GOD’S REDEMPTIVE RICHES

“In Him we have REDEMPTION through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of Grace” – Ephesians 1:7

Central to the Bible are GOD’S REDEMPTIVE RICHES: “In Him we have REDEMPTION through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of Grace” (Eph.1:7). God's Impact in Redemption involves His merciful and costly action to free humanity from the bondage of sin and death, accomplished through Christ’s Sacrifice, making forgiveness and reconciliation with God possible. Our meditation passage reveals a grand Redemptive Plan initiated by the Triune God, with the Father as the Planner, the Son as the Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit as the Guarantor, all ultimately for God's Glory.

This passage, a single long sentence in the original Greek, focuses on the spiritual blessings believers have in Christ, through:

God the Father (vv.3-6): “Blessed be the GOD and FATHER...” (v..3). The Father is the Source of Salvation. Based on His Love and Will, He chose Believers in Christ before the world's creation to be holy and blameless, predestined us for adoption, and qualified us for blessings. His Plan is from foreknowledge to glorification (Rom.8:29-30).

God the Son (vv. 7-12): Redemption is achieved through the Blood of Jesus Christ, which provides forgiveness of sins, a display of God's Grace, that sets humanity free from sin's bondage and penalty. It also reveals God's plan to unite all things in Christ, leading to believers receiving an inheritance and living for His Glory.

God the Holy Spirit (vv. 13-14): The Holy Spirit seals believers upon hearing and believing the gospel, thereby serving as a deposit, guaranteeing the full inheritance and confirming our identity as God's own until the final redemption. 

Here are Five Aspects of God's Impact in Redemption:

Initiator and Provider: God is the Source of Redemption; a plan conceived before the world began, and promised initially at the Fall of Man (Gen.3:15). He sent His Son to be the payment for sin; a price humanity could not afford (Jh.3:16).

Atonement and Forgiveness: Redemption involves the "buying back" of the spiritually enslaved (Rom.5:12-21). This was achieved not with material wealth, but with Christ’s precious Blood atoning for sins and cleansing completely (1Pet.1:18-19).

Deliverance and Transformation: God rescues us from the "dominion of darkness" and transfers us into the kingdom of His Son, resulting in a new life, free from sin's power, allowing us to live righteously and pursue good works (Col.1:13-14; Tit.2:14).

Eternal Inheritance: The redemption secured by Christ is eternal, assuring us who believe, of a future inheritance and the ultimate resurrection and redemption of our physical bodies when Christ returns (Heb.9:12-15; 1Pet.1:3-5).

Justice and Love: Redemption demonstrates both God's Perfect Justice and His boundless Love. On one hand, sin must be punished; on the other, He provides the Substitute for that punishment (1Jh.4:10).

Redemption is God’s complete work, planned eternally and executed historically for His Glory; a gracious act that transforms lives and secures an eternal future for believers.