Ask most Evangelicals what redemption means in the Bible, and they will give vague and misleading answers. Popular answers define redemption as “salvation from the penalty of sin,” “forgiveness of sins,” “eternal security,” “being part of God’s forever family,” and “God’s grace,” among others.
But the word redemption, and the related verb redeem, have a basic meaning of “purchasing one’s freedom from slavery.” The emphasis in the Bible is often on the result—freedom from slavery—though on other occasions the emphasis is on the price paid.
The English word redeem1 occurs eleven times in the NT and 111 times in the OT. Here are some examples:
- God redeemed Israel from bondage in Egypt (Exod 6:6).
- A slave could be redeemed by a relative (Lev 25:48-49).
- The life of a firstborn donkey could be redeemed by the life of a lamb (Exod 34:20).
- If a man sold a house in a walled city, he could redeem it during the first year after he sold it (Lev 25:29-30).
- Christ will redeem Israel from Gentile domination and oppression when He returns (Luke 24:21).
- Christ set us free from the curse of the law (Gal 3:13).
- Christ set us free from aimless conduct (1 Pet 1:18).
The word redemption (Greek in NT: apolutrōsis) occurs eleven times in the NT and twelve times in the OT. It is found twice in Romans (3:24; 8:23). BDAG says that in the NT it means “buying back a slave or captive.” One day our bodies will be redeemed from their current bondage (Rom 8:23).
While the words redeem and redemption are not found in Romans 6, the concept is prevalent there. Believers have been set free from sin’s bondage in terms of our position. Paul said that the believers in Rome had been “slaves of sin” (Rom 6:17), but that in Christ they “became slaves of righteousness” (Rom 6:18). However, in order to be redeemed from sin’s bondage in our experience, believers are told to “reckon yourselves dead to sin” (Rom 6:11) and “present your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Rom 6:13).
The Lord Jesus taught the same thing in John 8. He said, “…if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). He made it clear that he was talking about the fact that unbelievers are slaves of sin (John 8:34). The believer is set free positionally and will experience that freedom if he abides in Christ’s word (John 8:31-32).
Believers should never think of themselves as slaves of sin. That is an affront to the blood of Christ. He paid the redemption price. We’ve been set free from sin’s bondage. It makes no sense for a believer to walk in the old ways. We are now free to walk “in newness of life” (Rom 6:4).
Keep grace in focus, and you’ll rejoice in your status as a free man or woman in Christ.
1 Greek in NT: lutroō three times; exagorazō four times; agorazō, thirty-one times, but only three times in terms of the redemption of people; and lutrōsis one time
