Topical Bible: Redemption is From: The Bondage of the Law

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Introduction

In Christian theology, redemption is a central theme that signifies the deliverance from sin and its consequences through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. One aspect of this redemption is liberation from the bondage of the Law. The Law, given through Moses, served as a guide and a tutor, but it also highlighted humanity's inability to achieve righteousness through works alone. The New Testament reveals how redemption through Christ frees believers from the constraints and penalties of the Law, ushering them into a new covenant of grace.

The Bondage of the Law

The Law, as described in the Old Testament, was a comprehensive set of commandments and ordinances given to the Israelites. It was intended to set them apart as God's chosen people and to guide them in righteous living. However, the Law also exposed the sinful nature of humanity, as no one could fully adhere to its demands. The Apostle Paul articulates this struggle in Romans 7:7-12, where he explains that the Law makes people aware of sin but does not provide the power to overcome it.

Galatians and the Freedom from the Law

The Epistle to the Galatians addresses the issue of the Law's bondage directly. Paul writes to the Galatian church, which was being influenced by Judaizers who insisted that Gentile converts must adhere to the Mosaic Law. Paul counters this by emphasizing that faith in Christ, not adherence to the Law, is the basis of salvation. In Galatians 3:13, Paul states, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.'" This passage underscores that Christ's sacrificial death fulfilled the Law's requirements and liberated believers from its curse.

Romans and the Law of the Spirit

In Romans 8:1-4, Paul further elaborates on the theme of redemption from the Law's bondage. He writes, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the Law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin." Here, Paul contrasts the "law of the Spirit of life" with the "law of sin and death," highlighting the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer.

The New Covenant of Grace

The concept of redemption from the Law is also tied to the establishment of the New Covenant, prophesied in the Old Testament and fulfilled in Christ. Hebrews 8:6-13 discusses this New Covenant, stating that it is "founded on better promises." The New Covenant, unlike the old, is not based on adherence to a set of external rules but on an internal transformation brought about by the Holy Spirit. This covenant is characterized by grace, where believers are justified by faith and not by works of the Law (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Conclusion

The redemption from the bondage of the Law is a profound aspect of Christian doctrine, emphasizing the transition from the old covenant of works to the new covenant of grace. Through Christ's atoning sacrifice, believers are freed from the Law's demands and penalties, enabling them to live in the freedom and power of the Holy Spirit. This redemption is not a license to sin but a call to live in the righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Galatians 4:5
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

"For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Hath Made Me ...
... We are under a law of bodily death, therefore we ... redeemed, who being made sensible
of their bondage, groan and ... The day of their complete redemption is at hand. ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon viii for the law.htm

"For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Hath Made Me ...
... as his bondage, and redemption from it as freedom; to account himself in so far
free, as the free Spirit of Christ enters and writes that free law of love and ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon ix for the law.htm

The New Covenant: a Covenant of Grace
... "The strength of sin is the law.". To deliver us from the bondage and the dominion
of sin, grace came by Jesus Christ. ... "In Him we have redemption through His ...
/.../murray/the two covenants/chapter xiv the new covenant .htm

"For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Hath Made Me ...
... But, alas!"if we may say alas, when we have such a redemption in Jesus ... a state, and
free members in a church, and yet in bondage, under the law of sin ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon vii for the law.htm

Redemption
... my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin ... of these truths in regard
to our redemption is this ... I have been so long held in bondage; attainment of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/beibitz/gloria crucis/vi redemption.htm

Twentieth Day. Holiness and Liberty.
... still in bondage. Christ's redemption has so completely made an end of sin and the
legal power it had over us,"for 'the strength of sin is the law,'"that ...
/.../murray/holy in christ/twentieth day holiness and liberty.htm

Job's Sure Knowledge
... redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made ... We were also in bondage under sin,
as Paul ... There are two redemptions,"redemption by price and redemption by ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 50 1904/jobs sure knowledge.htm

Whether Christ's Passion Brought About Our Salvation by Way of ...
... not to the devil, who held us in bondage, that Christ paid His blood as the price
of our redemption. ... redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether christs passion brought about 3.htm

Exodus.
... bondage, which becomes a type of all redemption in that ... It begins with the cruel
bondage of Israel in ... a complete establishment of the dispensation of the Law. ...
/.../gerberding/the way of salvation in the lutheran church/chapter ii exodus.htm

Emancipated Slaves
... 'redemption,' ie a buying out of bondage. ... the fact of their deliverance became the
basis of all His appeals to them; the ground of His law; the reason ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/emancipated slaves.htm