IN CHRIST
A Study of Positional Truths

.....Let us look again this week at our study of the precious truth of being In Christ.  We turn our thoughts to Ephesians 1:7.  “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”
.....The ‘in whom’ of our verse refers back to the beloved of verse six.  The beloved, the lovely loved one, speaks of Christ our wonderful Savior. In the baptism and transfiguration of Christ hear the voice of the Father saying, “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”
.....What a thought, I’m in the beloved.  Paul refers to the child of God in Romans 1:7…”beloved of God, called to be saints.”  In Him brings me the title of the beloved of God. 
.....This position according to our text gives us redemption.  The word redemption is such a glorious word full of truth.  Redemption needs three Greek words to explain its depths.  The first Greek word means to buy in the slave market.  In I Corinthians 6:20 the word is used,” for ye are bought with a price…” I rejoice the day some two thousand years ago, when He went to the slave market to buy me.  When He was on the cross, I was on His mind.  The second word to explain redemption is to buy off the slave market for ones self.  The word is used in Galatians 3:13.  “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law…” The third word used to express the depths of redemption means to liberate by payment of a ransom.  The word is used in Titus 2:14 “Who gave himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity…” He bought me.  He bought me for himself.  Then He set me free.  The Old Testament slave who was set free would often return and offer himself as a bond slave.  This slavery was not a forced slavery but a willing servant.  This great redemption is all based upon His precious blood.  It has caused me to bow and offer myself as a willing slave to Him. 
.....This great redemption to our study text gives and added perk.  “…the forgiveness of sins…”  The word forgiveness has the idea of to send away, to command to depart, and to let go as if never committed.  The text adds an ‘s’ to sin, implying them all.  My past, present, and future sins are gone as if never committed.  I can say with the songwriter, ‘My sin not in part, but in whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more.  Praise the Lord, It is well with my soul.’
.....This work of redemption and forgiveness is through the riches of His grace.  The unmeasurable wealth of His unmerited favor has been brought to bear upon the sinner changing him into a saint.  Let us not forget from whence we came, we are sinners saved by grace, let us ever proclaim, because of being in Him, we are saints of God.  Do you ever refer to a butterfly as a pretty worm?