What is redemption? By definition, it’s “an act of atoning for a fault or mistake”. The theological definition is “deliverance from sin”. For me, it means that all of the crap and messed up things that I’ve done and continue to do are completely wiped away. That’s a huge concept to actually grasp. But this idea of freedom through redemption has really been on my heart lately, especially in the few weeks leading up to Easter.
When was the last time you really thought about the meaning of Easter? When I was a kid it meant getting a basket full of candy and doing egg hunts. As an adult, it was an opportunity to spend quality time with family. But what is the real reason we celebrate it? It’s easy to say, “Because Christ has risen!” but what does that really mean? What’s the message behind it? And why did He have to die in the first place?
I want to paint a picture for you. The night before Jesus died, He was so distressed that He was sweating blood. When Judas (His follower and friend) betrayed Jesus, an entire mob came to arrest Him. They spit on Him and slapped Him and beat Him. Then they took Him to the governor, Pontius Pilate, in hopes that He would be put to death. And after a lot of persistence, He was. But first they had Jesus flogged. This wasn’t just any whip. It had like hooks in it so that the whip would grab onto His skin and rip it off. Even still before Jesus was crucified, they placed a crown of thorns on His head. And they hit Him on the head to mock Him as the “King of Jews”. After all of this beating and torture, with chunks of flesh missing from His body, Jesus had to carry Himself and the weight of a heavy cross part of the way to the place He was finally crucified.
So why did Jesus have to go through all of that pain and torture and die on the cross? Because we are sinners. But you know what’s cool? Our Father loves us anyway. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, so that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
What’s so much greater than Christ’s death is His resurrection. It is because of this that we are given the gift of redemption. We are wiped clean. All of the lying and stealing and cheating are shed as soon as we ask for them to be. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will be like wool.” – Isaiah 1:18.
Sometimes it’s hard for me to get it through my thick skull that I am forgiven for everything. I mean I’ve done some really stupid things in my short 22 years. But by not accepting the forgiveness that’s freely given to me, it’s like I’m saying everything that Jesus did wasn’t enough.
Don’t forsake the riches of God’s love and grace. Nothing and no sin is too great for God. He will choose the path of forgiveness EVERY time. It’s written in blood.
“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:34-39.
PS I’m still short of my final deadline by just over $1000. If you would like to help a girl out, everything is appreciated! Thanks for keeping up with my blog and my life 🙂
Tara
