TO WHOM WAS THE RANSOM PRICE PAID?

The ransom price for our souls was paid into the hands of God, whose justice was offended, whose law we broke, and who is the lawgiver, that is able to save and to destroy, and against whom all sin is committed, who will by no means clear the guilty unless his justice is satisfied. He is the judge of all the earth who will do right. Therefore Christ is said "to redeem" men "unto God by his blood" (Rev. 5:9). The price of redemption, which is the blood of Christ, was paid unto God. It was by the ransom price of Christ’s shed blood that the redemption of our souls from the vindictive justice of the infinite, holy, and righteous Lord God was obtained.

The ransom price was not paid into the hands of Satan, or any other enemy that had power over us. The power of Satan was only a usurped power. He had no legal right to hold us captives. Therefore the delivery of our souls out of his hand is by power and not by price.

However, the justice of God had a legal right to shut us up and detain us as prisoners until satisfaction was given. Therefore redemption from avenging justice, which is the redemption that is by Christ, is redemption by a price paid to justice for the ransom of God’s elect. It is written, "Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (1 Cor. 1:30-31).Jesus Christ is made of God unto us Redemption. He redeems and saves his people by three mighty works of deliverance.

  1. By Ransom Price - The Son of God paid the justly demanded price of our souls’ ransom from the law’s curse. He paid both perfect, infinitely meritorious righteousness and complete, infinitely meritorious atonement.
  1. By Regenerating Power - At the appointed time of love, the Lord of glory sends his Holy Spirit to regenerate, to quicken from the dead, his ransomed people. By sovereign, irresistible grace and power the Spirit of God sets chosen, redeemed sinners free from the bondage of sin, the tyranny of Satan, and the terror of the law, calling them to life and faith in Christ. That call to life and faith is not an offer, but the gift and operation of life and faith in Christ!
  1. By Resurrection Glory - At the day appointed by the Father, our Lord Jesus Christ shall come again in power and great glory to gather his saints in the resurrection of the just into his heavenly kingdom. When he has raised our bodies from the grave and destroyed all our enemies and his, when he has glorified all his saints and made all things new, then, we shall forever be delivered from all the consequences of sin! Read Revelation 21:1-5.

(Revelation 21:1-5) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. {2} And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. {3} And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. {4} And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. {5} And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Knowing that the precious blood of Christ is a price sufficient to satisfy the justice of God for all his elect, we rejoice to sing with confidence and joy the lines of Cowper’s great hymn…

"Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood Shall never lose its power

‘Til all the ransomed Church of God Be saved to sin no more!"

AMEN.

 

Don Fortner