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In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Our sin penalty is paid and our sins are thrown-away.<\/p>\n The word \u201credemption<\/span>\u201d is from apolutr\u014dsis<\/em><\/span>. This compound word is made up of apo<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cfrom\u201d or \u201caway from\u201d and a form of the verb lutro\u014d<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cto pay a ransom.\u201d Apolutr\u014dsis<\/em><\/span> refers to the act of releasing captives from their captivity through the payment of a ransom for them.<\/p>\n \u201cForgiveness<\/span>\u201d is from aphesis<\/em><\/span>, made up of apo<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cfrom\u201d or \u201caway from\u201d and hi\u0113mi<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cto send.\u201d Thus, aphesis<\/em><\/span> refers to the sending away of sins from the sinner.<\/p>\n The word translated \u201csins<\/span>\u201d is parapt\u014dma<\/em><\/span>. This word is made up of para<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cto the side\u201d and a form of pipt\u014d<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cto fall.\u201d Therefore, parapt\u014dma<\/em><\/span> literally refers to \u201ca falling by the wayside.\u201d Some claim that this is an accidental sin as opposed to a deliberate sin (which they claim would be represented by the Greek word parabain\u014d<\/em><\/span>), but the consistent uses of these two words do not support such a claim. Parapt\u014dma<\/em><\/span> is always used to indicate deliberate acts of sin.<\/p>\n To begin with, in today\u2019s verse we have to ask ourselves the question, \u201cWho is being referred to by \u2018Him\u2019?\u201d The answer is that it refers to \u201cthe Beloved\u201d from the previous verse; in other words, it refers to Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n As we pointed out in the previous verse, this opening passage of Ephesians portrays God the Father shining the spotlight on His grace. In the current verse Paul is explaining to us one of the characteristics of this grace. Because of the grace of God, we have redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ. Without God\u2019s grace, we are captives of sin and, as Paul teaches in the book of Romans, we are in bondage to sin. We cannot free ourselves and we must obey our master (sin). However, by the grace of God, the blood of Christ (His death on the cross) is paid as the ransom to release us from the bondage of sin.<\/p>\n And, through the grace of God our sins are forgiven. But what does it mean to have forgiveness? As we saw in \u201cBehind the Words,\u201d the Greek word is aphesis<\/em><\/span>; that is, God does not simply \u201cexcuse\u201d our sins, He sends them far away from us. Here\u2019s how the psalmist expressed it:<\/p>\n He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so<\/em><\/span> great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so<\/em><\/span> far has He removed our transgressions from us.<\/span> (Psalms 103:10-12<\/strong><\/span>)<\/p>\n Also, the writer of Hebrews, in discussing the blood of Christ, says what God does with our sins because of His sacrifice:<\/p>\n “their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.<\/span>” (Hebrews 10:17<\/strong><\/span>)<\/p>\n Application<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n What a precious truth! Through God\u2019s amazing grace He has chosen us, He has adopted us as His children, and He has cast our sins away from us so that He no longer even remembers them. As a result, He sees us as righteous as Christ!<\/p>\n In God\u2019s service, for His glory,<\/strong><\/p>\nTruth to Learn<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Behind the Words<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Meaning Explained<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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