For us to fully understand what Jesus' redemption means, we have to go back to Genesis 1:26-28 when God created man in His image and likeness and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over […] every living thing that moves on the earth".
Man was the final thing God created. He created us to have fellowship with Himself, and dominion and authority on earth. But because of Adam’s sin and the Fall, we lost both that fellowship with God, and also our position of dominion and authority. This is why Jesus had to come.
Christianity has often focused on escaping Hell and making it into Heaven. But what Jesus did means so, so much more than just giving us a new destination!
1. Redeemed FROM the Curse - and Satan's dominion.
One of Jesus’ main missions was to redeem us, and restore us back to fellowship and a position of authority. Galatians 3:13-14 says, ”Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us […] that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith”. Unfortunately, fallen man had been unable to fulfill the law, and therefore, people were experiencing the curse even though the blessing was available (Deut 28).
The word "redeem" means: to buy back, exchange, make something that is bad better, to regain possession of something in exchange for payment. For example, people sometimes sell valuable items to a pawnshop to get money. When they do, they get a token of redemption for a limited time, so that they can go back and redeem - buy back - what was theirs within that timeframe.
This is what God did for us through Jesus! When Jesus died on the cross, He legally paid the necessary price for us to be taken out of the devil's possession and back to God's ownership.
Jesus fulfilled the law in our place! Through His sacrifice, we’ve been redeemed from poverty, sickness and spiritual death. When Jesus was sacrificed for you and me, a divine exchange happened: Jesus took what we had and became who we were, so we could get what He has, and become what He is.
This is crucial to understand in order for us to live victoriously in life! Consider these:
The Son of God became the Son of Man, so the sons of men could become sons of God (John 1:12; Gal 3:26).
Jesus is no longer called the only begotten Son. He is now the firstborn among many brethren. We are now sons and daughters of God! (Rom 8:29; Col 1:15,18; Heb 1:6; Rev 1:5).
Jesus became poor, so we "through His poverty might become rich" (2.Cor 8:9).
Jesus took upon His own body all manner of sickness and disease listed in Deuteronomy 28, that we may become healed and healthy – have God’s life in our body (Is 53:5; Matt 8:17).
Jesus became sin, so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God (2.Cor 5:21).
2. Redeemed TO fellowship with God, Glory and dominion. Reigning in life!
Another of Jesus' main missions was to show us how a man, anointed by God, is supposed to live. Jesus talked extensively about His union with God, and how He only did what the Father showed Him (John 14-17). But He walked in dominion throughout His earthly life — silencing the storms, raising the dead, healing the blind, feeding thousands, and so much more! Then He says in John 14:12 that "he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father”.
He meant these words! We were not only redeemed from something, but even more importantly, we were redeemed to something! We can also do the works Jesus did as a man, anointed by God.
I remember how I woke up one morning in October 2011, with these words burning on the inside of me: "God has already done everything He will ever do in order for you to have victory in your life".
I’m understanding more and more why Paul prayed his prayers in Ephesians 1:15-21 and Ephesians 3:14-19. He prayed that we as believers would have revelation, and that the eyes of our understanding will be enlightened. We need revelation of the finished work of Christ to in order to live in victory today — “It Is finished!” We need revelation about what Christ redeemed us FROM, and what Christ redeemed us TO!
I've read through John chapters 14-17 many times over the last year. It’s been life changing to see and meditate on those final words Jesus gave to His disciples before His crucifixion:
John 14:12 — He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also.
John 14:20 — At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
John 16:7-8 — Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away… I will send the Helper to you… And when He has come, He will convict the world…
John 17:22 — And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one. (Also see Psalm 8:6)
We often read these verses as if they were a fairytale — not meditating on them; not embracing the fact that Jesus MEANT what He said. But He did. Every. Single. Word!
You can do the works of Jesus. Christ is in you! You are in Christ! Christ has given you His glory! The same power that raised Christ from the dead, works IN YOU! What YOU have today is better than what the disciples had when they had Jesus physically present with them! I know it's hard to believe, but Jesus said so!
Fellowship with God, authority, dominion, glory, and victory were regained for us! Christ is in us, and the Holy Spirit - our Helper - is with us. So today, as sons and daughters of God we can truly "reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17). Let’s meditate on these Redemptive Realities, confessing them, believing them, and starting to act on them!
*Scriptures in NKJV
*Note: The Bible talks about two curses: The curse from the fall, and the “curse of the law”. Jesus redeemed us from "the curse of the law". So, anything that falls under the curse in Deuteronomy 28, you resist it! But the fall brought a curse upon the earth that will be here until God creates a new earth and gives us a new body (read Genesis 3). The earth is still corrupted. Thorns and thistles will still grow. One day, our body will eventually give in, and we will die physically. But we don't have to accept anything described as a curse of the law in Deuteronomy 28!