A Ransom Was Paid

"For even the son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many"(Mark 10:45).

The word 'ransom' connotes a form of payment paid to get a relief by someone or offered to get freedom. It was extremely quintessential for this to be done. To be done by who? For whom? What is the ransom? For what?

A ransom was needed to be paid or was paid by JESUS on man's behalf to atone for his sin and to be restored back to his creator. The price of this restoration is to die on the cross of Calvary, as a son of man (mortal) not as a God (immortal), which makes it very difficult.

In the beginning, man through Adam committed sin which brought about the wrath of God and condemnation of man together with his accomplice -- the woman. This led to an embargo of destruction placed on man by God.

However, God was weary, so unhappy; He could not just put out what He created in his image. A strong wave of love was rekindled in God and God changed his mind about man's disobedience. One thing we must understand here is the infinite love of God. God is so magnanimous in mercy and in love. That is why it was very difficult for him to wipe out his resemblance creation.

God is unlimited, God is almighty, God is awesome, God is all-powerful; but one thing could limit him -- sin. Sin and God are sworn enemies. God hate to behold sin; when man committed sin in the Garden of Eden, God was seriously exasperated by the action of man. So God asked himself, "am I going to renege on my principle not to behold sin, even if Adam is my creation?" "No!" God retorted and decided to punish Adam and Eve for their misdeeds.

After a while, God was seriously troubled. God felt heartache, and on this particular day He assembled the council of elders, angels and arch-angels, the other two members of the trinity (Jesus & Holy Spirit) and other important personalities in heaven.

The meeting began; the presiding officer (God) announced the agenda of their gathering. Tranquility was what enveloped everybody present after hearing the brief for their meeting.

God spoke thus: "I have placed an embargo of destruction (death) on man after they disobeyed my commandment. My wrath is on them because I hate to behold sin which is now a tattoo on their skin. Sin is now permanently engraved on their body which will forever forbid me from interacting with them. However, since they are my creation, I'm emotionally attached to them, who will go and redeem them back to me?"

Heaven was totally silent over the utterance of God. Quietude was felt at every corner, knowing how weighty this assignment would be. In continuation of the meeting, God further spelt out the demand of this great assignment.

God said -- "Whoever will go, will or must live like a man. Whoever will go, we live in a mortal body, prone to carnality. Whoever will go must feel what man feels. Whoever will go, must carry the burden (sin) of man. That person will be a ransom, atonement for their sin, for their redemption to take place. Who is ready to pay the price for their soul to be restored back to me?" God sounded in a loud voice.

Looking at the weighty demands of God, there was anxiety and palpitations amongst members of this impromptu meeting. All remained silent but one. Who? St. John 1:1 tells us in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word is God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. I guess you know the person? Jesus of course!

Jesus the WORD, a member of the triune Godhead, courageously, boldly, selflessly, audaciously volunteered to prosecute God's assignment. Members of the council of elders trembled in awe of Jesus decisive decision that eventually sealed the fate of man for redemption. "And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

Now, what does this price to restore man back to God entails?

1. A sacrificial lamb to cleanse man of his sin (a price to let man go of his guilt).

2. Cover up the wrath of God that was hitherto definite & connecting them back to God (a linking channel between the creator and the created).

The journey of Jesus to the world eventually started but guess what? "He was in the world and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:10-11).

Above was the situation that unfolded at the arrival of the redeemer, whom the world despised so much. The world had expected him to come in His glory. The world expected the son of man to come in a chariot of army. To their utter dismay, He chose not that way, but an ordinary, mortal, fleshy body of man to execute His assignment.

Such is the way of God; the world did not know that the battle to restore man to God, need not an immortal but a mortal like them, to feel what they feel and to lead by example according to God's principles.

Moreover, has it not come to your understanding or reasoning that God Himself through Jesus actually laid His life for our atonement. He couldn't overlook man's sin despite His affinity with man. God created man in his image, we are His handiwork and it will be extremely unpleasant for Him, if man is destroyed. The unlimited God became limited by sin, so He had to offer His life to win us back to Himself. Don't forget, in the beginning, man was an immortal, man was a demi-god on earth, man was supposed to live forever before sin destroyed all these wonderful plans envisioned by God. This made God so bitter because a sinful body can no longer remain in the gathering of immortals, hence, the banishment. However, God saw a need for a mortal body to restore back man's immortality but not through an immortal messenger.

"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name which were born not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God"(John 1:12-13).

Also, "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away" (Isaiah 35:10).

In conclusion, a ransom was paid for you and I to be restored back to God. God initially banished us from His presence; He excommunicated us because of our sin. But luckily, luck shined on us, the word of God (Jesus) came down to the earth to bore our stripes, to feel our pain, to be buffeted by men, to borne our guilt, to be insulted by men, to carry our weighty cross(sin), and the ultimate--to die on our behalves. He could have declined but for His love and passion for us to be saved, He volunteered to be a sacrificial lamb. Beloved reading, there remained no more sacrifice or ritual, a ransom was paid already for you and I. It will be calamitous if this offer is rendered useless.

==Written by ODUNAYO EMMANUEL O. (Guest Writer) ==

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