Redeemed to be sons

Perhaps our most fundamental Christian belief is that Christ redeemed us from our sin. This is an exciting and miraculous truth; however, this was not the only purpose of His death on the cross. By the blood of the Lamb, we are not only redeemed from sin, we are redeemed to become sons and daughters of God. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul said, ‘When the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son … that we might receive the adoption as sons’. Gal 4:4,5. Consequently, we needn’t be obsessed with our sin and continually be under the condemnation of our failures. That is not to say we don’t deal with sin, but the Christian walk is about much more than this.

The Scriptures are filled with many symbols and metaphors. Most of the books of the Old Testament are historical accounts and should of course be taken literally. But it is important to remember that, in most cases, these accounts are also an allegory of something much broader. The account of Moses bringing the Israelites out of Egypt is an example of this. In the Scriptures Israel always refers to the people of God, while Egypt is a symbol of the world. As King David wrote, ‘And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel ... whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their gods? For You have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own people forever, and You, O Lord, have become their God’.
2 Sam 7:23,24.

In the book of Deuteronomy, we read that Israel was taken from ‘within another nation’. Deut 4:34. In the same way that Israel was brought out of Egypt, we can also be ‘brought out’ or separated from the world, saved from our sin and redeemed to become the church of the firstborn. Of course, this doesn’t mean that we are isolated from the world, but we are sanctified and sealed as holy to the Lord. The term ‘firstborn’ is significant. We remember that God instructed Moses to say to Pharaoh, ‘Israel is My son, My firstborn … Let My son go that he may serve Me’. Ex 4:22-23. In the days of old and in many cultures today, the first born son was heir to all that the father had; his position and possessions. In the same way, the church, the ‘Israel of God,’ is redeemed to become first born sons of God the Father. Of course, there is only one firstborn son of God and this is Christ, but as we participate in His body, we can become sons and co-heirs with Him of the eternal life of God.

By the blood of Christ we are redeemed from sin, but we are also redeemed to the position of a firstborn son. What a remarkable thought! Now our lives needn’t only be concerned with putting off sin. We can be at peace knowing that He has redeemed us to be sons and daughters of the Most High God.

Penny Falk

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Feature Articles
June 2009

The love of God

Preparing the way

Unrestrained lips

Redeemed to be sons

As for me and my house

Sweet fellowship

Effective households

Freedom

Setting goals

Pray without doubting