“They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24 HCSB).
Our text from Romans 3:24 features two familiar terms: grace and redemption. “Grace” involves God’s unmerited favor towards those who do not deserve it. Since grace involves God’s unmerited favor, it is not something we can earn through virtuous conduct or by fulfilling various requirements. Instead, grace describes God’s benevolence towards us without respect to our talents, capabilities, possessions, or social standing.
This reference to grace leads directly into the concept of redemption. From a Biblical perspective, the idea of “redemption” may vary significantly from the way we think about that word today. For example, redemption opportunities offered by merchants, airlines, and financial services organizations typically rely on the principle of an exchange. However, the Biblical concept of redemption is also defined by words such as “ransom,” “rescue,” and “deliverance.” (1)
One Pastoral commentator offers a further clarification…
“Redemption has the idea of buying back something, and involves cost – yet the cost is paid by God, because we are justified freely. The word redemption had its origin in the release of prisoners of war on payment of a price (the ‘ransom’); it was extended to include the freeing of slaves, again by the payment of a price. The idea of redemption means that we are bought by Jesus Christ; therefore we belong to Him: For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Corinthians 6:20).” (2)
Another source adds,
“The word redeem means ‘to buy out.’ The term was used specifically in reference to the purchase of a slave’s freedom. The application of this term to Christ’s death on the cross is quite telling. If we are ‘redeemed,’ then our prior condition was one of slavery. God has purchased our freedom, and we are no longer in bondage to sin or to the Old Testament law…
Related to the Christian concept of redemption is the word ransom. Jesus paid the price for our release from sin and its punishment (Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:6). His death was in exchange for our life. In fact, Scripture is quite clear that redemption is only possible ‘through His blood,’ that is, by His death (Colossians 1:14).” (3)
Thus, Jesus serves as our Redeemer, for His death on the cross served to ransom, deliver, and rescue us from sin and its resulting effects. As we’re told in Galatians 4:4-5…
“…when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”
(1) H6299 – pada – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (KJV). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6299/kjv/wlc/0-1/
(2) Guzik, D. (2025, February 11). Enduring Word Bible Commentary Romans Chapter 3. Enduring Word. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/romans-3/
(3) GotQuestions.org. (2023, October 25). GotQuestions.org. https://www.gotquestions.org/redemption.html