I SEE YOU IN REDEMPTION

Eph.1:7-10 – In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

Jonathan Edwards wrote a book about the glory of God seen in His work of redemption. Actually, redemption is the greatest display of God’s glory; redemption is the whole point of God’s plan being revealed in the life, death, resurrection, and glorification of His Son. Christ’s love for fallen man is a display of the goodness of God, He loves us and washed us in His blood to show His glorious grace to all of His creation. So when someone who is caught up in sin and dead set on destroying their own life the Lord comes and not only forgives them but drags them from the snare they have fallen into and brings them out into a brand new life. Not only do we benefit from His grace but God is glorified through the testimony of grace put on display in our lives. Here is how Jonathan Edwards describes this.

“So God’s glory, or the praise of his glory, is spoken of as the end of the work of redemption, in Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him. Having predestinated us to the adoption of children, to the praise of the glory of his grace.” And in the continuance of the same discourse, concerning the redemption of Christ, God’s glory is once and again mentioned as the great end of all [in Ephesians 1:12, 14].”

So everything the Lord does is intended to be a display of His glory. When He created the universe, His divine attributes were put on display that brought great glory to the Creator. When God sent His only begotten Son to die for us, God’s mercy and kindness were put on display. When Christ died for the ungodly, freeing us from our sins, His grace was clearly seen giving glory to God. Redemption is not just about man but it is clearly about the glory of God. I see you Lord in your work of redemption at Calvary, I see your love, goodness, and kindness on full display.