Introduction
Salvation is healing from sin and its consequences, but people cannot get rid of sin by their own efforts. For salvation, a New Ancestor of humanity was needed, who should be a human but also an utterly sinless Being. However, such a Being is only God Himself who takes on the mission of saving people. Jesus Christ saves humankind through His teaching, life, death, and resurrection (Kenyon, 2017). In the redemptive feat, all these four stages are present in undivided unity. Redemption is one of the significant salvation elements as it helps one dispose of sins. This paper aims to disclose one of the biblical images of salvation – redemption – and trace its application to my practice.
Definition and Description of Redemption
In any Christian church, people see the image of the Cross and Crucification; the cross is the main symbol of Christianity, and its main events are the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. According to historical sayings, Christ comes to die, and His death on the cross is not a tragic accident that cut short a promising ministry but a goal towards which He is walking quite consciously (Kenyon, 2017). From the theological perspective, the reality of redemption is so deep and encompassing that any image with which it could be described will be partial.
Just as three projections of a three-dimensional body on a plane allow one to learn something important about it, but do not give an exhaustive picture. Different views on redemption are similar to such projections – they do not contradict each other but enable people to look at the same reality from various perspectives. In general, redemption is understood not as an act of legal redemption but as an act of being, grace-filled, supernatural liberation by the God-man Jesus Christ of fallen humanity from slavery to sin and death.
In the Bible, the redemption aspect reflected in the church tradition is the healing of human nature damaged by sin. In fact, sin is not only individual wrong actions but also internal corruption that prompts us to them (Kenyon, 2017). A fallen person can be compared to a drug addict who commits theft in order to get money for drugs – disposing of condemnation in itself is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for returning to everyday life. A morbid passion for wrongdoings will again push a person to commit a crime.
Redemption and a Sin
Sin, in its essence, is disobedience, that is, the mismatch of the will of man and the will of God, the rebellion of man against God. Sin leads to the destruction of the original unity between God and man (Kenyon, 2017). In a positive aspect, the goal of redemption coincides with the ultimate goal of creation, which is the deification of man and, through him, of the whole world. Meanwhile, in the negative aspect, redemption consists in removing those barriers that separate man from God from a certain point on.
Historically, Christianity has seen sin as both a crime and a disease, and in the saving acts of the Lord – people’s deliverance from both guilt and corruption. Therefore, salvation requires, first, the propitiation of God, the removal of a lawful oath, and the return of God’s favor to people. Secondly, it demands the mortification of sins or the granting of new life (Kenyon, 2017). The absolute value of this sacrifice is that Christ loved a man with boundless love.
Application
This principle of redemption may find application not only in the theological fields but also in medical one. Specifically, in the palliative care units, people spend the last days of their lives. Even though they are aware of the coming death, they sustain faith and pray, asking for redemption and forgiveness. It is primarily spread among the elderly, whose life was full of experience. During their stay in the palliative care units, they recollect their wrongdoings and beg Lord to forgive them and dispose of them of those sins.
Some people find immense consolation in this act, while others consider it as punishment. The latter case refers to those who are scared to face the upcoming death and encounter God Himself, who will decide whether to redeem their sins or not. Almost looking into death’s eyes, individuals are either afraid of accepting the situation or hoping to find peace. Hence, as a healthcare professional, one has to be understanding of one’s desire – to be scared or die peacefully. As a result, it is possible to find the application of redemption in palliative care since the dying tend to pray and hope the Lord would grant salvation or redeem their sin.
Conclusion
In summation, redemption is one of the primary elements of salvation that God grants to people. Historically, Christ’s death was the act of atonement for all human sins. Now, He is the only being capable of bestowing redemption for His eternal love to humankind. This act may be perceived as a blessing or punishment, depending on the situation. However, it is considered the most potent aspect of protecting the individual from wrongdoings.
Reference
Kenyon, E. W. (2017). The Bible in the light of our redemption. Whitaker House.