June - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland

Sermon. 51---- - -- - ----~------------------,,'precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish andwithout spot." Deliverance by sacrifice was deliverance byransom. Therefore, here as elsewhere, the two modes ofstatements are combined. Thus our Lord in Matthew xx. 28;Mark x. 45, says, "The Son of Man cameto giveHis life a ransom for many." The idea of substitution cannotbe more definitely expressed. In these passages our deliveranceis said to be effected by a ransom. In Matthew xxvi. 28, ourLord says that His blood was "shed for many for the remissionof sins." Here his death is presented in the light of asacrifice. The two modes of deliverance are therefore identical.A ransom was a satisfaction to justice, and a sacrifice is asatisfaction to justice. (4) Redemption from the power ofSatan. The Scriptures teach that Christ redeems us from thepower of Satan. Satan is said to be the prince and god ofthis world. His kingdom is the kingdom of darkness, in whichall men, since Adam, are born, and in which they remain,until translated into the Kingdom of God's dear Son. Theyare his subjects "taken captive by him at his will" (H.Titllothy ii. 26). The first promise was that the seed of thewoman should bruise the serpent's head. Christ came todestroy the works of the devil; to cast him down from his placeof usurped power, to deliver those who are subject to hisdominion (H. Chron. iv. 4; Col. ii. 15). The fact of thisredemption of His people from the power of Satan, and themode of its accomplishment are clearly stated in Hebrews ii.15. The eternal Son of God, who in the first chapter of thatepistle, is proved to be God, the object of the worship of angels,the Creator of heaven and earth, eternal and immutable in verse14 of th(' second chapter, is said to have become, in order'" thatthrough cl('ath He might destroy him that had the power ofdeath, and deliver them who through fear of death were alltheir lifetime subject to bondage." It is here taught (i.) thatmen arc in a state of bondage through fear of the wrath ofGod on account of sin. (ii.) That in this state they are in subjectionto Satan who has the power of death over them; the