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Enjoying God Blog

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This past Sunday at Bridgeway we spent time in Romans 3:21-26, looking primarily at three words: justification, redemption, and propitiation. As a way of illustrating the truth of redemption, I retold the story of Hosea and Gomer in the OT. You may recall that Gomer was an unfaithful wife, indeed, she was a harlot, running from one adulterous lover to another. She eventually was sold into slavery and found herself on the auction block, available to the highest bidder.

Everyone should read Hosea 3:1-3. There we are told that God commanded Hosea to go and purchase or redeem Gomer out of slavery. The price was 15 shekels of silver and a homer and lethech of barley.

As we turned from my sermon to worship, I experienced something that had never happened before. I will call it a “vision,” but I am not entirely certain that’s what it was. In any case, I had a strong impression, a picture emerging in my mind’s eye. I saw the auction block, but the person standing on it was me. My soul was for sale.

The auctioneer cried out: “What will you give me for the slave, Sam Storms?” A loud and angry voice echoed in reply: “I bid all the silver in the world.” The voice was that of Satan. He again shouted: “I offer also all the gold that can be found. I’ll add to that unlimited power, fame, respect, and authority.” It was a chilling moment, to say the least.

“Last and final call,” shouted the auctioneer. “Satan’s bid is all the gold and silver and power and fame and respect and authority in the world. Going once! Going twice!” But before the sale was final another voice spoke up:

“I bid for the soul of Sam Storms my precious blood, as of a lamb, without spot or blemish” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Satan was silenced.

“Sold, to Jesus Christ, for the ransom price of his own precious blood.”

And thus Jesus purchased me from slavery to sin. Far more valuable than silver or gold or power or sex or fame was his own blood, offered up in payment for me. He redeemed me! And now I am his. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

I can’t recall a time when I was filled with as much joy and gratitude as I was this past Sunday morning. The reality of redemption sank into my heart and soul with a force I had never felt before. Jesus didn’t have to purchase me from the slave market of sin and death. I deserved to be there. I deserved to be Satan’s captive forever. But Christ “loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20), and now I am his forevermore.

Praise be to God for the gracious redemption that comes through the precious blood of Jesus Christ!

1 Comment

Sam, I am dealing with a tormenting season of spiritual warfare. For 11 years, and I am only 26 years old. I have been in fear that I may have committed the unpardonable sin. I have read what you have wrote on the subject. I was wondering if maybe I could ask you a couple questions via email?

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