Living God’s Way: Price of being redeemed

Carlton G. McPeak
Guest Columnist

While Christians should live in fear of a judgment by God, they should also live in such a manner that will honor the way they were redeemed. In their everyday conduct, they should keep before them the price that was paid on their behalf for being redeemed (1 Peter 1:18, 19).

Peter acknowledged that the Christians who had been scattered and were walking as aliens knew they were redeemed. However, he reminded them that they had not been purchased with something perishable, but rather by the precious blood of Christ.

The word “redeemed” has the meaning of being released from something because a ransom was paid; to be liberated. In this context, Peter was talking about being released from the penalty of a sinful life; from the consequences of a life of transgressing God’s laws.

Peter described this life as being “futile.” Peter said a life based upon one “inherited from [their] forefathers” was useless, had no purpose, was vain and devoid of truth. It was not the basis upon which a person will be saved, but rather they will be saved based upon the “precious blood” of Christ.

To maybe help the Jews understand this concept, Peter paralleled the blood of Christ with the blood “of a lamb unblemished and spotless.” Based upon the teachings of the book of Leviticus, every Jew understood the requirement of sacrificing only a lamb that was “unblemished and spotless. They understood it had to be without any defects or faults. Peter made the connection between these unblemished lambs and the sinless life of Jesus.

How precious is this “ransom”? How serious are the consequences or penalty for the sins each of us has committed against God if this kind of ransom had to be paid? Our salvation from the punishment for our disobedience is not to be taken lightly.

Peter described this “ransom” as being “precious.” He said it was not “silver or gold,” but rather something more valuable, having a greater price, to be honored and held in higher esteem. What Jesus did for all of mankind needs to be appreciated to the fullest. As Christians, we allow this gracious act of Jesus to constantly be motivating us to live by the standards Jesus set in His teachings and those of His apostles and prophets.

While we might want to honor our “forefathers” and the faith they had, we must remember that only if they were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ will our practice of their faith be effective, useful and successful in sparing us from the penalty of violating God’s law. Christians must remember the price for being redeemed and always be living God’s way.

Carlton G. McPeak ([email protected])

is an evangelist working in the Florida Gateway region.

Scriptural quotations from the NASB.