He HAS REDEEMED

ME. Christ died for all; [I Pet. 2:24+, I John 2:2+, John 1:29+] and consequently for me also. [Gal. 2:20+] Believing on Him, all the blessings of His redemption belong to me In time and in eternity. He is my Saviour, my Redeemer.

A LOST AND CONDEMNED CREATURE. I was lost, [Isa. 53:6+, I Pet. 2:25] because my sin had separated me from God, and I could not have found my way back to Him, if Christ had not sought and found me. I was condemned, [Eph. 2:3] because I had broken God's commandments and deserved eternal punishment.

He has SECURED AND DELIVERED ME

FROM ALL SINS; namely, from the guilt of sin by paying its penalty for me on the cross; [I John 1:7, II Cor. 5:21+] and from the dominion of sin by giving me grace to fight against it and overcome it. [Rom 6:14, Rom. 8:2-4]

FROM DEATH: not from bodily death, for even the Christian must die; but from the fear of bodily death; [Phil. 1:23, I Cor. 15:55, 57] from spiritual death; [Eph. 2:6] and from everlasting death. [John 3:16]

AND FROM THE POWER OF THE DEVIL. [I John 3:8+] On account of my sins, I was in Satan's power. But Christ has freed me. Since He has paid the penalty for my sins, Satan no longer has any claim upon me, and can no longer harm me. [John 10:27-28] He still tempts me to sin; but Christ gives me grace to resist. He still accuses me before God on account of my sins; but Christ shields me against Satan's accusations by the satisfaction which He, my Saviour, has made for all my sins. [I John 2:1]

NOT WITH SILVER AND GOLD; [I Pet. 1:18, 19+] for no material wealth could purchase freedom from spiritual slavery and death. Nor has He redeemed me merely by becoming my great teacher and example; for this would not take away my guilt;

BUT WITH HIS HOLY AND PRECIOUS BLOOD. [I John 1:7+] His blood was the price which Christ paid for my ransom. It was holy, because He was holy; and precious, because He was the Son of God. The shedding of Christ's blood for my sins was the only way in which I could be redeemed; for without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. [Heb. 9:22]

AND WITH HIS INNOCENT SUFFERINGS [I Pet. 3:18+] AND DEATH. [Rom. 5:7-8+] Christ suffered and died, not for any sins of His own, but for my sins. He was innocent and had no sin at all. But He voluntarily bore the punishment which I deserved, and thus satisfied all the demands of divine justice for me. Since He has borne the punishment for me, I, believing on Him, need no longer be punished.

Christ was my Substitute. By His holy life He perfectly fulfilled God's law in my place; [Rom 5:19] and by His innocent sufferings and death He bore the punishment for my sins in my place. [II Cor. 5:21+] All that Christ has done is imputed to me by faith; [Rom. 4:24] that is, it is all counted as if I myself had done it. [Rom. 4:5] His death, therefore, frees me from guilt and condemnation; and His holy life makes me appear righteous In God's sight and fit to enter into heaven. My entire hope of salvation rests on Christ and what He has done for me. [II Cor. 5:19]

I MIGHT BE HIS. He desired me for His own, and therefore purchased me with His precious blood. [II Cor. 5:15+] Hence I now belong to Him, and not to Satan or to myself. He wishes me to yield myself fully to Him in heart and life. [Gal. 2:20+] If I refuse to do so, I am withholding what belongs to Him.

LIVE UNDER HIM IN HIS KINGDOM; namely, in His kingdom of Grace on earth by a life of faith, and in His kingdom of Glory in heaven. [Col. 1:12-14]

THIS IS MOST CERTAINLY TRUE: 1. That Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, is my Lord, who has redeemed me. 2. That He has paid the penalty for my sins with His holy and precious blood and His innocent sufferings and death. 3. That consequently I belong to Him, and should serve Him now and for ever.

QUESTIONS.—1. What four things does the explanation of the second article tell us about Christ's redemption? 2. Whom has Christ redeemed? 3. What was I before Christ redeemed me, and why? 4. From what has Christ redeemed me? 5. What is meant by redemption from sin? from death? and from the devil? 6. How has Christ redeemed me? 7. Why was the shedding of Christ's blood necessary? 8. Why did Christ suffer and die if He was innocent? 9. What is meant when we say that Christ was our substitute? 10. Why has Christ redeemed me? 11. To whom do I now belong, and what is my duty therefore? 12. What is meant by living under Christ in His kingdom? 13. In what spirit am I to serve Him? 14. What hope has Christ secured for me? 15. What three things are most certainly true according to this second article?

SCRIPTURE VERSES.—I Pet. 2:24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

I John 2:2. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

John 1:29. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Gal. 2:20. I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Isa. 53:6. All we like sheep have gone astray.

II Cor. 5:21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

I John 3:8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

I Pet. 1:18, 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

I John 1:7. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

I Pet. 3:18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.

Rom. 5:7, 8. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

II Cor. 5:15. He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Gal. 2:20. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I Pet. 2:9. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Matt. 16:24. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

READING.—Jesus our High Priest, Heb. 9:11-15.