The article contains thoughts concerning the biblical doctrine of redemption. I trust you will benefit from these godly men as I have.
“The concept of redemption is fundamentally commercial language. The Greek terms agorazō and exagorazō which both derive from the word agora, which means “marketplace,” and thus “to redeem” means to purchase out of the marketplace. Another word the New Testament uses for redemption is lutroō, which speaks of a purchase by the payment of a ransom. Putting the two together, we discover that a key concept of redemption is slavery. Slaves were redeemed by the payment of a ransom,” explains author Mike Riccardi.
“Scripture testifies that man is in the bondage of slavery—that we are so beholden to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life (cf. 1 John 2:15–17), that we are properly said to be enslaved to our sin (cf. John 8:34; Rom 6:16–18; 2 Pet 2:19). And our slavery is so pervasive that it extends even to our hearts: our slave-master has deceived us into loving our slavery. But thanks be to God that Scripture teaches Christ has come to redeem His people from the bondage of our slavery, to purchase us out of the slave-market of sin by the payment of the ransom price of His own life (I Timothy 2:5-6).”
“Rescuing souls is at the very foundation of the mission of God and at the heart of the grand story of redemption. Before the foundation of the world, God chose to rescue souls, and when the fullness of time had come, the Father sent the Son to rescue souls. The Son came to seek and to save that which was lost, and the Holy Spirit calls and regenerates the souls of all the Father has given to the Son. Our sovereign and triune God is the primary rescuer of lost souls. And in His wisdom, God has called us to be secondary instruments through which He rescues souls,” Pastor Burk Parsons.
“The covenant of redemption, which is the foundation for the triune God’s gracious restoration of fallen sinners to life and communion with God, describes the respective roles that are “appropriate” to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption. Even though Christian theology affirms that all the works of the triune God are indivisibly the works of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa), each of the persons of the Trinity plays a unique role in the salvation of the elect. The Father elects to save His people in Christ (Eph. 1:4). The Son is appointed and willingly offers Himself as the Savior and Mediator (Luke 22:29; Heb. 10:5–7). The Holy Spirit furnishes Christ with the gifts necessary to accomplish His saving work (Luke 1:35; 3:21–22; 4:18), and also applies the benefits of Christ’s work to those whom the Father gives to the Son (John 6:38–39; 17:4). Thus, in a delightful harmony of mutual love and purpose, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit eternally covenant to redeem an elect community” states Cornelius Venema.
“In the redemptive work of Christ in the New Testament: we are not saved simply because we need to be saved, but so that we might worship Him. That’s the point of your salvation—to worship the Lord your God. That’s why, for example, the author of Hebrews said we are never to neglect assembling together as saints (Heb. 10:25). We don’t come to church just to have our attendance taken; we come to church because the Lord has redeemed us, and the people of God should have their hearts filled with reverence and adoration and should come into the corporate assembly of the people of God to worship Him,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.
Soli deo Gloria!
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