Redemption of the Whole Man
When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir.
Galatians 4:4-6 (CSB)
Redemption impacts the entire person. When we consider redemption, we must recognize that it should affect every area of our lives. When genuine redemption occurs, we no longer compartmentalize our lives; instead, we live fully redeemed because of complete surrender. In Galatians 4, the apostle Paul wrote to the people in Galatia about how their status changed from slave to son. This change meant that the entirety of their lives transformed, not just a part. They did not dwell as part slave and part son, but as complete, whole children of God.
The need for redemption arises from the presence and impact of sin. Sin affects the whole person. It is not a partial stain requiring a partial payment but rather stains the individual completely, demanding an eternal payment. Therefore, we must guard against diminishing the impact of sin, as this would lessen our understanding of the need for salvation. We must grasp the total impact of sin, which leads to the necessity for the whole person to seek redemption.
The whole person needs redemption. The apostle Paul reminded the church in Romans, quoting the prophet Isaiah, that no one is righteous. He declared that all fall short of God’s glory. Here, the use of the term " slave " indicates that the whole person is under the master of sin when redemption is ignored. To gain freedom in redemption, the entire self must surrender before the Lord. The complete self must allow the work of redemption to take place because redemption is the comprehensive work needed.
Redemption is a complete work. Salvation never occurs as a halfway event. Salvation happens as an all-or-nothing moment. No one is partially saved. You are either redeemed or not redeemed. Redemption is a complete work because God never does anything halfway. He completes what He starts. To secure redemption, Christ fulfilled the necessary sacrifice completely. To pay for redemption, Christ provided the full payment for our sin debt. In redemption, we gain complete redemption.
QUESTIONS
What is the danger of attempting to compartmentalize sin and redemption?
Why must we recognize the complete nature of redemption in the life of the believer?
