Scripture to Read: Romans 3:24
Today and tomorrow, we’re going to focus on “the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.” We live in a day and time where the word “redemption," or “being redeemed,” does not make sense to many people because we no longer live in a country where people are bought and sold as slaves. But it is sad to say that this is not so true in many countries worldwide. The WorldAtlas website states: “According to the Global Slavery Index (GSI), there are an estimated 40.3 million slaves in the world today. Although slavery is officially abolished in every jurisdiction in the world, it does not mean that contemporary slavery does not exist. In fact, if anything, it just means that slavery is harder to track and occurs far from the eye of local authorities.” So, though slavery does not exist in the USA, it is still practiced in many other countries. So to better understand "the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” we need to look at the definition of the word "redeem." According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of "redeem" is: "to buy back, to get or win back, to free from what distresses or harms: such as to free from captivity by payment of ransom, to release from blame or debt, to free from the consequences of sin." The last part of the definition of "redeem" is where we focus our attention. Christ, through His perfect blood being shed for our sin, has set every person free from the slave market of sin who surrenders to Him as Lord.
Challenge & Application
Why is it important for us to understand what the word “redeem” means when it comes to what Christ has done for us?
How does the understanding of the word “redeem” change the way you look at your salvation?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!