Redemption: A Journey from Forgiveness to Glory

In him we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace you remember we said redemption was released by payment and that it is redemption from sin and guilt through forgiveness that's what we looked at last time and that it is also redemption from all future defects culminating in the resurrection of the body and the experience of everlasting pain-free sin free joy in the presence of god. [00:28:08]

Do not grieve the holy spirit of god by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption so there's a future day coming in which our redemption which right now is experienced mainly as the removal of god's wrath and the experience of forgiveness but which will be completed in the future when our bodies are redeemed and we saw that in romans 8 23 and not only the creation but we ourselves who have the first fruits of the spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons the redemption of our bodies. [00:87:68]

So when paul speaks here in ephesians 1 7 in him we have redemption and names the first phase or the first dimension of this redemption namely forgiveness of our trespasses we need to ponder the whole thing namely this redemption is not just the forgiveness of our trespasses and then we all die and rot in the grave no this redemption includes the glorious coming day of redemption which includes the redemption of our bodies at the resurrection. [00:140:56]

God i pray that you would show how christ and the riches of the grace that are in him secured not only our present enjoyment of no condemnation and freedom from our trespasses and our guilt through forgiveness but also the coming day of redemption in which all the defects will be taken away psychological defects physical defects moral defects and we will be catapulted into a glorious future in your presence where there is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. [00:210:84]

We ourselves who have the first fruits of the spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoptionist sons that's the completion of the whole gift of adoption it's already begun now we are the children of god but it will be completed later adoption of sons the redemption of our bodies so this groaning is cancer and arthritis and all kinds of diseases and maladies that cause us to waste away and then die and we're groaning waiting until that's all behind us and we have new bodies because of release by payment. [00:277:12]

We do not know what to pray he says in verse 36 we do not know what to pray that is we don't know whether to pray sometimes should we be healed of these groanings or or endure these groanings we we're often at a loss of what the sovereign will of god is we don't know how to pray but we do know and that's a good literal translation of adversity contrasting with what we don't know we don't know often what to pray here's what we do know we know that for those who love god all things all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose. [00:323:91]

Our destiny is to be conformed to the image of his son and i'm going to argue conformed in moral and spiritual perfection as well as as it says in first peter 3 21 we will be given a body like his glorious body in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and those whom he predestined he also called this is how this destiny is going to be brought about this destiny of being conformed to the image of his son including new bodies which correspond to this redemption of our bodies. [00:388:72]

If god is for us now this is crucial in other words when jesus shed his blood and the payment for our release from sins was made god removed all wrath from his own heart toward us and all guilt in our heart and all hostility in our heart towards him and so god is now no longer wrathful towards us in christ he is totally for us this is incomparably wonderful if you get this and live this you will be the freest of all people he is for us and if he's for us who can be against us that is who can successfully keep this from happening. [00:481:52]

He who did not spare his own son but gave him up now that means death that means blood that is first i mean ephesians 1 redemption through his blood so we're asking how does redemption by blood secure the future redemption and here's the logic he who did not spare his own son but gave him up in death for us all how will he not with him graciously give us all things all things the logic is this if god did not hold back from doing the hardest thing imaginable namely offer up the infinitely precious and valuable and perfect and innocent son of god from spitting and nails and whipping and shame and mockery if he didn't spare him but gave him up for us if he went to the bottom for us then now since all wrath is removed and all guilt is removed and all hostility in our hearts is removed then this rhetorical question here becomes a promise he will most certainly with him graciously give us all things. [00:582:72]

The all things here is secured by giving the son and therefore the redemption can't spell it redemption the payment by the release by payment that redemption right here secures all things that all things is this all things that work together for good that good is conformity to the image of the sun that conformity to the image of the sun includes glorification that glorification includes the redemption of our bodies and therefore the redemption of our bodies is grounded in the death of the son and therefore when it says back here in ephesians 1 7 we have redemption through his blood this blood secures not only the forgiveness of our trespasses but all things that we need in order to glorify god and do his will which includes new bodies. [00:701:76]