24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
through the redemption [a ransom payment]
The word “redemption” is an intense term setting forth the idea of deliverance by payment of a price. Secular Greek used this term for paying the ransom to free a slave or prisoner.
The Greek word for “redemption” comes from two words: from and to loose, set free, or ransom. The idea is to set someone free from slavery by payment of a price. The price was the death of Christ on the cross.
Mt 20: 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
Ep 1: 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
“Redemption” means a ransom paid. God made a payment for our sins by shedding the blood of Christ as a sacrifice for sin and a substitute for our paying for sin. The New Testament uses this word 10 times (Lu 21:28; Ro. 3:24; 8:23; 1 Co. 1:30; Ep. 1:7, 14; 4:30; Co. 1:14; He. 9:15; 11:35). Jesus’ death on the cross was the payment for our sin.
There are three Greek words for redemption: (1) to redeem by paying the price (here); (2) to buy out of the slave market (1 Co 6:20; 7:23; 2 Pe 2:1), the idea being to buy out of the slave market of sin by the blood of Christ; and (3) to set free by payment of a price (Ti 2:14; 1 Pe 1:18), the believer being set free from sin and free to live for God. Jesus paid the price to satisfy God’s system of justice and now God’s justice is satisfied.
Our redemption always relates to what Christ did on the cross as the ground of our salvation.
Biblically, redemption is salvation by payment of a price. God’s act of acquitting our sins is not arbitrary or a matter of caprice. Jesus paid the cost for our ransom. God gives anyone who believes this a righteous standing before Him forever.
Only Christ could have made that payment, not us. It was by faith alone, by grace alone, by Christ alone. There is never a time or occasion where God justifies without a ground for doing so. Otherwise, He would be unjust in allowing sinners to fellowship with Him. God had to deal with the sin issue before He could fellowship with man. The objective basis for God’s fellowship with man is “redemption.”
There is a close correlation between the cross and redemption. Everywhere in the New Testament redemption connects to salvation effected through the death of Christ for our sins; He paid the price for our sins.
1 Pe 1: 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
2 Pe 2: 1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
Sin falls short of the justice of God. There is a debt that must be paid to God. We call this “justification.”