EPHESIANS: Redemption and Forgiveness
EPHESIANS Number 9:
Redemption and Forgiveness
Ephesians 1:7 (KJV 1900)
7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
We have redemption. How do we have redemption? In the Lord Jesus Christ! What made that redemption possible? His blood. Through His blood, we have forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 9:22 tells us that without the shedding of blood there is no “remission” (KJV). Most translations render this word “forgiveness”, and that is entirely appropriate. Remission is an archaic word when used in this way. The Greek here is aphesis which means, “the act of freeing and liberating from something that confines, release from captivity.” It means “the act of freeing from an obligation, guilt, or punishment; pardon, cancellation.” (BDAG) Aphesis means “forgiveness.” In fact the word behind “forgiveness” here in Ephesians 1:7 is (as I’m sure you’ve guessed) “aphesis.”
What the Lord Jesus did was completely effective. This redemption and forgiveness was a once for all event. Hear what Hebrews 9:25–26 says, “Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”
Hebrews 10:14–18 carries this truth forward saying, “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.’ Now where remission [forgiveness, remember] of these is, there is no more offering for sin.”
Can’t you almost hear your heart leaping for joy at this incomprehensible truth? Saints, we are forgiven completely. When Jesus proclaimed from the cross “tetelestai”, “it is finished” it was not an overstatement. Where there is remission, or forgiveness, of our sins, there is no more offering for sin. Saint, you are freed from making any sort of offering to God to take care of your sins. You feel regret, remorse, even sorrow, when you sin, but none of it is remembered by God.
How much redemption and forgiveness have we been given? Verse 7 continues by telling us that we have been given redemption and the forgiveness of sins “according to the riches of his grace.”
Father has graciously made us new, and as we have seen in just the few verses we’ve studied so far, new means new. We are not who we once were. We are now forgiven, blameless, holy saints. Father’s grace knows no bounds. Like Him, it is infinite. He has not diminished His grace by providing redemption and forgiveness without measure to us. He did not give “out of” His wealth of grace. He gave “according to” the wealth of His grace. How much forgiveness would He need to give to give forgiveness according to His infinite grace? Infinite forgiveness: and that is what we have IN CHRIST.
