Is Your Gospel Big Enough?Намуна

The Chapter of Redemption

Where do you look for hope in the midst of brokenness?

If the Fall explains the way things are, Redemption, the third chapter, explains how the world could and should be.

God did not abandon the human race. He did not leave man to die in the sin and misery that resulted from Adam’s original sin. Instead, out of his great love and mercy, God delivered his people from sin and brought them into salvation by grace through faith. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). In our sin and wretchedness, we deserve death – the penalty for our sin – but instead, through his son, Jesus Christ, God graciously gives us the free gift of eternal life (Rom. 6:23). And so, we have hope.

Christ’s death paid the price for all of the sin of his children – past, present, and future. Christ offers us a way to know God by clothing us in his righteousness. God sent Jesus so that we may have access to a restored, redeemed relationship with him. Through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, God adopts us as his children, and we receive the eternal inheritance of Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:5-6; Titus 3:7). Our status with God changes; we are justified by our faith in Jesus.

In 2 Corinthians 5, the Apostle Paul gives a vivid explanation of the power of the Lord’s work in our lives when we trust in him. We are no longer defined by our sin; we are defined by Christ’s righteousness. In Christ, we are a new creation. Being made new gives us new life, a life in Christ, through which we have a new perspective of hope and the assurance of our salvation. God gives us foretastes of glory and hope in our lives to show us what is to come when Christ returns. The impact of redemption in our daily lives is not just theoretical; it is practical. In the midst of great hardship and pain, we experience joy, laughter, love, peace, reconciliation, and beauty. We see redemption in relationships repaired, illnesses healed, cities rebuilt. Successful businesses provide goods and services to consumers around the world, promoting flourishing and prosperity. Innovation and technology have changed the global economy, communication, healthcare, finance, and more. Communities come together in the face of tragedy to rebuild, support, and care for one another. By living lives demonstrative of Christ’s love, we extend God’s redemptive grace to others.

The third chapter of Redemption represents the beginning of the restoration and fulfillment of God’s original purposes. Those who are redeemed can fulfill their original calling in Genesis – to have dominion over the earth and to create culture. God has uniquely gifted each person to do this, and through redemption, allowed us to fulfill his call even in our sin.

How do you see redemption play out in your daily life?

Additional Elements

Redemption applies to our relationship with God and to the whole world. “Redemption: Our Only Hope” explains how.