The Son of God entered into heaven and obtained our eternal redemption “with His own blood” (Hebrews 9:12). Our redemption was accomplished, wrought out, and obtained by the precious blood of Christ by the sacrifice of His life which was represented and present in that blood, which was shed so freely for the remission of our sins and the ransom of our souls. How I thank God for the blood, the precious blood of Christ! Read about it and rejoice (Exodus 12:13; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-20; Revelation 5:9). Let me remind you of just three things about the precious, sin-atoning blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1. It was deliberately shed blood. — Had it been possible for His blood to have been spilt involuntarily, by accident, or by some outside force, against His will, it would not have been a proper redemption price. It could not have answered for us as a payment to the justice of God. But it was purposely and voluntarily shed with our Master’s full consent. Christ had the full control and disposal of His own life. He freely gave His life a ransom price for many. He said, “I lay down my life for the sheep,” as a ransom price for them; “I lay it down of Myself” (Matthew” 20:28; John 10:15-18).
2. It was human blood, the blood of a man. —That blood which was so freely shed for us was the same as the blood which flows in our veins. This, too, was necessary. We could not be redeemed with the blood of bulls and goats, which could never be an adequate price of redemption. Human blood must be shed for the atonement of men. Christ partook of the same flesh and blood with the children for whom He died. The only difference was this: His blood was not tainted with sin as ours is.
This was another requirement for our redemption. The ransom price had to be the blood of an innocent, perfectly righteous man. Much notice is given in Scripture to the innocence, holiness, and righteousness of the Redeemer. He was holy in His nature and blameless in life. He knew no sin. He never committed any evil. He is the just and Holy One. He suffered the Just for the unjust.
Great emphasis is laid upon this fact, too: The price with which men are redeemed is “the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot” (1Peter 1:18-19). If He had had any sin in Him, He could not have been a redeemer from sin. His blood could not be the price of redemption.
3. It was divine blood, the blood of a Man who is God. —It was necessary, if atonement was to be made and redemption accomplished for God’s elect, that the blood shed must also be the blood of One who is Himself God as well as man. None but Christ ever made such a claim; and none but Christ meets this requirement. Therefore, we are told that God, Who is Christ, “purchased the church with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). It is the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, which cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

To whom was the ransom price paid?

“The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)

The ransom price for our souls was paid into the hands of God whose justice was offended, whose law we have broken, and who is the Lawgiver, to God who is able to save and to destroy, and against whom all sin is committed, who will by no means clear the guilty, unless His justice is satisfied. He is the Judge of all the earth who must and will do right. Therefore, Christ is said “to redeem” men “unto God by His blood” (Revelation 5:9). The price of redemption, which is the blood of Christ, was paid unto God. It was by the ransom price of Christ’s shed blood that the redemption of our souls from the vindictive justice of the infinite, holy, and righteous Lord God was obtained.

The ransom price was not paid into the hands of Satan, or any other enemy that had power over us. The power of Satan was only a usurped power. He had no legal right to hold us captives. Therefore, the delivery of our souls out of his hand is by power and not by price.

However, the justice of God had a legal right to shut us up and detain us as prisoners until satisfaction was given. Therefore redemption from avenging justice, which is the redemption that is by Christ, is redemption by a price paid to justice for the ransom of God’s elect. It is written, “Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31). Jesus Christ is made of God unto us Redemption. He redeems and saves His people by three mighty works of deliverance.

By Ransom Price — The Son of God paid the justly demanded price of our souls’ ransom from the law’s curse. He paid both perfect, infinitely meritorious righteousness and complete, infinitely meritorious atonement.

By Regenerating Power — At the appointed time of love, the Lord of glory sends His Holy Spirit to regenerate, to quicken from the dead, His ransomed people. By sovereign, irresistible grace and power, the Spirit of God sets chosen, redeemed sinners free from the bondage of sin, the tyranny of Satan, and the terror of the law, calling them to life and faith in Christ. That call to life and faith is not an offer grace, but the gift and operation of grace, producing life and faith in Christ.

By Resurrection Glory — At the day appointed by the Father, our Lord Jesus Christ shall come again in power and great glory to gather His saints in the resurrection of the just into His heavenly kingdom. When He has raised our bodies from the grave and destroyed all our enemies and His, when He has glorified all His saints and made all things new, then, we shall forever be delivered from all the consequences of sin (Revelation 21:1-5).

Knowing that the precious blood of Christ is a price sufficient to satisfy the justice of God for all His elect, we rejoice to sing with confidence and joy the lines of Cowper’s great hymn…