Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: REDEEM (03/03/22)
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TITLE: You've Been Redeemed | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
03/10/22 -
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In the ancient world, it was important for each tribe of Israel to maintain the boundaries of the land grant that each tribe received upon entering the Promised Land.
Accordingly, when a landowner died and left no immediate heir (e.g., son) to inherit the assigned tribal territory, there was an established line of qualifying blood-relatives who could step forward, purchase, and redeem the land (Ruth 4: 3, 4).
There were rights, obligations, and even consequences (Ruth 4:5, 6) that came along with being the redeemer, or being the redeemed (See Ruth 3: 13).
New Testament Scripture (e.g., Romans 3: 24) refers to Jesus Christ as a Redeemer, having bought (1Cor. 6: 20) us by the shedding of His atoning blood on the cross (1John 2: 2).
As the Redeemer, we are His possession.
As the redeemed, we through faith, are the recipients of eternal life (John 3: 16).
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are NOT your own? For YOU have been BOUGHT (redeemed) with a price… (1Cor. 6: 19 – 20 NASB parenthesis mine).”
Once one is born again, the issue of his or her salvation has been settled for all of Eternity (Romans 8: 1).
For what purpose then, does God leave the redeemed and saved soul, here in the devil’s (Luke 4: 6) world? Who or what is to be the focus of the attention of the redeemed until the Lord takes them home?
The answer to these questions is made clear in Scripture.
Here in the Church Age, advancing disciples glorify God by participating in the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19, 20), and by identifying and executing the individual (1Cor. 12: 11, 18) plan that our Redeemer has in mind. In order to accomplish this, our presence here on Earth is required.
What, or to whom, we make the focus of our attention is evidenced by the priorities we set for ourselves. We become a slave to whomever or whatever we make the focus of our attention.
Mature believers acknowledge the ownership principle of redemption, but do not serve or worship their Redeemer out of fear or obligation. They desire to worship, obey, and to serve Him with a grateful heart and without any reservation (Phil.1:21).
For them, paying the price of discipleship is not a burden, but a privilege.
To give anyone (Luke 14: 26), or any thing, our Redeemer’s place of priority, amounts to spiritual adultery (Rev. 2: 4), disqualifying the born again believer from discipleship.
"If anyone comes to Me, does not hate (love less) his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life (plans), he cannot be My disciple (Luke 14: 26 parentheses mine).”
“But I have this against you, that you have left your first love (Rev. 2: 4 NASB).”
Such choices can bring about negative consequences (Heb. 12: 6/1Cor. 3: 15), but thanks to the grace and the mercy of God, the believer’s salvation remains intact (Romans 8: 1/2Tim.2: 13).
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself (2Timothy 2: 13 NASB).”
As noted earlier, serving our Redeemer is not a burden. It is a privilege. But that does not mean that there aren’t going to be daily challenges.
“No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier (2Tim.2: 4 NASB).”
Note that 2Tim.2: 4 is not saying that we are not to have an every day life. In fact, it is as an advancing disciple goes about his or her every day life that he or she is called to serve as Christ’s ambassadors.
2Tim. 2: 4 is talking about avoiding a Mark 4: 19 scenario.
“But the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful (Mark 4: 19 NASB)."
In closing, consider that the one thing that every Church Age believer should strive for, is to conduct himself or herself in such a way that his or her Redeemer will say, “…Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master (Matt. 25: 21 NASB).”
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