The Redeemer -- the person who pays the ransom price.
The Ransom -- the price or the cost for freedom or restoration.
You can't have a Redeemer without a Ransom.
The term "Redeemer" is first found in the Old Testament. If an Israelite had to sell their land because of poverty, a kinsman-redeemer (relative) who was willing could buy back the land, restoring it to the original owner. If an Israelite was sold into slavery, the kinsman-redeemer could pay the price to free that person.
The Redeemer Why do we need a Redeemer? Because someone has to free us from the condemnation and the guilt of our sins by paying the punishment, the ransom price, for our sins. Only one person is able and is willing to pay: Jesus, our Redeemer.
The Ransom What is the cost to pay our ransom? It's huge! All the money in the world, all the good deeds we could do, and all the sacrifices we could make could never be enough to pay the price. There is only one thing that could cover the ransom......the sacrificial death of Jesus who died willingly on the cross and shed His blood for our forgiveness.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)
The Motivation What would motivate God to be willing to pay such a high ransom price? We certainly didn't do anything to deserve to be redeemed. The answer is..........Love.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
The Valuation What does this high ransom price say about our worth? It must mean that God values us so highly that He wants to be our rescuer. After all, we are His precious creation -- His children. What good and loving father would not lay down his life for his children?
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)
Yes, we are His children and therefore Jesus, God in the flesh, is in a sense our Kinsman-Redeemer, meaning we were His to begin with, His creation. And He wants us back, restored to a loving, father-child relationship.
The Decision The offer of redemption is just that...an offer. Each person needs to decide to accept the offer of redemption by choosing Jesus as their personal Redeemer. That's simply done by turning from our sins, believing in Jesus (who He is and what He's done for us), being baptized into Him, and then following Him.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
The Result Transformation, Forgiveness, Eternal Life
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace (Ephesians 1:7)
The Response Love Him, Follow Him, Live for Him
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6:20)
The Conclusion Jesus is our Redeemer - willfully giving his life as a sacrifice to pay the ransom price that forgives our sins giving us the promise of eternal life with Him.
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed... but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (1 Peter 1:18–19)
