Ephesians 1:7-8a In Christ, by God’s grace, we have redemption. While redemption has the idea of a purchase transaction, it means even more than that in Christ. Jesus certainly paid the price for our sins (Acts 20:28; Revelation 5:9), but the word in Greek also means to set free. The picture here is a kind benefactor buying a slave for the express purpose of setting them free. The main difference in what Christ did was that he bought we who were enslaved to sin and made us servants of righteousness (Romans 6:18). Such servitude to a benevolent Master, who also calls us friends and brethren, is not like the burden experienced when we were under the harsh task master of this world’s system (Ephesians 2:1-3). No, it is filled with joy and peace. Our new freedom is experienced by being able to do that which we were designed and created for, to live lives for the glory of God. Such grace was not simply granted us; this grace of God was “lavished” on us. It is grace that provides more than enough to free us to know true freedom.