Reverse Ransom

Psalm 49: 7 Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,
8 for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,
9 that he should live on forever and never see the pit.

There have been many famous ransom cases in US history. The Lindberg kidnapping in the 30's and the Jon Benet Ramsey case are familiar to most of us atleast vaguely. The thought of people stealing kids and demanding a monetary price for their life is wickedness personified. Some cases end up well, but most end in brutal disasters. All of them captivate the attention of the culture in which they occur, as the tension filled battle between hope of release and fear of death rage on.

Why is it so hard for us to see ourselves in the same place of a helpless kid kidnapped in the night by Evil? Maybe it is because sin is so deceptive we actually play a part in our own abduction, but it is critical for us to understand that we are a hostage to sin. I think it is also highly probable that we all think that we can earn or by our way through any circumstance. Surely our culture and past experiences validate this way of thinking.

If you believe the truths found above in Psalm 49, then You understand the reason why Jesus came. Mark 10:45 states "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom of many". Psalms 49 is speaking about man's inability to pay for, or even earn salvation. Only Christianity clearly states that we are unable to barter with God for your soul either in actions or chaity, because our ssouls are tainted with Evil. It is the unique claim of Christ that he came as both God and Man to serve as the ransom to serve men as a sacrifice. Man couldn't do it. That is why it required Jesus, who was fully God and Man, to come and ransom us from our sin and death. Men couldn't ransom themselves or each other, but God came down and ransomed us with a cost of cosmic proportions, the life of Jesus- God incarnate. For this reason, Christianity is exclusive in its offer. It is not an offer to be good, act right or live in moral virtue, even all of those will occur in the soul of a Christ follower. The offer of Christ is life and our choice is to either Worship Him or evaluate Him.

The entire bible points to the seperation of God and sinful man and our need for a redeemer, and reveals Jesus alone as that opportunity. It is a letter sent to captives, not trying to leverage a captor. In those ways, it is a type of reverse ransom letter. In stark contrast to an evil ransom letter of captivity, God's Holy word offers life, freedom and provides the ample resource for that transaction to occur as well, the Blood of Christ.

Has your soul written back to Christ in praise, or are you still evaluating the situation?