Scripture Text: Ephesians 1:7a
In him we have redemption through his blood...
Ephesians 1:7a
We have come to know now that the main purpose of our blessedness because of Christ is to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved (v.6). Yes, it is for God. For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. That being known to us, we must come to know as well the praise of God’s glory in the work of His Son – the Lord Jesus Christ. His [Christ] work is meant that God must be blessed, or praised, and that His [Father] grace in His Son [Christ] might be magnified for His glory. This immediately means that one must not be tempted to see God’s spiritual blessing to us, just for us alone. Everything is for His glory, not ours. Everything is for His satisfaction, not ours. His infinite glories is what blesses us, satisfies our renewed hearts and minds.
As we now see the work of His Son, our Lord Jesus the Christ, we can take this as well as a broadening of what must be our understanding with regards our blessedness in Christ Himself: “In him we have redemption through his blood" (v.7a). The word redemption here can denote releasing someone from imprisonment or slavery through paying a ransom. It has the idea of repurchasing a captured good or prisoner, or can be taken as well as an act of procuring the deliverance of persons or things from the possession and power of captors by the payment of an equivalent. Therefore, to be redeemed by Christ means to be released by Him, through Him, and for Him, from the slavery that we have from sin and death. Christ has removed our captivity to sin, death, and the curse of the law by His sacrificial death – the perfect and glorious payment. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”.
To be redeemed by Christ Jesus our Lord is vital in understanding how blessed we are. For through His redemption, we have been released from the penalty of sin, power of sin, and presence of sin! Therefore, to be redeemed by Christ is to have a new life that can now glorify the Redeemer who is at the same time the saint’s Lover, Lover-Redeemer! We are now freed from being mastered by sin, and we are now owned by the Son! Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Dear saint, this is your blessedness – that In him we have redemption through his blood! No longer unable to glorify Christ, no longer dislocated in our relationship with Him, and no longer destroyed by the wages of our sins - for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Christ’s redemption brought us close to Him [Father] once again, that we may again glorify Him, and enjoy Him forever! What more can be said: But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. We have a new Master! He is altogether lovely, and He possess the name above all names! He is our Lord Jesus Christ! And remember His very words as well, being our Master – “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
May your heart, dear saint, be truly captivated by this blessedness that you have in Him, and because of Him! May you find yourself, together with the psalmist, acclaiming, bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits! who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Ultimately, the enjoyment of God in Christ is the only joy and happiness with which our souls can be truly and magnificently satisfied.
Desire to know Him more, who has loved you unconditionally and eternally! Thirst and long for Him! Be in awe of Him—the darling of Heaven! He is all yours… He is all-perfect, all-holy, all-glorious!
Hear this then, dear saint: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Christ is all that we have! Christ is all that we need!
Take heart, dear saint!
Reflect
1. Do you consider it to be your blessedness to have Christ as your Owner?
2. How much do you value your love-covenant relationship with God?
3. Do you desire and long to love Him more, as you ought to be?
Remember
Every blessing from God and our Father are means to keep us back to our chief end—to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever! Live your life therefore for the praise of His glory, and continue to live out your blessedness in Him!
Pray
Father in Heaven, I come before You in the name of Your Son, praising and thanking You for the blessedness that You have bestowed upon me, poor and unworthy sinner. Indeed, this blessing that I have in my Christ, is from everlasting to everlasting, for this is His glory – He is all-powerful to redeem me, and His death and resurrection is all-sufficient as my ransom. Let this glorious blessedness, Father, penetrate the very center of my heart, that I might know this with much intimacy, because of Him, I am now owned by You once again, and I can really call You with such confidence, Abba, Father. Thank You, for blessing me with Your Son, my portion and my highest good, in whose name I pray. Amen.
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