When speaking of the "freeness" of the grace of justification as presented in the

gospel, we used such expressions as "gratuitous", and "without a cause". Having realized

the blessed fact that no "cause" for this act of God exists in ourselves, we are able to

contemplate that this "causeless" grace not only finds its first great efficient cause in the

heart of God Himself, but also finds its meritorious cause, if we may be allowed the

expression, in the sacrificial death of Christ.

The sacrificial death of Christ is twofold. It is a redemption, and it is a propitiation, or

atonement. While both are accomplished by the one offering of Calvary, they are very

different in their meaning, purpose, and results.

Apolutrosis is, both etymologically and doctrinally, deliverance of a captive by

payment of a price or ransom. In the N.T. this word is used exclusively by Paul and

Luke.  The passages using it are as follows, and their inter-relation will provide a

profitable study, which, however, we here only touch upon before passing on.

The standpoints of Romans and Hebrews are clearly indicated. Writing to Hebrews,

the apostle speaks of transgressions against the first covenant, whereas when writing to

the Romans he speaks of the remission of sins of the past. Rom. 8: 23, read in

conjunction with Heb. 11: 35 places the future deliverance, issuing in resurrection and

sonship, over against the temporal deliverance from present suffering, showing that

the "better resurrection" is comparable with the "redemption of the body". Both

I Corinthians and Colossians find in the wisdom of the world something that is

antagonistic to the cross of Christ, and when read together these passages illuminate one

another. In a future series we hope to show that the central feature of Colossians is the

cross of Christ in its relation to the five great antagonizing "isms" specified in Col. 2:

The three passages in Ephesians speak for themselves.