The Plan of Remption

Imagine two armies at war. A soldier from one army is captured by the other. The army of the captured soldier pays the other army a ransom to get the soldier back. The ransom is the payment for the soldier. The payment takes the place of the soldier; a substitute for the soldier. The soldier is redeemed.

When God made Adam and Eve, they were immediately placed in God’s army. But after they sinned, they became part of Satan’s army. Subsequently, all men are born into Satan’s army. But God, from Genesis 3 to Revelation 20, set up a plan to buy us back – the plan of redemption. He desired to redeem us. In Genesis 3, He told mankind of a battle that was to occur in the future, a battle between the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. This battle occurred at the cross, and the Seed of the woman was Jesus Christ. At the cross, Christ won the victory, over Satan, sin and death. His victory is our victory. Satan is a defeated foe.

All men are sinners, and all sin is against God. Therefore, all men have a debt with God. This debt is the payment for sin, which is death and condemnation. But God, in His grace, knowing man’s helpless and pitiful state, sent His Son to be that payment. Christ’s death on the cross is the substitute for our payment; He is our payment. He is the redemption price, and we are the redeemed. And as the Father raised Christ to life three days later, we also are raised to life and have new life in Christ. We will die because of sin, but we will never be condemned because of Christ’s victory over sin. Sin and death have lost their power over us. We need not be afraid of them because we are redeemed for eternity. Death for the believer is good news. God has promised the redeemed a new physical body, free of disease, worries and tears. All He asks from us is that we believe, i.e., receive Him as Lord and Savior. Once we are redeemed, we can never be lost again. The plan of redemption represents God’s mercy on all man.