Have you ever had to buy back an item of yours that was valuable and dear to you, but was no longer in your possession? Perhaps you were financially strapped, and had to pawn something of yours. Or maybe you sold some furniture to an antique dealer, or some artwork to an art dealer, and now you desire the item back. Usually, though, in order to redeem the item, you have to pay more money than you initially received, sometimes a lot more. So you ask yourself, is it worth it to you? You gave the pawnbroker an item, received some money, and now he is charging you double, maybe triple the amount to redeem it. The furniture you sold to the antique dealer is selling for triple the amount he gave you. You must ask yourself if it is really that dear to you to spend that much to get the item back. In our Scripture today we read about something that was redeemed, and the price that was paid for that redemption. Let’s look at what St. Peter has to say in this passage from the Bible.
To redeem is to buy back something which is held by someone else. In Peter’s Epistle we read that we have been redeemed. We might wonder why we needed to be redeemed, and by whom. When mankind sinned, and each of us have sinned personally, we came under the power of sin. We became slaves to sin (Romans 6:16). In ancient times, a family member or a friend could buy back someone who had become a slave, but the price was certainly not cheap. We had become slaves, held under the bondage of sin. God redeemed us from the tyranny of sin, not with money, but with the precious Blood of His Son, Jesus Christ (vs. 18-19).
Imagine if you went to the pawnshop or antique dealer to buy back your item, and the dealer said that it would cost you your blood! I don’t think anyone would pay that price, even for an item they loved! Maybe a high cash price, but not blood! What about at the slave auction? There’s a slight chance that someone might pay with their own blood to redeem someone they loved dearly, but certainly not someone who had treated them terribly, maligned them, spat upon them, and trod their love into the dirt. That is what Jesus did for us, though. The most precious commodities on earth could not redeem fallen man. Only the Blood of the sinless Son of God could. We sinned terribly against God, and were in bondage to sin, and yet Jesus shed His Precious Blood to purchase our redemption.
Our redemption was not an afterthought, something that God came up with when the world spun out of control. It was a plan set in motion by God, long before the creation of the world (vs. 20). God made this plan of the redemption of sinners through His Son, Jesus Christ, before the creation of Adam and Eve, long before they even sinned.
Since the price for our redemption was the Blood of Jesus, Peter instructs us to live a holy life (vs. 15-16). Holiness means being totally devoted and dedicated to God. We are to be set apart for God’s purpose and use, and set away from sin and its influence. We are to be different in the quality of our lives from the world, and not blend in with them. Our focus and priorities must be His.
God is holy, and He wants His children to be so, too. Unlike the pagan gods, Yahweh does not have any character flaws. He is not promiscuous, blood-thirsty, prone to rages, or drunken, like the pagan gods were said to frequently be. He is holy, a God of mercy and justice, and cares for His followers. We are to imitate His high standards.
Many churches have erased all mention of the Blood of Jesus from their worship services. They feel it might be offensive to a visitor, and don’t want a “bloody religion”. However, that Blood is essential to salvation! Without it there would be no salvation! Without the Blood of Jesus we would all be lost and on our way to hell. When we understand the cost of our salvation, we learn to be truly thankful. Salvation is infinitely costly, but absolutely free.
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