Christ’s Death and the Ransom That Opens the Way

The New Testament presents Jesus’ death as a ransom, an atoning sacrifice that truly addresses guilt and restores fellowship with God. Sin is not a minor flaw; it is rebellion against the Creator, producing real moral debt and real corruption. Jehovah’s justice does not pretend sin is harmless. Yet His love provides the remedy: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3). The ransom is not a vague symbol. It is God’s appointed means to forgive, cleanse, and reconcile sinners.

To receive the benefit of Christ’s death, a person must respond as Scripture commands. The Bible does not teach that mere acknowledgment of facts saves, nor does it teach that a one-time emotional decision guarantees future life regardless of later choices. It teaches a living faith expressed in repentance, baptism, and ongoing obedience. Salvation is a path, not a label.

Repentance That Turns the Whole Life

Repentance as a Decisive Turning

Repentance in Scripture is not regret alone. It is a change of mind that produces a change of direction. The repentant sinner agrees with Jehovah about sin, rejects it, and turns to God’s rule. When Peter preached at Pentecost, the question was direct: “What are we to do?” Peter answered: “Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:37-38). Repentance is the first response because it confronts the root issue: the sinner must stop defending sin and begin submitting to God.

Repentance includes abandoning known sin, seeking forgiveness, and accepting Christ as Lord in the practical sense—His teachings define what is right, not personal preference. Repentance also includes a willingness to make restitution where possible, to confess wrongdoing where necessary, and to repair relationships as far as righteousness allows.

Faith That Trusts and Obeys

Biblical faith is not passive. It trusts Jehovah’s promise in Christ and therefore obeys Jehovah’s commands. James states the principle plainly: faith without works is dead (Jas. 2:17). He is not saying works earn salvation as wages. He is saying living faith is recognizable by obedience. If a person claims to trust Christ while refusing Christ’s commands, that claim is empty.

This is why Jesus ties discipleship to hearing and doing: the wise man builds on the rock by doing His words (Matt. 7:24). The obedient life is not perfectionism; it is allegiance. The believer falls at times, but he does not make peace with sin.

Baptism by Immersion Into Christ

Baptism as the God-Appointed Entry Point

The New Testament consistently presents baptism as the normal, commanded response of repentant believers. It is not an infant ritual and not a mere symbol detached from salvation. It is the public, embodied act of identifying with Christ’s death and resurrection and entering the disciple’s life. Paul teaches that those baptized into Christ were baptized into His death, so that they might walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-4). The logic is covenantal and moral: baptism marks a break with the old life and the start of a new one.

Because baptism is tied to repentance and faith, it must be for those able to understand and respond to the gospel. Infant baptism contradicts the New Testament pattern, which assumes personal repentance, confession, and commitment.

The Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Jesus commanded baptism “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). This does not mean mystical words guarantee salvation. It means the baptized person is entering a relationship of submission to the Father’s authority, to the Son’s lordship, and to the Holy Spirit’s work as expressed in the Spirit-inspired Word. Baptism is therefore not magic; it is covenantal obedience.

Salvation as a Journey of Obedient Faith

Continuing in Christ Rather Than Drifting

The New Testament frequently warns believers against drifting, hardening the heart, or returning to deliberate sin. These warnings only make sense if the Christian life involves endurance. Hebrews urges believers to “hold firmly” and not fall away through unbelief (Heb. 3:12-14). This is not fear-mongering; it is realism. Imperfection remains a battlefront, and Satan seeks to devour. A Christian must remain watchful, feeding on truth and resisting sin.

Endurance is not grim determination. It is sustained trust expressed in continued obedience: continuing in prayer, continuing in Scripture, continuing in fellowship, continuing in moral seriousness.

Daily Obedience in Ordinary Life

Receiving the benefit of Christ’s death shows itself in the daily habits of a disciple. The believer learns to speak truthfully, to control anger, to reject sexual immorality, to practice honesty, to forgive, to work diligently, and to love others in tangible ways. None of this is performed to impress God. It is the fruit of repentance and the outworking of faith.

Obedience also involves resisting the subtle sins that flourish in secrecy: pride, envy, bitterness, greedy craving, and rationalized dishonesty. These sins are not harmless; they corrode the conscience. The gospel calls for a clean heart, not merely a respectable exterior.

Confession, Correction, and Returning to the Path

Because salvation is a journey, the disciple must learn what to do when he stumbles. Scripture does not say believers never sin; it says they must not practice sin as a settled way of life. When a believer sins, he must confess, turn, seek reconciliation, and resume obedience. This keeps the conscience tender and prevents the heart from hardening.

Jehovah’s forgiveness is not a license to repeat sin. It is a mercy that restores the repentant and strengthens the resolve to walk in holiness. The ransom is sufficient, but it is received by those who remain in repentant, obedient faith.

Evangelism and Good Works as Fruit, Not Currency

A disciple’s life also includes active love and witness. Christians are commanded to make disciples, to proclaim the good news, and to do good to others. These works do not purchase salvation. They express the reality of faith. A forgiven sinner who understands mercy becomes a messenger of mercy.

In all of this, the center remains Christ. The believer does not trust his performance; he trusts the Savior and therefore obeys the Savior. That is how the sinner truly lays hold of the ransom: repentance, baptism, and a life that keeps walking in the light.

You May Also Enjoy

Resisting the Idols of Wealth: Christian Ethics and Materialism

About the Author

CLICK LINKED IMAGE TO VISIT ONLINE STORE

CLICK TO SCROLL THROUGH OUR BOOKS