Redeemed!

Redeemed!

In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor, Ephesians 1:7 AMPC

The Inspiration:

Paul writes to the church in Ephesus, and as is his usual custom, he introduces himself as a servant of God. All who are sent by God have his backing, and they speak as his  representative on earth. Being a child of God is a special relationship, and is the key to all the benefits and blessings that God has made available for all who have come to trust Him. Though God is kind to all He has made, being His child is that level of access that not everyone is entitled to. It is very important then to sort out my identity and place today. The verse above ties my allocation to my location. What I get from life is a reflection of where I am or who I am. Who are you? Do you know what you are entitled to? Have you made any claim on what you are entitled to? The answers to these questions define the rest of the verse above.

The Contention:

For all who are IN Christ, there is redemption. I note the word IN. Christ is a person, the journey, the experience, as well as the final destination. You will not survive outside of Jesus. It is not about hearing or reading about Him; it is about being IN Him. It is quite dangerous to be outside of Him. Outside of Christ, there is no life, no peace and no hope. Check out the explanation given above for redemption: 'deliverance and salvation) through His blood'. The blood is the start of anything of eternal value. It is the place where the old man of sin was dealt the final blow, and the new man, created in the image of Christ, was created. I was delivered from the power of sin, and now, sin has no hold over me. The past is history, and now the present is about true life in Christ. I didn't do anything to get it; in fact, I could not have done anything. 

The Conclusion:

That is what grace and favour are all about. If it were by labour, earnings, influence or connections, not many of us would qualify for all that God has provided. God is rich in mercy which is His nature. It was mercy that drew up the plan of salvation, and His love brought it down to man. It is His love and mercy that keep the plan in place for as long as the earth remains, which is the reason why even those who are yet to be born meet this grace in place. Think of this: God's grace knows no bounds and is not limited by time, space or circumstances. However, in that grace is also a warning: grace expires. All that grace gives is for a season, and when the time comes, it will be withdrawn. Eternal life lies at the end of the grace that God gives. In the same way, eternal death is the end of the rejection of God's grace. What is your decision? God's time of favour is here.