Who are You? Redeemed by the Son

In her great hymn, Redeemed, how I Love to Proclaim it!, Fanny Crosby wrote these precious words,

“Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.”

If you are a Christian, you are redeemed. What is redemption? The word redemption means to “buy back.” It also signifies a “releasing” and “deliverance” – especially in regards to sin. In Ephesians 1:7 Paul said, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace“. The Greek word used here for redemption carries a vivid word picture. It is one of a prisoner at a slave market, and the only way in which he can be set free is if one comes and pays the required price. This act is called redemption. For the Christian, what was the price for their redemption? We need to acknowledge that it was a price that we could not pay. Why? The reason is because “all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment” (Isaiah 64:6). There was a price needing to be paid in order for us to be forgiven. The solution to our problem is found in Christ because our text says “In him we have redemption through his blood…” (Eph. 1:7). The price paid was the precious blood of Jesus Christ. The apostle Peter says it like this,

“knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19)

In apposition to “redemption” Paul adds, “the forgiveness of our trespasses.” This describes what has happened in the believers “redemption.” We all sinned against God, but by God’s grace He forgives all those He redeems.

Who are you? If you are in Christ, you need to know that you are redeemed! You are redeemed by the grace of God and it is your delight to give praise to your Redeemer. In closing consider the words of another verse from Crosby’s great hymn,

“I think of my blessed Redeemer,
 I think of Him all the day long:
 I sing, for I cannot be silent; 
His love is the theme of my song.”