANCE IN REDEMPTION
Psalm 37:11
11 But the meek ones shall inherit the earth, And delight themselves in plenty of peace.
The Master Yeshua says the same in
Matthew 5:5
5 Blessed are the meek, because they shall inherit the earth.
Aside from the redemption of the body, the redemption of the total being which is fulfilled in the final transformation when the Messiah comes for the second time, aside from becoming immortal beings, we will inherit the earth. That same earth that has been contaminated and perverted will be redeemed and restored as well. That will be the earth that the redeemed and the meek will inherit.
DIVINE LOVE
The verse of the Scriptures that is most quoted by Christian preachers is
John 3:16
16 “For Elohim so loved the world that He gave His only brought-forth Son, so that everyone who believes in Him should not perish but possess everlasting life.
This verse is still not understood by many. There are brothers that teach that the Father and the Son are one person that is, that Yeshua is יהוה. Therefore, there is no Father and His Son, it is the same person that sometimes manifests itself as the Father and sometimes as the Son. This is the ‘oneness doctrine’. This destroys the Father and Son relationship that the Scriptures present.
John 3:16 speaks of the relationship between two persons, the Father and the Son. There are two immortal beings in the universe, one is the Father, Creator of all things and the other is His only begotten Son. The Father gave His Son with a purpose, that whosoever believes in the Son should not be lost but have eternal life. But that eternal life is not in us
Colossians 3:3
3 For you have died, and your life has been hidden with Messiah in Elohim.
4 When the Messiah, who is our life, is manifested, then you also shall be manifested with Him in esteem {glory}.
That life is in the Almighty. It is there to be given to us at the end of the age.
At the coming of Messiah with the great power that His Father has given him, we will be given eternal life and the fullness of the Set-Apart Spirit. The greatest gift that the Eternal has for humanity is eternal life. Nothing known to man can compare with this. This promise of life has to be accepted with the most profound gratitude on the part of human beings as it is simply a favour given to us that shows the love of the Creator for the human family.
So we should be very grateful and worship the Father singing praises to His Name and we praise the Son as well for being the means of salvation.
Without the Messiah, there is no salvation. He Himself said
John 14:6
6 I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
A teaching by Yosef Alvarez
Translation by Nazarene Notes
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is taken from The Scriptures
Copyright by Institute for Scripture Research.
Used by permission.