Redemption's Purpose in God's Eternal Design
Redemption's Purpose in God's Eternal Design
The concept of redemption is deeply rooted in biblical teachings, emphasizing God's plan to rescue humanity from sin and its consequences. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, redemption refers to the purchase back of something that had been lost, by the payment of a ransom, with the Greek word "apolutrosis" occurring nine times in Scripture, always with the idea of a ransom or price paid [1].
The purpose of redemption is multifaceted, as seen in various biblical passages. One key aspect is to honor God through the praises of the redeemed, as noted by Tyndale House on Isaiah 43:21 [6]. This is echoed in 1 Peter 2:9, which describes believers as a "chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" [5].
Redemption is also closely tied to God's eternal purpose, as stated in Ephesians 1:10, which speaks of God's plan "to re-establish all things in Christ, that are in heaven and on earth, in him" [4]. John Gill's commentary on Ephesians 3:11 explains that the whole of salvation, including the scheme of redemption, is according to a purpose of God's, fixed in the council of peace [7].
The nature of this redemption is spiritual, delivering believers from the captivity of sin, Satan, and the law. John Gill's commentary on Isaiah 1:27 notes that the blessing of redemption by Christ is the source and foundation of other blessings of grace, such as justification, pardon of sin, and conversion [9]. This redemption is described as "plenteous and eternal" and is specifically for the church, not the world.
The ultimate goal of redemption is to enable believers to serve God "in holiness and righteousness before Him" (Luke 1:75), as noted by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Luke 1:74 [8]. This service is characterized by freedom, fearlessness, and duration, as believers are delivered out of the hand of their enemies and enabled to serve God without fear.
The biblical concept of redemption is also linked to God's justice and righteousness. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, God's justice is that perfection of his nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in himself and in all he does [2]. The atoning sacrifice of Christ demonstrates God's righteousness, as stated in Romans 3:25, which highlights the demonstration of God's righteousness through the passing over of prior sins [3].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Redemption — The purchase back of something that had been lost, by the payment of a ransom. The Greek word so rendered is apolutrosis, a word occurring nine times in Scripture, and always with the idea of a ransom or price paid, i.e., redemption by a lutron (see Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45). There are instances in the LXX. Version of the Old Testament of the use of lutron in man's relation to man (Lev. 19:20; 25:51; Ex. 21:30; Num. 35:31, 32; Isa. 45:13; Prov. 6:35), and in the same sense of man's relation to God (Num. 3:49; 18:15). There are many passages in the New Tes”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justice of God — That perfection of his nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in himself and in all he does, the righteousness of the divine nature exercised in his moral government. At first God imposes righteous laws on his creatures and executes them righteously. Justice is not an optional product of his will, but an unchangeable principle of his very nature. His legislative justice is his requiring of his rational creatures conformity in all respects to the moral law. His rectoral or distributive justice is his dealing with his accountable creatures according”
- Romans “whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance; -- Romans 3:25”
- Ephesians “Ephesians 1:10 (DRC) — In the dispensation of the fulness of times, to re-establish all things in Christ, that are in heaven and on earth, in him.”
- 1 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Peter 1:20: God's eternal foreordination of Christ's redeeming sacrifice, and completion of it in these last times for us, are an additional obligation on us to our maintaining a holy walk, considering how great things have been thus done for us. Peter's language in the history corresponds with this here: an undesigned coincidence and mark of genuineness. Redemption was no afterthought, or remedy of an unforeseen evil, devised at the time of its arising. God's foreordaining of the Redeemer refutes the slander that, on the Christian theory, there is a period of fo”
- Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 43:21: 43:21 One purpose of redemption is to honor God through the praises of the redeemed (see 1 Pet 2:9).”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 3:11: According to the eternal purpose,.... The whole of salvation, in which is displayed the great wisdom of God, is according to a purpose of his; the scheme of it is fixed in the council of peace; the thing itself is effected in pursuance of it; Christ, the Redeemer, was set forth in it; his incarnation, the time of his coming into the world, his sufferings and death, with all their circumstances, were decreed by God; and the persons for whom Christ became incarnate, suffered, and died, were appointed unto salvation by him; and the application of it to them is accordi”
- Luke (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Luke 1:74: That he would grant us, &c.--How comprehensive is the view here given! (1) The purpose of all redemption--"that we should serve Him"--that is, "the Lord God of Israel" (Luk 1:68). The word signifies religious service distinctively--"the priesthood of the New Testament" [BENGEL]. (2) The nature of this service--"in holiness and righteousness before Him" (Luk 1:75) --or, as in His presence (compare Psa 56:13). (3) Its freedom--"being delivered out of the hand of our enemies." (4) Its fearlessness--"might serve Him without fear." (5) Its duration--"all the ”
- Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 1:27: Zion shall be redeemed with judgment,.... The blessing of redemption by Christ is the source and foundation of the other blessings of grace, before mentioned, the little remnant are favoured with, as justification, pardon of sin, and conversion, Isa 1:18, Isa 1:25 it is of a spiritual nature; the redemption of the soul is a deliverance from the captivity of sin, Satan, and the law, and is plenteous and eternal; the objects of redeeming grace are "Zion" and her converts; not the world, but the church is redeemed by Christ; for by Zion is meant, not a place, but peopl”