The Power of Faith: Understanding God's Gift of Redemption

# The Power of Faith: Understanding God's Gift of Redemption

The weight of sin is heavy. The reality of our fallen nature is sobering. Yet in the midst of this darkness shines the brilliant light of God's redemptive plan—a plan centered not on our efforts, but on faith in Jesus Christ.

## Righteousness Apart From the Law

Scripture tells us that "now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets." This is revolutionary truth. God's righteousness—His perfect standard—is revealed to us not through our ability to keep rules, but through something entirely different: faith.

This wasn't a last-minute plan. God promised this redemption long ago through His prophets and Holy Scripture. The Old Testament points forward to Jesus, preparing hearts for a salvation that would come not through human achievement but through divine grace.

The just shall live by faith. Not by works. Not by money given. Not by time served. Faith alone.

## What Is Faith?

Faith is "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." We cannot see salvation with our physical eyes. We cannot touch deliverance with our hands. We cannot measure freedom with earthly instruments.

Consider the wind. You cannot see it, yet when trees bend and leaves scatter, you believe the wind is blowing. Faith operates similarly. We believe in Jesus and His promises of salvation even though we haven't yet seen Him face to face.

But here's the beautiful part: God doesn't want us to merely hope—He wants us to know. That's why He gave us His written Word. Through Scripture, we move from wishful thinking to confident assurance. We can know we have eternal life through faith in the name of the Son of God.

## The Universal Problem

"All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." This isn't pleasant truth, but it's essential truth. Every person who has lived, is living, or will live has sinned. We've all fallen short. We all deserve death and eternal separation from God.

This reality must sink deep into our hearts before we can truly appreciate what comes next.

## Justified Freely by His Grace

Being "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" contains layers of magnificent truth.

Justification means more than being found "not guilty." It's not simply having charges dropped. God actually covers us with His righteousness. Despite our sinful nature, despite our inability to be righteous on our own, God clothes us in His perfect righteousness. What an incredible exchange!

## The Price of Redemption

Redemption means ransom paid in full. It means riddance, deliverance, and salvation.

In Old Testament times, bulls and goats were sacrificed as temporary atonement for sin. But these animal sacrifices could never truly satisfy God's requirement. They only appeased temporarily—they never redeemed permanently.

Then Jesus came.

Through His perfect sacrifice on the cross, Jesus became our sin. He died for that sin. He shed His blood to pay the full price. And God accepted that sacrifice as complete, whole, and sufficient.

At the moment Jesus died, darkness covered the earth. The massive curtain in the temple—60 feet tall, 20 feet wide, and 4 inches thick—tore from top to bottom. No earthly force could accomplish this. God Himself tore it, signifying His acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice.

This torn curtain represented something profound: access. Before Christ, God dwelt behind that curtain, separated from people because of sin. After Christ's redemption, direct access to God became available through Jesus. The barrier was removed.

## The Tragedy of Returning to Captivity

Imagine being kidnapped. Your captors demand one million dollars for your release. Someone pays that ransom in full. You're freed. You're no longer captive.

Now imagine choosing to return to your kidnappers and their captivity.

Absurd, right? Who would do that?

Yet this is exactly what happens when believers return to sin.

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." When you start walking east, you'll never walk west. When you start walking west, you'll never walk east. That's how far God removes our sin—infinitely, permanently.

When we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The sin is gone. Removed. Separated from us by an immeasurable distance.

Yet we can choose to return to that sin, refusing the redemption Jesus purchased and walking back into captivity.

## Jesus: Our Propitiation

God set forth Jesus "to be a propitiation through faith in His blood." Propitiation means atoning victim—the one who pays the price.

Jesus is our atoning victim. He paid our price. He stood in our place. He died so we could live.

Sin has always required blood payment. If you accept Jesus' blood, you're redeemed and saved. If you reject Jesus and His blood, you must pay with your own blood—but unlike Jesus' worthy sacrifice, human blood cannot satisfy God's requirement. The result is eternal punishment.

## The Gift of Remission

Through Jesus' righteousness comes remission of sins. Remission means release, discharge, forgiveness, pardon—the complete giving up of punishment.

Done. Signed. Sealed. Delivered.

All through Jesus. That's what faith is anchored in.

## The Foundation of Hope

On our own, we're doomed. Our sin nature guarantees our failure. Our best efforts fall infinitely short of God's perfect standard.

But in Christ Jesus, everything changes. In His blood, we find justification. Through Him, we receive redemption. He becomes our propitiation. He provides remission of sin.

This is the power of the Gospel. This is why faith matters so profoundly. This is the foundation upon which eternal hope is built.

Not on our righteousness, but His. Not on our works, but His finished work. Not on our strength, but His sufficient grace.

The question isn't whether you're good enough—you're not, and neither is anyone else. The question is whether you'll place your faith in the One who is good enough, who paid enough, who is enough.

Jesus stands ready to justify, redeem, and save all who believe. The ransom has been paid. The curtain has been torn. Access to God is available.

Will you accept this gift of faith?