The Bible: How To Live as A Redeemed Person

This blog is the second in a three-blog series that focuses on our relationship with the Bible. The first blog presented the Bible as a narrative of redemption. I ended that blog with this question, have you been redeemed? I hope your answer to the question is a resounding yes! If that is the case, this second blog in the series is for you. The Bible does not just reveal God's work of redemption of lost sinners. It goes further by telling us how to live as a redeemed person during our sojourn on this earth. It goes without saying that being a redeemed person is very important. Living as a redeemed person is also important. The Bible that reveals God's redemptive plan and work also clearly instructs us as to how we should live as redeemed people.

The biblical instructions as to how we should live as redeemed people can be summarized and fulfilled by four conscious and deliberate actions on our part.

1. We must understand our identity.

How does the Bible identify us as the redeemed children of God? Our answer is found in 1 Peter 2:9, 10,

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."

Understanding our identity is crucial to living as God's redeemed people. This identity reminds us daily that we are in the world but not of the world as God's special people. Because our identity is different, our purposes and way of living should be different and distinct.

Understanding our identity as God's chosen people is a crucial matter throughout the Bible. God called Abraham and his descendants to be His chosen people in the Old Testament. As God's chosen people they had a unique identity. The males were circumcised as a sign of the covenant that God established with Abraham and his descendants. Later they were given the Ten Commandments and other laws to instruct them as God's chosen people. The identity of God's chosen people flows like a beautiful stream throughout the Old Testament and into the New Testament. There a new covenant is established in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. He shed His blood on the cross of Calvary in the once and for all sacrifice, for all time, for all people and for all sin. I have a name and an address, but my identity is found in Christ. I am a redeemed child of God.

2. We must be confident of our relationship with Christ as a redeemed person.

The redeemed life is designed to be lived in and with confidence. Consider the words of Jesus in John 10:27-29.

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall any one snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand."

Confidence inspires progress. When we are confident of our standing in Christ and the firmness of our position, it frees us up to live life as a redeem people to the fullest. Paul the Apostle found perseverance and hope even in suffering because of his confidence in his relationship with the Lord. Rather than shrink back in shame, he was able to forge ahead toward the reward at the end of the way.

For this reason, I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day" (2 Timothy 1:12).

The redeemed life is a glorious life, but it is not always an easy or convenient life. The Bible explicitly warns us that we will face tribulation. Yet, we have full confidence in the Lord and our standing in Christ. We are emboldened by verses such as 1 John 4:4, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

3. We must be clear as to the direction we travel in the redeemed life.

Forward is the direction of the redeemed life. Going back to the unredeemed state is impossible for a true believer. As Jesus made plain in the verses cited above, when we belong to Him, no one, not even the devil himself, can pluck us out of Jesus' hands. We belong to Him, and the only direction is forward with Him.

The Book of Hebrews in the New Testament was written to a group of people who were in danger of shrinking back into the old forms and patterns of Judaism. The writer of Hebrews makes it plain that Christ is superior to angels and the New Covenant is superior to the old. The only direction for the people of God is forward. Hebrews 12:1,2 outlines the forward march.

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is see before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

The outcome and ultimate destiny of the redeemed life of believers is not in question. As stated in Ephesians 2:4-6 God has already completed the work of redemption. According to these verses, God has made us who were dead in in our trespasses alive together with Christ. He has raised us up together with Christ and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Now it is contingent on us to complete the earthly journey of redemption.

4. We must recognize our source of power and overarching goal for the redeemed life.

Living our lives as God's redeemed people is not just difficult, in our own power, it is impossible. Thank God that the Bible makes it clear that we do not have to rely upon our own power to live the redeemed life. God has provided us a source of power for redeemed living. Jesus knew we need this source of power. In Acts 1, He gave the promise of the power and in Acts 2, the promise was fulfilled, and the power came. The power I am speaking of is nothing less than the Holy Spirit. "For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now" (Acts 1:5). This was the promise. "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting" (Acts 2:2). This was the fulfillment of the promise. Never again will any believer have to struggle in human power to live life as a redeemed person.

We have the power to live as a redeemed person through the power of the Holy Spirit. Gratitude to God for His gracious provision of the Holy Spirit should motivate us to glorify God through the redeemed life. How do we do this? Jesus provided the clear answer for us in John 15:8, "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." God is worthy to be worshipped, praised and glorified.

There are many scriptures that relate to and provide valuable truth for living as a redeemed person. Large parts of Paul's epistles to the churches are admonition to live properly as a redeemed person. Jesus captured the essence of living life as a redeemed person when He described believers as salt and light.

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. a city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:13-16).

Thank God for the Bible as the narrative of God's redemption. What a glorious story! Thank God for the Bible which directs us as to how to live as a redeemed person.

Let's accept the challenge and get on with the living by understanding our identity as redeemed people, by being confident of our relationship with Christ as a redeemed person, by going forward with resolute determination as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit and by bearing fruit for the glory of God.