Ephesians 1:7: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

June 16th, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

The Greek word translated here as redemption conveys the idea of delivering a man from a situation that he is totally powerless to liberate himself from. It is releasing someone from a penalty they could never pay. There is a very old story from the evil days of human slavery in our own nation that is perhaps the best illustration of this truth. It also serves to warn us of the depths to which humanity can fall in sin against our neighbors. Old radio pastor J. Vernon McGee wrote:

I heard this story many years ago . . . In the South—and I hate to say, in the days of slavery—there was a beautiful girl who was put on the slave block to be sold. There was a very cruel slave owner, a brutal fellow, who began to bid for her. Every time he would bid, the girl would cringe and a look of fear would come over her face. A plantation owner who was kind to his slaves was there, and he began to bid for the girl. He outbid the other fellow and purchased her. He put down the price and started to walk away. The girl followed him, but he turned to her and said, “You misunderstand. I didn’t buy you because I need a slave. I bought you to set you free.”¹

That is the picture Paul is painting in this verse. Jesus paid the price for our freedom with His own blood. It was a sacrifice that cost Him His life, but provided life for us. Why? Paul gives us the reason right here; it was “according to the riches of His grace.” We have redemption, forgiveness, and freedom because of the free gift of God’s GRACE. He gives it freely to each of us, who do not deserve redemption.

“LORD, please give us more grace today so that we might be more useful to You and lead others to Your throne of forgiveness and grace.”

¹J. Vernon McGee, Ephesians: The Epistles (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991).