115. Redeemed without Money
Isaiah 52:3 For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.
Many are the promises of redemption. Here the promise is that we shall be redeemed without money, because we are redeemed with blood, the blood of Jesus, the Son of God. This redemption is free to us. We did not pay for redemption, but Christ did, and fully so; He paid the full redemption price. On earth one may pay a ransom price for a person kidnapped or in slavery. But we were redeemed from both legal kidnapping and slavery. Our sin and guilt has legally put us into slavery and ownership to the devil. As long as we have sin we are legally bound to and owned by Satan and we are rightfully his slaves. But once the blood of Jesus forgives our sin we are free; we are returned to the original and rightful owner, God the Father: we are redeemed; and that without money, but with blood.
Original Sin was the price for which we were sold in the first place. Once Adam sinned Satan had a legal claim and a lawful right to his life, and all his descendants; and he subsequently enslaved us to Sin, to Death and to himself. Sin sold us for nought, that is, for nothing, for no money. The forgiveness of sin bought us back again, also without money. All the money in the world could not purchase the soul of one person; each soul is worth much more than that. The precious blood of Christ was the redemption price, and it is paid in full.
Whenever we are depressed; whenever we feel down and out; whenever we feel guilty, ashamed and worthless failures; whenever are fearful and worried about anything, then we turn to the cross and see the blood of the Loving Savior being shed for our sin. What we see is the redemption price, costly beyond measure. So high and deep and wide and long is the love of Christ that we cannot comprehend it with our minds; we need the revelation of the Holy Spirit. This revelation, this vision, this understanding comes by the Spirit through the power of the Gospel. Sometimes we need to say these words in faith: “I have been redeemed.” In this way, the promise is repeatable, undeniable, uplifting and powerful. Say it, take it, use it, and claim it: by faith it is yours.