Gloria
Phifer
Have
you ever lost anything valuable? Did it mean enough to you that you would have
bought it back if you could have?
A
woman inherited a rare jewel. She had it fashioned into a necklace.
It was stolen by a thief. Years later, as she walked down the main
street of a large city, she passed a jewelry store. She glanced and then
stopped. There in the window, on display, was her rare, jeweled necklace. She
knew the only way she could have it back was to pay the price. When she
purchased it, it belonged to her again. She had redeemed what had been stolen
from her. It had been lost; now it was found…the price had been paid. The rare
jewel had been redeemed and returned to the original owner
.
Ephesians
1: 6-7 In Whom (Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
of sins, according to the riches of His grace…
Redemption
in Greek is "apolytrosis" (ap-ol-oo-tro-sis) "Ransom in full. Especially
Christian salvation: deliverance, redemption. A releasing; affected by payment
of ransom. Liberation procured by the payment of a ransom. This word is a
compound of two other words. "Apo"
"which means "separation. A
separation; of a part, from the whole. Any kind of separation
of one thing from another by which the union or fellowship of the two is
destroyed. Where, from some part of a whole, some part is taken. From
another word "lytron".
"A redemption price…atonement.
Thoughts
on these words? What does the word separation mean to you? What about atonement?
What
really spoke to me about these words was the separation of man from God.
How painful for the Lord to have
this separation from mankind. How devastating was this separation for mankind.
It meant…sin…total depravity, without the presence of God. The second word that
stood out to me was Atonement.
What are your thoughts about the
definition of "Apo"…A separation, of
a part, from the whole? Clearly mankind was no longer whole without God. What
about God? He had lost His fellowship with His creation…mankind.
Mankind
can never be whole without God. That is why there is so much talk about feeling
the hole inside you. The age old question…"why am I alive? What is life
all about? What is my purpose?" These questions can only be answered
through One…God. He fills the hole. He gives the purpose. He gives the reason
for living. Col.
2:10. It is through Christ that we find our wholeness …our completeness.
Greek
for complete is "pleroo"(play-ro-o). "Full, filled up (as
opposed to empty). Of a surface, covered in every part. Of the soul, thoroughly
permeated with. Complete, lacking nothing, perfect.
Wow! I don't know about you but this is
wonderful!!! Don't you think? Do you see wholeness? Lacking nothing! Complete
in Christ!
This
is what our Father God wants for us is "wholeness." Being filled up
with Him.
Nothing else will do. He has done
this for us IN CHRIST. By His grace.
We
see through the word "Apo" the
fellowship of the two had been destroyed. I was thinking back to the beginning
of God and man. In the garden where He walked and talked with them….His
creation…created in His image. His creation who could commune with Him. The one
that was given speech.
Genesis 3:8 The Lord God came to
the garden, in the cool of the evening and walked with Adam and Eve. They had
once longed for and enjoyed His presence, now they hid themselves. The
fellowship and wholeness had been destroyed.
One
of the saddest words in the Bible…vs.9 "And the Lord God (Jehovah Elohim)
called unto "Adam…where are
you?" Genesis 5:1-2 He called their
name Adam.
When He called "Adam where are
you?" He was calling for both of them.
The
fellowship had been destroyed. The separation had come.
MANKIND WHERE ARE YOU?
The
only way to have that separation repaired and restored was redemption. There would be a price that would be paid.
Gen.
3:14-15.A Promised Messiah…The Seed of the woman would come. In natural
conception, the seed comes from the man and fertilizes the woman's egg. But
this birth would be of God. The Seed of
the woman. The birth of the Seed of the woman would be
Holy. Luke 1:26-35.
Luke 2:7-14. vs. 14 what was God's purpose
for mankind given by the angels?
1
John 4:7-10. Propitiation means "atonement". Propitiation in Greek is
"hilasmos" Atonement. And expiator: propitiation.
Romans
5:11 Atonement in Greek "katallage". Exchange. Restoration to the
Divine favor: atonement. Reconciliation. Restoration of the favor of God
to sinners that repent and put their trust in the expiatory death of
Christ. To reconcile (those who are at
variance). Return to favor with. Be reconciled to one. To receive one into
favor."
1
John 1:2-2. Propitiation for our sins. (Atonement.)
What
are your thoughts on Atonement? Why was Jesus the Atonement for our
sins?
Behold
the Lamb of God…John 1:29.
Jesus
came to restore our oneness with God: to restore our fellowship with our God.
He came to give us abundant life.
John 10:10. In this scripture we also see the thief. The one who came to steal,
kill and destroy. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8.
We
have been bought back by a great price. 1 Peter 18-25. We have been redeemed by
the precious Blood of Christ…a Lamb without blemish and without spot. He was
foreordained before the foundation of the world and was manifest in these last
times for you and me.
Maybe
this won't hit you like it did me but when this thought came I was
stunned. The blood that was shed was the
blood of God. For Jesus is not only the Son of God, He is God.
Is this as profound to you as it was to
me? John 1:1-4 and 14. The Word was God.
He
has come to give us life. 1 John 5:10-15.
Our fellowship with the Father has been restored. Once again we can walk
in His presence and hear His voice.
Rev.
5:9 For You were slain and have redeemed us to God…
We
are the redeemed of the Lord. To God be the glory!!!
All
week I have been thinking what David wrote and this is the way I feel…I am in
awe…Ps. 8:4 "What is man, that You are mindful of him? And the son of man,
that You visit him?"
Ps 107:2. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so...
I AM THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD. IN
CHRIST.
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