Salvation
Jesus – Our Kinsman Redeemer
Many of the laws and feasts given to Israel by God through Moses foreshadow or reflect the work that Jesus Christ would perform for us. His life was lived and His Passion was completed for the fulfillment of the Law and a requirement for a relationship with God the Father. In Mathew 5:17 & 18 Jesus said that he did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill It. One of the laws given by God was the redemption of property or a person. It is the law of the kinsman redeemer found in Leviticus 25: 47-52 and Deuteronomy 25: 5-10. I will discuss Jesus Christ’s fulfillment of this law in reference to a person here.
Three requirements are listed in these passages for the kinsman – redeemer. They must be related to the person in need of redemption, usually the nearest relative. They must be able to pay the price of redemption. They must be willing to pay the price of the redemption. Jesus not only fulfilled these requirements to be our Kinsman – Redeemer; He is the only ONE who could fulfill the requirements.
To rightly begin this study, we must see and realize that all of us are in bondage to sin, and therefore we are in need of redemption. In the beginning, Adam and Eve had a right relationship with God and fellowshipped with Him in the Garden of Eden, but Satan entered into the Garden and tempted Adam and Eve (Genesis 3). They disobeyed God’s command and brought sin into this world. Paul tells us in Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”. When Adam sinned he sold himself and his descendants to Satan’s influence and control. Adam acquired a sinful nature which he passed on to all of his descendants. This is how Satan became the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4) and “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2), so that he could blind men’s eyes to the Gospel, the truth of God’s Word, and right living. Also, we have sold ourselves into the bondage of sin. Jesus said in John 8:34 “…whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” Paul confirms this in Roman 6:16 “Knew ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” All of us are sinners that are sold into the bondage of sin – Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” We are destitute and are without any means to redeem ourselves. Everyone is in the same situation. Psalms 49: 6, 7 tells us “they that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.”
Tragically, most people do not see their need for redemption, but God, Who is rich in mercy, grace, and love, has seen and done something about our situation. He has provided the Redeemer for us. This Redeemer satisfied all the requirements of the Law. The holiness, righteousness, and justness of God has been met by this Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Jesus was near kin to all of us. He was able to pay the price for our redemption. He was willing to pay the price.
First of all, Jesus Christ is our near kinsman. To be our kinsman means that Jesus was human. From the time Jesus came into the world, people have disputed His incarnation. In the days of the Church, some denied He came in the flesh and was some form of apparition or spirit being not a flesh and blood human being. Today, the world acknowledges that Jesus was a real human being, but not God. Both of these views are anti-biblical and are of the antichrist as 1 John 4:2, 3 says “…every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist…” Jesus was both God and man. God’s Word specifically tells us the following about Jesus:
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
John 1: 1, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
2 Corinthians 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more.
1 John 1:1-3 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life: (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us 
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 2:14, 15 (Philips) Since, then, “the children” have a common physical nature as human beings, he also became a human being, so that by going through death as a man he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might also set freethose who lived their whole lives a prey to the fear of death. It is plain that for this purposehe did not become an angel; he became a man, in actual fact a descendant of Abraham.
There are many other scriptures that can be quoted to show that God the Son became a real living, breathing man with blood in His veins. John has told us he heard, saw, and touched Jesus Christ in the flesh. Paul said we once knew Jesus Christ according to the flesh. God’s Word tells us that Jesus Christ has met the first qualification as the Kinsman-Redeemer.
The second qualification is the redeemer must be able to pay the price. The payment for sin is death, more specifically, the sacrificing and shedding of blood of an innocent and pure animal as the substitute for the sinner. In the beginning, God had instructed Adam and Eve about the Garden and the trees, especially the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They were not to eat of that tree. If they disobeyed they would die. This death was twofold. First, they instantly died spiritually which separated them from God. Isaiah 59:2 tells us that “your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you…” Paul confirms this in Ephesians 2:2 when he tells us that we “were dead in trespasses and sins.” The second part of Adam’s and Eve’s death was the physical decline and death of their bodies. God could have ended their physical lives there, but He chose to cover their sin by the death sacrifice of two animals whose skins made a covering for Adam and Eve. Their sin and death were passed on to all of us. We were now sold into sin.
Throughout the Old Testament, God provision for sin was the sacrificial system in which an innocent, unblemished animal’s blood would be shed to cover the sin of the sinner. This practice was repeated over and over. The sacrifices merely covered and delayed God’s final judgment until death. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Heb. 9:27).” “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins (Heb. 10:3 ,4).” Total and permanent payment would have to come in the sacrifice of a perfect and sinless human substitute. This is the only payment that is acceptable to bring us out of bondage. Because of His great love and mercy, God would provide this substitute just as He did for Adam and Eve in the Garden after they sinned.
As we have seen, Jesus Christ came and was a human being. Does He qualify to be our substitute? (Remember sacrifices must be innocent and unblemished – without sin.) John the Baptist said of Jesus that He was the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). In referring to Jesus as the Lamb, John was declaring that Jesus was sinless and the only suitable sacrifice to God for sin. Jesus asked the people including those in opposition to Him “Which of you convicts me of sin?” (John 8:46a) There were no accusations made against Him. Paul declares “he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin: that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5:21) Paul, once an enemy of Jesus Christ but now His great apostle, tells us that Jesus knew no sin. Peter, an intimate companion of Jesus, writes that Jesus, “knew no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.”(1 Pet 2:22) The writer of Hebrews writes “for we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”(Heb. 4:15) Finally, John the Apostle, another intimate friend of Jesus, proclaims “…that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”(1 John 3:5) Also, Jesus states in John 14:30 that “the prince of this world is coming very close and he has no hold over me (Jesus).”(Phillips) From the testimony of all including the Devil, Jesus was a sinless, pure person able to pay the price of redemption.
The last requirement for the redeemer was the willingness to redeem the person in need of redemption. In Leviticus 25:47-55, it is implied that the near kinsman is willing to negotiate and pay the redemption price. In Deuteronomy 25:5-10, if the near kinsman is not willing to redeem his brother by producing an heir, then he is to be humiliated before the people. An example of a willing redeemer is found in Jeremiah. In Jer. 32, the Lord instructs Jeremiah to redeem the field of his cousin Hanameel. So, Jeremiah weighs out the silver, pays the price, and the deed is recorded and saved so that their descendants can claim the land after the exile. An unwilling kinsman is found in the book of Ruth. Ruth asks Boaz for redemption which he is willing to do but there is a closer relative that must be given first choice. When the nearer relative is presented with the redemption rights and the conditions that go along with it, he refuses and according to the Law removes his right sandal in the presence of the elders. This allows Boaz, who is willing, to perform the redemption of Elimelech’s property and produce the heir for the property by marriage to Ruth. Even more amazing is the redemption of Gomer by Hosea. (Hosea 1-3) How willing was Christ to redeem us? Again, let us examine the Word of God:
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 10:11 Jesus said “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
Roman 5:7,8 “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Philippians 2:5-8 “Let this mind be in you. which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Hebrews 12:2 “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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
1 John 3:16 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us…” These are but a few verses that tell us of God’s love and mercy towards us and of His willingness to save us.
Not only has Christ qualified as our Redeemer, He has already met and paid the price of our redemption. He has paid the price of our release. Peter writes “who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”(1 Pet. 2:24) and “for Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the Spirit.”(1 Pet. 3:18) Paul writes the Colossian church that they “being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”(Col. 2:13,14)
As we have now seen, Jesus Christ not only qualifies as our kinsman redeemer, He is the only one that can qualify as our redeemer. The final part of this transaction of redemption is up to you. You must be willing for Jesus to redeem you, and you must ask Him to redeem you. The Philippian jailor asked what he must do to be saved, and Paul answered believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. (Acts 16:30,31) The Ethiopian eunuch asked what prevented him from being baptized and Philip said that if he believed the scriptures and message about Jesus with all his heart, there was nothing to prevent his baptism. Upon hearing this, the eunuch exclaimed that he believed Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Act 8:27-38)
Redemption is yours for the asking. If you believe Jesus is God the Son made human and believe He died on the cross and rose again for your sins, you can bow your head and pray and ask Him to save you now. Are you willing to ask Him?
Explore posts in the same categories: Salvation
