Redemption is typically used in reference to the process of setting a captive free, reacquiring something of value, settling a debt, atoning for sin, or delivering from evil.
The motion picture Man on Fire directed by Tony Scott illustrates redemption through self-sacrifice in the protagonist John W. Creasy (Denzel Washington). Creasy is a former CIA operative to takes on a job in Mexico as the body guard for Lupita “Pita” Ramos (Dakota Fanning). A local ring of kidnappers ambushed Creasy and take Pita for ransom. The kidnappers intend extort money from the wealthy families, but upon receiving payment, they return the child. However, things fail to go as planned, the ransom for Pita is stolen, and Pita is presumed dead. Barely surviving his injuries, Creasy takes down those responsible for Pita’s kidnapping. Just as he is about to end the ringleader of kidnappers, “The Voice” Daniel Sanchez (Roberto Sosa), it is learned that Pita is still alive. Since Creasy has taken down his henchmen, The Voice makes asks for one life to be given in exchange for another. Creasy would give up his own life and Pita would be set free into the care of her mother, Lisa Ramos (Radha Mitchell). Creasy agrees, the exchange is made, but as the result of injuries from the initial ambush, he dies during transit to The Voice. One of Creasy’s allies, Federal Ministerial Police agent Miguel Manzano (Giancarlo Giannini), then takes out The Voice. Pita is then redeemed by Creasy and Creasy is Pita’s redeemer.
God is the quintessential Redeemer. The Apostle Paul tells us that the Father “delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13-14).[1]
Paul sets a contrast between the former life in sin and present new life with Christ. The apostle makes it clear to the Colossian converts that the “Father…qualified [them] to share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Col. 1:12). They were counted among the saints according to God’s bountiful goodness. What the Lord bequeathed to them was to be received with the giving of thanks. They had been rescued from captivity in darkness and brought into the care of the Son who is Jesus Christ.
Believers at Colossae were granted “redemption.” Paul uses the term with respect to the sinner being made righteous by the blood of Christ: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (Rm. 3:23-25, emphasis added). The Epistle to the Hebrews likewise tells us that Christ, who is the superior high priest, “is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant” (Heb. 9:15).
God also extended to the Colossians the “forgiveness of sins.” Forgiveness is the setting free of a person from an obligation. The one standing guilty before God is given a pardon and due punishment is canceled. All this is ties into Christ own death. Paul makes the connection clear in the Epistle to the Ephesians: “In [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). Even in the Lord’s Supper Christ passes us the cup and says: “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:27-28). The Colossians received absolution for their trespasses against God.
It is by Christ own death that the Colossians were brought of their bondage to sin and given a place as sons and daughters in the family of God. Succinctly put: “the Colossians had lived in darkness, that is, in sinfulness” but “God rescued them through his beloved Son, and now they are in the light (see Luke 16:8; John 12:36; 1 Thess. 5:15).”[2]
God created Adam and Eve, they were made in the image of God, and they were meant to live forever in fellowship with their Heavenly Father. But they were deceived by Satan, they ate the forbidden fruit, and they were expelled from Paradise. They were estranged from God, they became enslaved to sin, they eventually died. Even their progeny suffered the same fate.
Just like our first parents, we too find ourselves estranged from God. Life with God is often the last thing on our minds. Not only are we the victims of the offenses of others, but we are the victimizers and offenders of God and others. Bad things are done to us, but we do bad things too. None of us are good save God (Mk. 10:18). We are enslaved to sin but we are even duped into serving the Devil’s agenda. We have been taken captive in the domain of darkness.
But God has been working to sets the captives free and bring them into a good place under the care of the beloved Son, Jesus Christ. The Redeemer brings us out of the darkness into the light. Christ comes to us, breaths into us the breath of life, frees us from our captivity, and brings us to a better place where there is everlasting life.
God is the Redeemer. If there is going to be any release from our captivity to sin, it is going to have to come through the Redeemer. Thankfully, God has a plan of redemption already put into motion which has been unfolding from the very beginning.
— WGN
[1] All Scriptures cited from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), unless noted.
[2] Lynn H. Cohick, The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary, ed. Gary M. Burge and Andrew E. Hill (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012), 1402.
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