THE THIRD PART: 24 CRUCIAL LINES IN THE BIBLE
The All-inclusive Christ
Message Eight—Redemption through Christ’s Ministry in the Stage of Incarnation
Scripture Reading: Rom. 3:24; Eph. 1:7; Gal. 3:13; 4:5; 1 John 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Titus 2:14
I. To redeem is to purchase back at a cost—Rom. 3:24; 1 Cor. 6:20:
A. We were chosen and predestinated by God and originally belonged to God, but we became fallen and lost through sin; thus, we need redemption—Eph. 1:4-7.
B. Man once was His possession, but man became fallen, sinking in sins and many things that were contrary to God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory, thereby falling under the threefold demand of God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory.
C. Redemption deals with our sins by fulfilling God’s requirements—Rom. 3:23-24; 8:4:
1. The requirements of God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory were so great upon us that it was impossible for us to fulfill them.
2. Since we were unable to pay the price, God paid it for us through Christ’s death on the cross, redeeming us at a tremendous cost—1 Pet. 1:18-19.
3. Christ died on the cross to redeem us; His blood obtained eternal redemption for us—Gal. 3:13; Titus 2:14; Heb. 9:12; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18.
II. God has justified us by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus—Rom. 3:24:
A. Justification is God’s action whereby He approves people according to His standard of righteousness; God does this on the basis of the redemption of Christ.
B. Since Christ has paid the price for our sins and in His redemption has fulfilled all the requirements on us, God, because He is just, must justify us freely—5:1; Hymns, #1003.
III. We have redemption in the Beloved through His blood—Eph. 1:6-7; Col. 1:13-14:
A. The Beloved is God’s beloved Son, the Son of His love, in whom He delights—Matt. 3:17; 17:5; Col. 1:13-14:
1. In the Beloved we were graced, made the object of God’s favor and pleasure—Eph. 1:6.
2. As such an object, we enjoy God, and God enjoys us in His grace in His Beloved, who is His delight; in the Beloved we too become His delight.
B. In the Beloved “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses”—v. 7:
1. Christ’s death accomplished redemption unto the forgiveness of our sins—Col. 1:14.
2. Redemption is what Christ accomplished for our offenses; forgiveness is the application of Christ’s accomplishment to our offenses—Eph. 1:7.
3. The forgiveness of sins is the redemption that we have in Christ through His blood; apart from the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins—Heb. 9:22.
IV. The blood that has redeemed fallen human beings is the blood of Jesus, the Son of God—Acts 20:28; 1 John 1:7:
A. As a man, the Lord Jesus had genuine human blood to shed for our redemption, and as God, He has the divine element that gives His blood eternal efficacy.
B. The Lord Jesus died on the cross as the God-man; the blood that He shed was not only the blood of the man Jesus but also the blood of the God-man:
1. In 1 John 1:7 the name Jesus denotes the Lord’s humanity, which was needed for the shedding of the redeeming blood.
2. The title His Son denotes the Lord’s divinity, which is needed for the eternal efficacy of the redeeming blood.
3. The blood of Jesus His Son indicates that this blood is the proper blood of a genuine man shed for the redeeming of God’s fallen creatures, with the divine surety as its eternal efficacy; for this reason, the redemption accomplished by the God-man is eternal—Heb. 9:12.
C. By His blood the Lord Jesus has released us from our sins and has purchased us for God—Rev. 1:5; 5:9.
V. Christ has redeemed us out of the curse of the law—Gal. 3:13:
A. In His work on the cross, Christ became a curse on our behalf and redeemed us out of the curse of the law:
1. When Christ took away our sin on the cross, He redeemed us out of the curse.
2. Not only did Christ redeem us out of the curse; He even became a curse on our behalf—v. 13; John 19:2, 5.
B. Because Christ has redeemed us out of the curse of the law, having become a curse on our behalf, we may receive the greatest blessing, which is the Triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit—as the processed, all-inclusive life-giving Spirit dwelling in us for our enjoyment—Gal. 3:14.
VI. Christ has redeemed us from the custody of the law so that we might receive the sonship—4:4-5:
A. Christ has redeemed us from the custody of the law so that we might receive the sonship and become the sons of God—3:23; 4:4-5.
B. Christ’s redemption brings us into the sonship of God so that we may enjoy the divine life for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose to have many sons for His corporate expression—vv. 4-5; Heb. 2:10; Rom. 8:29.
VII. The blood of Christ has redeemed us from our vain manner of life, a life that had no meaning and no goal—1 Pet. 1:18-19:
A. In order to pass the time of our sojourning in fear, we need to have a deep realization concerning the redemption of Christ—v. 17.
B. Christ’s redemption has separated us from our vain manner of life, and now we may be holy in all our manner of life—v. 15.
VIII. Christ gave Himself on our behalf not only to redeem us from all lawlessness but also to purify to Himself a people for His own possession—a people privately possessed by God as His unique, peculiar treasure, His own possession—Titus 2:14; Exo. 19:5; 1 Pet. 2:9.
Ministry Excerpts:
THE REDEMPTION
What is the difference between propitiation and redemption? The word redeem means to purchase back something which originally was yours but which had become lost. This hymnal belongs to me. If the hymnal becomes lost and I pay the price of buying it back, I would be redeeming the hymnal. Thus, redemption means to repossess at a cost.
We originally belonged to God. We were His possession. However, we were lost. Nevertheless, God did not give us up. He paid the price to have us back, repossessing us at a great cost. This is redemption. Even after we had become lost, He desired to regain us. However, this was not easy for God to do because our being lost involved us in sins and in many other things that were against His righteousness, holiness, and glory. Because we were lost we had many problems with God in respect to His righteousness, holiness, and glory. We were under a threefold demand, the demand of righteousness, holiness, and glory. Many requirements were laid upon us, and it was impossible for us to fulfill them. The price was too great. God paid the price for us, repossessing us at a tremendous cost. Christ died on the cross to accomplish eternal redemption for us (Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 10:12; 9:28). His blood has obtained eternal redemption for us (Heb. 9:12, 14; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF
GOD’S RIGHTEOUS LAW AND GOD’S GLORY
The righteousness of God has been manifested to meet the requirements of His righteous law and His glory (Rom. 3:23). When we believe in the Lord Jesus, we receive the righteousness of God which meets all the requirements of God. In Romans 3 we find that the requirements of God are of two categories: the requirements of His righteousness and His glory. Paul clearly mentions God’s law and God’s glory. We have all broken the law and we have all come short of the glory. Therefore, Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and come short of God’s glory.
Why does Paul suddenly mention the glory of God? The answer involves the propitiation cover mentioned in verse 25. As Paul was writing this part of Romans, he probably had in his mind the picture of the ark of the testimony, especially the propitiation cover. Upon this cover were the cherubim of glory. As we have already pointed out, underneath the cover was the law exposing the sinfulness of people and condemning them, and above the cover were the two cherubim representing God’s glory and observing every action of the people. Underneath the cover was the exposing law; above the cover were the watching and observing cherubim. The exposing and condemning law signified the requirements of God’s righteousness according to the law, and the observing cherubim signified the requirements of God’s glory according to the expression of God. Unless these requirements were fulfilled and God was satisfied, there was no way for sinners to contact God and for God to communicate with them. Hallelujah for the expiating blood! The expiating blood was sprinkled upon the propitiation cover, meeting the requirements of the righteous law and of God’s glory.
In this universe the Lord Jesus has been set forth as the propitiation place, and all sinners may come to meet God upon Him. Where are we today? We are on the propitiation place. We do have a position, a ground to meet with God, and God has the same ground to communicate with us. Where is the law? The law is under the propitiation cover; it is covered by the propitiating Christ. Where is God’s glory? It is above us, yet it has no claim against us because we are upon Christ as the propitiation place. Here we are justified. On this propitiation cover we are the same as God in His righteousness. We and God correspond to one another and are mutually approved. We approve God, and God approves us; God justifies us, and we justify Him.
Do you think it is too bold to say that we can justify God? Romans 3:4 gives us the ground to say it. This verse says that God should be justified in His sayings and overcome when He is judged. We can justify God. I have done this a number of times. Although I recognized that I was a sinner, I did not follow God blindly. I tried my best to verify His words. Eventually, I fully approved God as being right. Do not be afraid to study about God and investigate Him a little to see whether He is right. If you investigate Him, you will find that He is one thousand percent, even one million percent right. You will justify God. On Christ as the propitiation cover, God and we mutually approve one another.
According to our experience, it was not God who firstly approved us, but we who approved God. We do not know how much time God spent to convince us of His righteousness. We were rebellious and said, “I don’t like God. God is not right.” We all thought this way before we were saved. Many people speak against God saying, “If God is right, why are there so many poor people on the earth? If God is right, why is there no justice among the nations?” They admit that there is God, but claim that He is not righteous. Many of us can testify the same thing, confessing that we thought God was wrong, that He was not righteous. However, God has been patient with us, doing many things for us until He finally convinced us of His righteousness. Who justified whom first? We firstly justified God. When we were convinced by God of His righteousness, we justified Him and wept in repentance, saying, “God, forgive me. I’m so sinful and unclean. I need Your forgiveness.” When we called on the name of the Lord Jesus, we not only were put into Christ but upon Christ. Now we are upon Christ as our propitiation place where God and we can justify one another. We declare, “God, You are righteous. I have no problem with You.” Then God replies, “Dear child, I have no problem with you either.” Firstly, we approved God; then God approved us. We justified God; then God justified us. All this happened upon Christ as the propitiation place. Under Him the law is covered and upon Him the cherubim are joyous when they see the mutual justification that occurs upon Him as the propitiation cover.
Where are we now? We are on Jesus Christ as the propitiation place. We are on the propitiation cover. The law is under our feet, and the glory of God is over our head satisfied. The law has been silenced; it can no longer speak against us, but the glory of God can rejoice over us with satisfaction. Here upon the propitiation cover we enjoy God’s full justification. (Life-study of Romans, msg. 5)
TO GIVE HIMSELF FOR US
THAT HE MIGHT IMPART LIFE TO US
AND LIVE IN US IN RESURRECTION
TO FREE US FROM THE BONDAGE UNDER LAW
Christ was crucified in order to give Himself for us that He might impart life to us. This is altogether positive, whereas dealing with sins and rescuing us from the evil age are negative. On the positive side, Christ crucified imparts the divine life to us so that He might live in us in resurrection to free us from bondage under law (2:20). Through His death on the cross, Christ released His divine life and imparted the divine life into us. This makes it possible for Him to live in us in resurrection.
If Christ had not been crucified, it would not be possible for Him to come into us. A “raw,” unprocessed Christ cannot dwell in us. Before Christ could come into us and live in us, He had to deal with our sins and with our fallen nature. The old “I,” the “I” without God, had to be dealt with. To deal with sin and with our fallen nature, Christ had to be crucified. Dealing with these negative things opened the way for Christ to impart Himself into us as our life and thereby to live in us. Thus, Christ’s living in us is based upon His death on the cross.
Furthermore, the Christ who lives in us is a Christ in resurrection. If Christ had not been crucified, how could He have been resurrected? This would, of course, have been impossible. And if Christ were not in resurrection, He could not live in us. The only Christ who can dwell in us is a resurrected Christ, a processed Christ, a Christ who has passed through incarnation, human living, crucifixion, and resurrection. The process through which Christ has passed affords Him the ground and the way to enter into us and to live in us in His resurrection life. A “raw” Christ could never be life to us. The Christ who is our life and who lives in us is the processed Christ. Through His crucifixion He dealt with our sins and with our fallen nature. Now, based upon the work accomplished in His crucifixion, He lives in us in resurrection. This indicates clearly that the cross is the center of God’s operation for the carrying out of His economy.
TO REDEEM US
OUT OF THE CURSE OF THE LAW
Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ has redeemed us out of the curse of the law, having become a curse on our behalf; because it is written, Cursed is every one hanging on a tree.” Christ as our substitute on the cross not only bore the curse for us, but also became a curse for us. The curse of the law issued from the sin of man (Gen. 3:17). When Christ took away our sin on the cross, He redeemed us out of the curse.
The Galatians surely were foolish in going back to the law. What did they expect to do about the curse of the law? As descendants of Adam, they were under the curse like everyone else. If we read Romans 5, we see that Adam brought us all under the curse. But the curse was not altogether official until the law was given. But the law now declares that all the fallen descendants of Adam are under the curse. In Galatians 3:13 Paul seemed to be telling the Galatians, “The law is not good to you, for it has made the curse official. The curse brought in by the fall of Adam has been made official by the law. You are very foolish to return to the law. The law condemns you and makes your curse official. But through His crucifixion, Christ has redeemed us out of the curse of the law. On the cross He was even made a curse for us.”
Sin, the evil age, and the curse were all serious problems. Without the cross of Christ, how could God deal with these problems and carry out His economy? We certainly need Christ crucified. We need the Christ who has died on the cross to solve all these problems. (Life-study of Galatians, msg. 12)
THE OBEDIENCE AND SPRINKLING OF THE BLOOD
Now we come to the obedience and sprinkling of the blood. The obedience of the blood and the sprinkling of the blood are Jewish, Old Testament, dispensational matters. The use of these terms in 1:2 implies and indicates that in Peter’s writings the dispensation has changed from the Old Testament to the New Testament. In the Old Testament God gave Moses commandments concerning the law and concerning the blood of animals, a type of the blood of Christ shed for our redemption. Thus, all the Jews, according to the Old Testament economy of God, believed in the law and in the sprinkling of the blood of the animals used for sacrifices. On the day of Atonement in particular, the Israelites put their trust in this blood. In other words, they obeyed the law and the blood. The law and the blood were basic elements of their religion. Judaism is composed mainly of the law and the blood of atonement.
With the coming of Christ, the New Testament economy began. The Lord Jesus came to replace the law, and His blood fulfills the type of the animal blood and replaces it. The components of the New Testament economy, therefore, are the Person of Christ and the blood of Christ. For this reason, the Lord sent the apostles to proclaim that the dispensation of law is over and that we need to believe in Christ. They were also to declare that no longer was there the need for the sprinkling of the blood of animals, for the prevailing blood is the blood of Jesus Christ. Now we need to obey the faith in Christ and also obey Jesus’ blood. (Life-study of 1 Peter, msg. 4)