Lesson 4 REDEEMED

     If we understand the power of blood in our covenant with God, then we can fully walk at peace with Him and with ourselves.  The Blood of Jesus (which is God's Own Blood) is so complete, so pure, and so without blemish that it's total and complete life itself.
     Hebrews 9_12-14 (Amplified) says that, "He (Jesus) went once for all into the (Holy of) Holies (of heaven) not by virtue of the blood of goats and calves (by which to make reconciliation between God and man) but His Own Blood, having found and secured a complete redemption (an everlasting release for us)."  Verse 13 says, "For if (the mere) sprinkling of unholy and defiled person with blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a burnt heifer is sufficient for the purification of the body."  Verse 14 says, "How much more surely shall the Blood of Christ, Who by virtue of (His) eternal Spirit (His Own pre-existant divine personality) has offered Himself as an unblemished sacrifice  to God, purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the (ever) living God."
     Hebrews 10:12-14 (Amplified) tells us that, "Whereas this One (Christ) after He had offered a single sacrifice for our sins (that shall avail) for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, Then to wait until His enemies should be made a stool beneath His feet, For by a single offering He has forever completely cleansed and perfected those who are consecrated and made holy."
     The power of the redeeming virtue and life of His Blood, has, by this single offering of His Blood, cleansed and perfected we who have been consecrated and made holy.  Because we haven't understood (or simply disbelieved) the power of His Blood, we have never viewed ourselves the way the Father does.
     We are received into God's presence as pure as Jesus'  Blood that has redeemed us.  We've been so religious minded rather than Christ minded, that we try walking as though there is more that we can do to redeem ourselves.  We read the Word of God like we are outsiders who are trying to enter.  But, the Blood has brought us in.  Hebrews 10:18-19 (Amplified) says, "Now where there is absolute remission (forgiveness and cancellation of the penalty) of these (sins and lawbreaking), there is no longer any offering made to atone for sin."  Verse 19 goes on, "Therefore, brethren, since we have full freedom and confidence to enter into the (Holy of) Holies (by the power and virtue) in the Blood of Jesus."
     Our redemption is as sure as the power of the Blood.  Remember what 1Peter 1:19 (Amplified) says about our faith, "But (you were purchased) with the precious Blood of Christ (the Messiah) like that of a (sacrificial) Lamb without blemish or spot."
     1Corinthians 6:19-20 (Amplified) says, "Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received (as a gift) from God? You are not your own."  Verse 20 says, "You were bought with a price (purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His Own) So then, honor God and bring Glory to Him in your own body."
     Our redemption is so complete that we were BOUGHT and PAID FOR by the BLOOD OF JESUS.  We weren't put on a credit card that has to be paid for later.  We weren't put on "Lay Away," Paypal, or Bill-me-later or paid for as we go.  Our redemption is already perfect (just as perfect as His Blood can make you).  To declare otherwise is to dishonor Jesus' Blood, refuse His sacrifice and look for something else to work.  Whatever the total price mankind owed, Jesus' Blood paid in full.
     Only faith in the redeeming power of His Blood will set you free in your mind.  We believe that "someday" our redemption will be final.  As far as your Father is concerned, IT"S FINAL NOW.  How else could your body be the Temple of the Holy Ghost if you were still unholy?  How could a Holy God live in an unholy body and still be holy?
     When we understand that we're already redeemed, then we can read God's Word from the viewpoint of the redeemed instead of those seeking redemption.  We've been reading His promise to us in the light of "some day."  This "some day syndrome" has kept us in bondage even though we have been free all the time.  We read about Elijah from James 5:17-18 (Amplified) which says, "Elijah was a human being with a nature such as we have, (with feelings, affections, and a constitution like ours) and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and no rain feel on the earth for three years and six years and (then) he prayed again and the heavens supplied rain and the land produced its crops (as usual)."  Verse 16 says that the "Earnest (heart felt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available (dynamic in its workings)."
     Many wish to be the righteous man Elijah was so that they could have this power available in their prayer time.  Once we realize how complete our redemption is, we know that it has made us righteous in Jesus.  Romans 3:24 (Amplified) says that, "(All) are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy) through the redemption which (is provided) in Christ Jesus."
     The redemption by Jesus' Blood and His sacrifice has paid all the penalty and all the debt that satan had a legal right to expect and demand before he legally had to declare man no longer indebted to him through Adam.  Even now, although the debt is paid and satan has no legal hold over us, if we are ignorant of our legal rights as the redeemed of the Lord, then satan will still (although it's illegal) try to remain lord over us.
     We have the legal rights of our redemption and we have the vital part of our redemption.  The legal right is what God did for us in Christ.  The vital is what God does in us in Christ.  There is a legal and vital side to the fall of man.  The legal is what satan did to us in Adam and the legal is what satan does in us when by nature we are the children of wrath.  Vitally, we weren't in the Garden with Adam, but legally, his death, his bondage, his judgement and everything that spiritual death made him, became ours.  Adam's judgement became the judgement of every man according to Romans 5:19 (Amplified) which says, "For just as by one man's disobedience (failing to hear, heedlessness and carelessness) the many were constituted sinners."
     The legal factor of identification with Adam put all of us under this judgement.  The vital side is what was done to us because of it.  If the lordship of satan was due to our identification with Adam in his humanity and therefore, gave him authority over humans in this crime of high treason.  Legally than, it's possible for the works of satan to be destroyed by the identification of the human race with Jesus, our last Adam.
     In the legal sense, Jesus became identified with the human race.  John 1:14 (Amplified) tells us, "And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we (actually) saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), Such glory as an only begotten Son receives from His Father, full of grace (favor, loving kindness) and truth."  On the legal side of redemption, Jesus identified with the flesh and on the cross He identified with the spirit of man because in death, He was separated from God's nature and was made to be sin with our sin.  2Corinthians 5:21 (Amplified) says, "For our sake He made Christ (virtually) to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become (endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of) the righteousness of God (what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness)."
     We became identified with Adam, in the legal sense, even though we weren't there with him.  We became identified with his sin nature.  We also became identified with Jesus in the legal sense, even though we weren't there with Him on the cross and in the grave.  So, our identification and the plan of redemption revolves around this two fold identification with Adam and with Jesus.  If we can be identified with Adam and his trespass, then we can be identified with Jesus in His identification.  This is the legal side of our redemption.  Legally, we were raised together with Jesus and all claims that had been laid upon us by our identification with Adam, have been met and paid for.  Through Jesus, we could be (and were) restored back into newness of spirit (or a new spirit) and a new creation.
     Jesus became so identified with us in our sin nature, that He now was to be justified when our penalty had been paid.  1Timothy 3:16 (Amplified) says, "And great and important and weighty, we confess is the hidden truth (the Mystic secret) of Godliness. He (God) was made visible in human flesh, justified and vindicated in the (Holy) Spirit, was seen by Angels, preached among nations; believed on in the world, (and) taken up in glory."
     The redemption that we now experience is legal and vital.  As we were identified with Adam and his sin and death, we are identified with Jesus in His life and righteousness by His justification and resurrection.