Christ Hath Redeemed Us

Christ Hath Redeemed Us

Galatians 3:13

Christ Hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

The Greek word rendered “redeemed” in our English, is pronounced ex-ag-or-ad-zo according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance; and it means to buy up, i.e. ransom; fig. rescue from loss. “The first, and very idea of redemption is to buy out, or deliver, what was lost or forfeited, and this by giving a full and equivalent value for it.” (R. Hawker)

Christ hath redeemed us: The statement is absolute: Christ hath redeemed us, the meaning of the words is not that Christ has possibly redeemed us, but that Christ hath absolutely redeemed us. The concept is not that Christ hath redeemed us, if we do certain things, but that Christ hath certainly and absolutely redeemed all that group of persons that are described as “us”. The “us” are in view in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, where it is written: “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;” (Revelation 5:9). It must be observed that those who sung the new song are the redeemed out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, these are the “us” who were redeemed.  They are redeemed out of every kindred, and so, not every individual of the kindred’s, and tongues, and nations, and peoples, were redeemed, only the group that were seen singing the new song; and that is the church of Jesus Christ. Who then, is the church of Jesus Christ?

The church of Jesus Christ is all that group of particular persons who were chosen by God the Father in Jesus Christ in eternity past, and predestinated unto the adoption of children of God: as it is written “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” (Ephesians 1:3-5). These particular persons were predestinated, as well, to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, for it is written “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren” (Romans 8:29). These were redeemed from among men: it is written: “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. (These had not committed fornication with the great harlot (Revelation 17:1-6; 18:1-3 false religion; writer) These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb (Revelation 14:4).  These particular persons were chosen to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit: “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (II Thessalonians 2:13). In eternity past God the Father chose a people to “the adoption of children” and “to be conformed to the image of His Son” and to “salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit” so that, in time, God the Holy Ghost visits the chosen of God, and gives them eternal life, with a new heart, and a new spirit, (Ezekiel 36:25-27) so that they are made willing in the day of His power (Psalm 110: 3). These who were chosen of God were, “sanctified (set apart, writer) by God the Father, preserved in Jesus Christ, (they were kept safe and secured in Jesus Christ from eternity past, writer) and called: (effectually brought out from among the world of the ungodly, and in their experience brought to knowledge of their union in Jesus Christ) (Jude verse 1).

From the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, the curse of the Law is eternal death, everlasting ruin, unending punishment, under the contempt, and wrath of Almighty God. From this curse, Christ hath redeemed us. The guilt of the sin of those who God chose in Christ was imputed to Christ, for “the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). So that Christ Jesus “his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (I Peter 2:24). Because the curse of the law has been fully exhausted on Jesus Christ, He having endured the curse of the law, there remains no condemnation (Romans 8:1) for “us” His elected people. Their sins are cast behind the back of God, (Isaiah 38:17), into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19) “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our sins from us (Psalm 103:12). For “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:21). The church of God is the mystical body of Jesus Christ; and Christ Jesus is the head of that body (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18). Because of the indissoluble union that unites the Head and the body: the justice of God sees them as one, so that it is just that the Head, Christ Jesus should bare the sin of the body, His church, and that the righteousness of the Head should be the glory of the body, His church. So that Christ Jesus was made to be sin for us, that is, the sin of the church was imputed to Him, laid on Him, (Isaiah 53:6). He bare our sins in his own body on the tree (I Peter 2:24), He justified many, by bearing their iniquities and putting them away (Isaiah 53:11), He bear the sin of many, in His own body on the tree (Isaiah 53:12; I Peter 2:24). The guilt of the church having been borne away in the body of Christ: and His perfect righteousness having been imputed to their persons: therefore the church of God is made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus according to the purpose, will, and love of God for His elect.

For it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree, How real are the imputations of God? And how real is the union of the Head of the church, to the body? The realities of both are put in perfect focus at the cross. The union of the church, to Jesus Christ: which was established by God Himself, in the everlasting covenant of grace, and according to the united will, love, and purpose of the Three Persons of Godhead, is that bond by which Christ Jesus has declared the sin of the church to be imputed, His, saying “O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over my head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me,” (Psalm 38:1-4) see also Psalm 69 throughout, and Psalm 22. Christ Jesus is Immanuel, “God with us”; and had no sin. Sin was not imputed to Christ Jesus because He had any part in any act, or nature of sin: but because of eternal union with the church, He had sin reckoned to His account, imputed to Him, accounted of the justice of God to be His, charged to Him because of the union that exists between the Christ of God, and His body the church. If that were not so, the Apostle Paul (speaking for himself and whole elect family of God) could not have said, “I am crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20): nor could the same Apostle have said: “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” (Ephesians 2:4-6). The eternal union of the Head Christ Jesus; and His body the church is that truth, that allows the justice of God to impute sin from the church to Christ Jesus the Head of the church, and to make the church to be the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.  

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth (Romans 8:32-33). The justice of God demands that all those for whom Christ Jesus died, must certainly be given eternal life, Christ Jesus died for those who were chosen of God in Christ, and given interest in the everlasting covenant of grace, these are they who are the “us” that Christ redeemed. Jesus Christ has taken their place before the law and justice of God, He has satisfied that justice, and that satisfaction is testified to by the resurrection of Christ from the dead, and His session at the right hand of God, all things subject to His dominion, and under His Sovereign rule, save He who put all things under Him. And because of the finished salvation that Jesus Christ has provided for His elect they are and shall absolutely be saved. Where sin is found, death must reign, and therefore sin being found on the Christ of God, by imputation alone: death had dominion over Him for a short time (Romans 6:9). But Christ having brought in everlasting righteousness for all those in union with him in death, and their sin being put away, through His death, the justice of God requires that they must be given life. For, “the man that doeth them shall live in them” (Galatians 3:12; Leviticus 18:5; Romans 10:5).  These are the “us” to whom the whole Bible is written, the elected family of God, in Christ. And it is this “us” alone who Christ redeemed by His precious blood. And so this “Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. (Isaiah 45:17).

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AJ Ison