Romans 5:9. The key part of the definition of redemption is that a ransom must occur in order for redemption to occur. There are three persons involved in a ransom: the person being ransomed, the savior, and the recipient of the ransom. In the case of Christian redemption the person being ransomed is all of mankind. They are in need of a savior because they are separated from God because of their sinful disobedience. The savior is Jesus Christ who loves us and whose act on the cross has provided all of us with the opportunity for redemption. The recipient of the ransom is God. His righteous wrath toward man’s sin nature must be satisfied. Jesus’ act on the cross is the answer for God’s wrath and forgiveness. Jesus has paid the ransom to change our condition. He has taken on God’s wrath that was riled by man’s sin nature. Only through the ransom that Jesus offered could God forgive mankind and allow us to be reconciled back to God. Otherwise, our only choice would be to continue to follow Satan as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. We can only be justified and be reconciled back to God by the blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him”).

ROMANS 5 BIBLE SCRIPTURE Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him

Romans 6:23. If you think about it, a ransom is a free gift to the person being redeemed. In the Christian definition of redemption, the free gift of eternal life is the end result of our redemption. Jesus is the one that offers us the free gift of eternal life. The only reason that Jesus paid the price for our sin on the cross is because He loves us. He paid our ransom by offering the free gift of eternal life to all of mankind (Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”). This ransom, this free gift, enables a righteous God to forgive us of our sin nature, and allows for mankind to be reconciled back to God. Our redemption occurs only because of the riches of God’s grace and the shedding of Jesus’ blood as payment for our sin (Ephesians 1:7, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”).

ROMANS 6 BIBLE SCRIPTURE Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord"

Hebrews 9:12. From a Christian perspective the definition of redemption specifies that the only redeemer is Jesus. Only Jesus’ act on the cross, his blood sacrifice, to take the punishment for our sins can lead to our eternal redemption. Jesus is the only one that has the perfect ransom and perfect gift to save us. There is no other way to salvation and redemption. Jesus’ redeeming act on the cross paid the ransom (price) for our sins. Jesus does not need to take on the punishment for our sin anymore. It is finished. He has paid the price once; He has paid the ransom for all on the cross. No more ransoms are needed or possible for us to be forgiven by God and to have eternal fellowship with Him (Hebrews 9:12, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us”).

HEBREWS 9 BIBLE SCRIPTURE Hebrews 9:12, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."