Jesus “is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). He is in Himself the redeemer (Titus 2:14) and the ransom (1 Tim. 2:6). No wonder Paul could exclaim, “Christ is all, and in all” (Col. 3:11). The apostle was setting for himself no narrow limitation when he declared his determination “not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). For to know Him well is to know God’s whole plan and program for the restoration of man. There is no greater wisdom.

Gr. apolutrōsis, literally, “a ransoming,” “a releasing by ransom.” The Greek word consists of two parts, apo, “from,” and lutrōsis, related to lutron, “ransom.”

Lutron is a term common in the papyri to describe the purchase price for freeing slaves. The term is used to denote liberation from bondage, captivity, or evil of any kind, the idea of the payment of a price or ransom usually being implied. The English word “redeem” comes from a Latin verb meaning “to buy back,” “to ransom.”

 In the OT the great typical act which symbolized redemption was the deliverance from Egypt. Jehovah, as the redeemer or deliverer, promised, “I will redeem you with a stretched out arm” (Ex. 6:6; cf. ch. 15:13). The purpose of the redemption was the consecration of Israel to the service of God (Ex. 6:7). In order to share in the redemption, the Israelites were required to perform an act of faith in the eating of the Passover lamb and in the sprinkling of the blood (Ex. 12).

 These types are fulfilled in the redemption of man from sin and death. Jesus is “the Lamb that was slain” (Rev. 5:12; cf. John 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7; 1 Peter 1:18, 19). That a ransom, or price, was paid for our redemption is clearly taught in the NT. Jesus Himself declared that “the Son of man came ... to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

 Paul speaks of Christ as the One “who gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Tim. 2:6).

 Christians are represented as “bought” (2 Peter 2:1), or “bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20). “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13). Thus, in one sense, justification is not free, for a very great price has been paid for it by the sufferings and death of Christ. But it is free to us, since its cost is not met by us, but has been paid by the Son of God Himself.

 This redemption ramsons us from sin (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Titus 2:14; Heb. 9:15; 1 Peter 1:18, 19), from corruption and death (Rom. 8:23), and finally from the present evil state into one of glory and bliss (Luke 21:28; Eph. 4:30). Through justification Christ redeems us from the penalty of sin; through sanctification, from the power of sin; and at the time of the second coming and the resurrection, from the presence of sin.

As in the case of the Israelites in their deliverance from Egypt, so also now our participation in the divine plan of redemption from sin requires the exercise of faith, a personal acknowledgement and acceptance of Jesus as our Redeemer, with all that such a step implies.

Gr. charis, occurring some 150 times in the NT. Paul made more use of this significant term than any other NT writer, there being some 100 occurrences in his epistles. His close associate, Luke, used the word about 25 times in Luke and Acts, these two men thereby accounting for about five sixths of all the NT occurrences. “Grace” was by no means a new word invented by the apostles; the term was widely used in a variety of associated meanings in the LXX and in classical and later Greek literature. However, the NT often seems to attach a special significance to “grace” that is not found fully elsewhere.

 Primarily “grace” means “that which gives joy or pleasure,” thus conveying the ideas of beauty, gracefulness, loveliness, something that delights the beholder. Compare “grace is poured into thy lips” (Ps. 45:2, LXX; cf. Prov. 1:9; 3:22). The same idea is present in some of the NT occurrences. When Jesus spoke in Nazareth, His hearers “wondered at the gracious words [literally, “the words of grace”] which proceeded out of his mouth” (Luke 4:22). Paul counseled the believers at Colossae that their speech should “be alway with grace” (Col. 4:6).

 “Grace” also carried the idea of a beautiful or agreeable sentiment felt or expressed toward another, such as kindness, favor, good will. Joseph found “favour,” literally, “grace,” in the sight of Pharaoh (Acts 7:10; cf. v. 46). As the disciples preached they had “favour,” literally, “grace,” with all the people (Acts 2:47). While Jesus was a boy “the grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40). Certainly the definition, “unmerited favor,” that is often assigned to the word is unsuitable here. “Grace” should be understood in the sense of Luke 2:52, “in favour with God and man,” literally, “in grace with God and man.”

 As an expression of the sentiment of good will, “grace” was also used of thankfulness. Thus, “Doth he thank that servant?” (Luke 17:9) is, literally, “Does he have grace toward the servant?” “Grace” is frequently used in this sense in the expression “thanks be to God,” literally, “grace be to God” (1 Cor. 15:57; 2 Cor. 8:16; cf. Rom. 6:17; 2 Cor. 2:14; 9:15). Certainly this is not “unmerited favor” offered by mortals to God.

 As a substantial expression of good will, “grace” was also used of a gift, a favor done, a boon. The Jews came to Festus and desired “favour,” literally, “grace,” against Paul (Acts 25:3). Paul speaks of the gift that the churches had gathered for the poor at Jerusalem as, literally, “the grace” (1 Cor. 16:3; cf. 2 Cor. 8:4, 6, 7, 19).

 None of the above usages is different from those found in other Greek literature. The distinctive meaning attached to the term “grace” in the NT, and especially in the writings of Paul, is that of the abundant, saving love of God toward sinners as revealed in Jesus Christ. Obviously, since all men have sinned and are destitute of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23), such favor and loving-kindness on God’s part are wholly undeserved and unmerited by sinful man. Men have lived in hatred and rebellion against God (ch. 1:21, 30, 32), have perverted His truth (vs. 18, 25), have preferred to worship beasts and reptiles (v. 23), have defiled His image in their own bodies (vs. 24-27), have blasphemed His name (ch. 2:24), and have even despised God for His patience and forbearance (v. 4). Finally, they murdered His Son, sent to save them (Acts 7:52). Yet through it all God has continued to regard man with love and kindness, that the revelation of His goodness may lead men to repentance (Rom. 2:4).

 This is the grace of God in its peculiar NT sense. It is not merely God’s favor toward those who might merit His approval, it is His unlimited, all-inclusive, transforming love toward sinful men and women; and the good news of this grace, as revealed in Jesus Christ, is “the power of God unto salvation” (ch. 1:16). It is not merely God’s mercy and willingness to forgive, it is an active, energizing, transforming power to save. Thus it may fill a person (John 1:14), it may be given (Rom. 12:3, 6), it is all-sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9; cf. Rom. 5:20), it reigns (Rom. 5:21), it teaches (Titus 2:11, 12), it establishes the heart (Heb. 13:9). In some instances “grace” seems almost to be equivalent to “gospel” (Col. 1:6) and to the working of God generally (Acts 11:23; 1 Peter 5:12). “Divine grace is the great element of saving power” (GW 70). “Christ gave His life to make it possible for man to be restored to the image of God. It is the power of His grace that draws men together in obedience to the truth” (CT 249).

 Gr. dōrean, “freely, as a gift.” Compare the use of the word in Matt. 10:8; 2 Cor. 11:7; Rev. 21:6; 22:17.

Since men have nothing by which they may set themselves right with God, justification must come as a free gift. Only when in all humility a man is prepared to acknowledge that he is destitute of the glory of God and that he has nothing in himself that would commend him to God is he enabled by faith to accept justification as a free gift.