Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:34-36)

Redemption as forgiveness of sin and deliverance from sin. Adam and Eve were created without the guilt of sin and without a sin nature. Satan, the adversary led them into Divine condemnation, the same condemnation he himself is under. Also, Adam and Eve received at that time a sinful nature, a rebellious personality.

Whoever would redeem mankind must make provision both for the guilt of sin and also for the sinful, rebellious nature that dwells in our flesh and soul.

The Lord Jesus has done both. Through the blood atonement made on the cross of Calvary He has gained forgiveness, freedom from condemnation, for all who truly repent of their sin and worldliness and put their trust in Him.

Deliverance from our sinful, rebellious nature takes place as we confess our sins, repent of them, and gain total victory over them by the power of the Holy Spirit acting on the authority of the blood of the cross.

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (Romans 8:13)

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

By the wisdom and power of the Spirit of God, we are to kill the sinful lusts of our flesh. As we walk in the Spirit of God, we are to keep the upper hand over the sinful, self-willed tendencies of our flesh and soul.

As we obey the Lord, read the Scriptures, pray, gather together with fervent saints, give, serve, forgive those who harm us, are ministered to and minister the gifts we have, the Lord removes the graveclothes from us. The graveclothes of sin and self-will are not removed all at once but piece by piece. We enter the promised land of freedom from sin one city at a time, so to speak.

Our forgiveness is total provided we continue to walk in the light of God's will. Our deliverance shall be total if we press forward each day. At the coming of the Lord, all that was sinful in us will have been judged previously and its power broken as we have lived in open confession and repentance. The Lord Jesus then will remove the remaining presence of sin from us. We shall be clothed with an incorruptible, aggressively righteous body that will cover our resurrected flesh and bones. This is the promised redemption.

We are to lift up our head. The Presence of God, in its fullness, will be given to us at the appearing of the Lord. Complete freedom from sin and rebellion will be our inheritance.

Our redemption draws near!

To be continued.