Introduction: The day a person receives Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior, is
monumental, it is the greatest day in their life nothing else tops that moment. But what does that
look like in theory? I give this illustration. I heard a story of a ship captain who travels across the
ocean to find a hidden treasure, after arriving at his destination and discovering the gold he
sought. He quickly packed his ship with all his treasure and headed back to the mainland. After a
few days on the ocean, dreaming of the life he would have back in the homeland. He realized he
forgot one important life-giving item, that he would give all his gold to have. Water, and that
priceless items was not on his vessel. The captain realized his life was over, his treasure was
worthless, his dreams had become a nightmare. The absence of water in the middle of the ocean
is death. So, he prayed and that night the heavens open and rain fell for hours. Unknown. The grace
of God is greater than anything life can give; without it we are destined for eternity in hell
without any other way out. The Bible says, in Ephesians 2:8-9 HCSB “For you are saved by
grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no
one can boast.” Believers Bible Commentary says [1.] “The believer is overwhelmed by the
fathomless favor which God has shown to those who deserved the very opposite. That is grace!”
Believers Bible commentary Ppg1950. Thank God for His wonderful gift or grace that I did not
deserve. The sinner receives “God, Riches at Christ Expense”.
With that thought in mind, a person at that moment in time is redeemed by the blood of
Jesus. Which brings to the front of the room, “the doctrine of redemption” a description of this
teaching according to www.redemptionofhumanity.org [2.] “The doctrine of redemption
concerns the state of a person’s salvation, similar to justification, but it has a different emphasis.
While justification refers to God declaring the sinner righteous for Christ’s sake, redemption
refers to Jesus setting the sinner free from captivity or slavery.” www.redemptionofhumanity.org.
A slave has no rights or say in what happens to them. Being a slave is sometimes offensive in
explanation in today’s church. However, if you are not a servant to for the Lord who sets you
free from sin, you are a slave to sin and Satan, as James declares in his letter to the scattered
Jewish remnant of his day, in James 1:1 HCSB “James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus
Christ: To the 12 tribes in the Dispersion. [a]” James was declaring himself to be a bondservant
of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. According to www.encyclopedia.com [3.] “Salvation history
traces a pattern of God's redemptive activity and will provide many of the theological categories
within which Christian theology will reflect upon the decisive and definitive Redemption that
God works in behalf of mankind in and through Christ.” www.encyclopedia.com.
Additionally, Paul saw himself as a slave, a person who for various reasons had
promised an oath, himself and sometimes his family to someone else for a period maybe
forever. This is how the apostle Paul viewed himself in Roman 1:1CEB “From Paul, a
slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for God’s good news.” The
problem of sin, sin enslaves us, and we cannot set ourselves free from it. Therefore, when
Jesus purchases the sinner from the slave market of sin and set him free, we were bought
with a price so high we can never be considered a slave again. But freed slaves have a
tendence to return to their old master and not live a life free of sin even though they are
free. The Bible says in John 8:35-37 NASB “Now the slave does not remain in the house
forever; the son does remain forever. So, if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.
According to www.bibleref.com “Slaves—from the Greek term doula--meaning a
"bondservant"—were the equivalent of employees in the ancient world. They lived in the
master's house and had a certain kind of relationship with the master.” Even though the
sinner is set free from the penalty and the consequences of sin, can struggle with
becoming a slave to sin all over again. Being born again breaks the power of sin in our
lives but, Children will continue to disobey their father in heaven. According to 2
Corinthians 5:17 “I’m a new creation in Christ Jesus” and I must walk in that newness of
life. However, in 1 John 3:6 “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who
keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.”
Consequently, According to www.bibleref.com [4.] “Though every believer is a work in
progress, every believer's life should show a noticeable difference in living a life that becomes
more like Christ.” www.bibleref.com. If the Bible says that I’m new person, then there should be
something new and different about me that is Holy and just and righteous and more like Christ. I
cannot do this in and of myself its only through the power of the Holy spirit that I am able to live
a righteous life. www.bibleref.com says [5.] “If a person's life is no different than that of a non-
believer, there is no reason to be confident they are a true believer.” www.bibleref.com. Now for
the rest of my Christian life I am being set apart for the service of my new master. Because I
have been changed by Him and for Him. Things I use to do I don’t do them anymore; I find
pleasure in doing the things that Christ want me to do. The places that I use to go I don’t go there
anymore, I find pleasure in going to other places, like to worship service on Sunday and Bible
study on Wednesday nights. The people I use to spend all my time with a different people, as far
as the people from my past I try and share this newfound hope with them.
In conclusion, I am aware that my life is hid in Christ and Satan can not have me
anymore I do have to live each day looking for the return of Jesus Christ and His kingdom.
However, I must live like I’m leaving and be looking where I’m going. According to odb.org
ministries [5.] “We all sin and miss the mark of His standard. So we need to repent, which means
to turn away from sin and turn to Jesus, who forgives us and empowers us to follow Him.”
odb.org. Someone once told me “our journey to heaven will look like this; falling and getting up
again and again until we reach heaven. The bible says in Proverbs 24:16ESV “for the righteous
falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.” I may fall victim
to Satan and his tricks, but I will get up each time and not continue in sin that grace may abound.
Because I am saved by the grace of God and on my way to heaven looking forward to that day
when Jesus says to me and all those that are saved “well done thy good and faithful servant.”
Matthew 25:12kJV.
Bibliography
[1.] Believers Bible Commentary Copyright 2016 by Thomas Nelson Published in Nashville
Tennessee All Rights Reserved.
[2.] www.redemptionofhumanity.org
Ephesians 2:8-9 HCSB
James 1:1 HCSB
Roman 1:1CEB
[3.] www.encyclopedia.com
John 8:35-37 NASB
2 Corinthians 5:17
[4.] www.bibleref.com
[5.] www.bibleref.com
[6.] odb.org ministries
Matthew 25:12kJV.
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