Redemption
A Sermon on Ephesians 1:7
Scripture
7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Sermon Description
Christ alone makes one a Christian. Every generation of believers must reiterate this again and again because human beings are desperately trying to stay in sin yet have the benefits of salvation. In this sermon on Ephesians 1:7 titled “Redemption,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s message is that God alone has devised a plan for humanity to be reconciled to God. If sin is taken seriously it will be seen as hopeless to try and save oneself. This is why, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones proclaims, all are in need of redemption. In other words, everyone needs deliverance by payment of ransom. Outside of Christ everyone is in bondage to the law and under the dominion of the devil. But in Christ Christians have been ransomed, bought with a price. What was this price? The apostle Paul takes up the Old Testament language of sacrifice and blood in order to show how the death of Christ fulfills the Law and the Prophets. The design of the Old Testament sacrificial system was propitiation as the result of expiation. This good news is the consistent testimony of the New Testament. Dr. Lloyd-Jones challenges the Christian to never forget they are not their own but were bought with a price.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon focuses on Ephesians 1:7 which states "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."
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This verse summarizes the essence of the Christian gospel. Although the meaning seems straightforward, it needs to be explained to avoid confusion and heresy.
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"In whom" refers to Jesus Christ, the beloved one mentioned in the previous verse. Verses 3-6 discuss the role of the Father, verses 7-12 discuss the role of the Son, and verses 13-14 discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation.
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We cannot save ourselves or make ourselves Christians through our own efforts. Salvation is only through Jesus Christ. He did not just come to tell us how to save ourselves but to save us through his own actions.
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Jesus did not just come to tell us God is willing to forgive us. His death on the cross is how God forgives us, not just a demonstration of God's love and willingness to forgive. God reconciles us to himself through Christ's death, not just by proclaiming reconciliation.
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Our salvation is in Christ alone, not in his teaching or example. His death on the cross, not his words, is what saves us. We are saved by what God has done in and through Christ.
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We have been redeemed through Christ's blood. Redemption means deliverance by payment of a ransom. We were in bondage to sin and Satan, and Christ paid the price to free us. We now belong to Christ as his bondservants.
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The reference to Christ's blood rather than just his death emphasizes that his death fulfilled the Old Testament sacrificial system. Animal sacrifices taught that sin requires punishment, guilt can be transferred to another, and God is propitiated through expiation of guilt. Christ's blood is the ultimate sacrifice that actually accomplishes what animal sacrifices foreshadowed.
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We are saved solely by what Christ has done, not by our own efforts. His death on the cross and the shedding of his blood is the price paid to ransom us from sin and reconcile us to God. We must trust in Christ's sacrifice alone, not our own goodness, to be saved.
The Book of Ephesians
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.