Why We Need the Ransom

1-2. From what do we need to be rescued, and why? (Romans 7:22-24) (See also picture.)

IMAGINE the scene. A building collapses, trapping a man in the rubble. He is alive, but he cannot remove himself from the wreckage. All he can do is cry out for help and hope that he can be rescued.

² Each one of us is in a comparable situation. In what way? When Adam rebelled against his Creator, he became a sinner. Later, he passed on his sinful condition to his children. As a result, the entire human race became trapped in the rubble of inherited sin, and we cannot remove ourselves from its effects. The apostle Paul well described our sinful condition in his letter to the Romans. (Read Romans 7:22-24.) He begged to be rescued “from the body undergoing this death.” Paul was trapped by inherited sin, which unavoidably leads to death. (Rom. 6:23) We are in that same predicament. We need to be rescued!

3. In what ways can the ransom rescue us?

³ Paul did not end his comments about sin on a negative note. After asking: “Who will rescue me from the body undergoing this death?” he answered his own question emphatically: “Thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom. 7:25) Paul was referring to Jesus’ ransom sacrifice.a That ransom can rescue us by providing (1) forgiveness of our sins, (2) healing from our sinful condition, and (3) reconciliation with our Creator. As we consider these points, we will grow in our love for Jehovah, “the God who gives hope.” (Rom. 15:13) We will also grow in our appreciation for Jesus​—“by means of whom we have our release by ransom.”​—Col. 1:14.

THE RANSOM PROVIDES FORGIVENESS

4-5. Why do all of us need the ransom? (Ecclesiastes 7:20)

⁴ We need the ransom in order to be forgiven of our sins. Every imperfect human commits sins, whether in word or in deed. (Read Ecclesiastes 7:20.) Some sins are especially serious. For example, the crimes of adultery and of murder were punishable by death under the Mosaic Law. (Lev. 20:10; Num. 35:30, 31) Many sins, of course, are not as serious as that; nevertheless, they are still sins. For example, the psalmist David said: “I will guard my step to avoid sinning with my tongue.” (Ps. 39:1) Yes, at times even our speech can be sinful.​—Jas. 3:2.

⁵ Think about your past words and actions. Have you said things to others that you wish you could take back? Have you made mistakes that you regret? No doubt, your answer to both questions is yes. The Bible states: “If we make the statement, ‘We have no sin,’ we are misleading ourselves and the truth is not in us.”​—1 John 1:8.

6-7. What provides the basis for Jehovah to forgive our sins? (See also picture.)

⁶ The ransom provides a sound basis for Jehovah to forgive our sins. (Eph. 1:7) However, this does not mean that Jehovah simply overlooks our offenses, as if they do not matter to him. Sin does matter to Jehovah. (Isa. 59:2) His perfect justice requires that there be a basis for forgiveness.

⁷ The Mosaic Law required that the Israelites offer animal sacrifices to atone for their sins. (Lev. 4:27-31; 17:11) Those sacrifices foreshadowed the greater sacrifice of Jesus and the resulting blessings. His sacrifice would provide a legal basis for Jehovah to forgive our sins. Paul understood the value of Jesus’ sacrificial death, as shown by what he wrote to the Christians in Corinth. After listing their former bad practices, he told them: “You have been washed clean; you have been sanctified; you have been declared righteous in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God.”​—1 Cor. 6:9-11.

8. What can you think about as you prepare to attend this year’s Memorial?

⁸ As you prepare to attend this year’s Memorial, take time to think about what Jehovah’s forgiveness means for you. For example, because of the ransom, you do not need to be consumed with guilt over past sins for which you have repented. What if you find that difficult to accept? Perhaps you have said to yourself, ‘I understand that Jehovah can forgive, but I can’t forgive myself.’ If you feel that way, remember this: Jehovah is the one who forgives, and he has given his Son authority to judge. Jehovah has not given you or any other human the task of deciding who will or will not receive his mercy. The Bible says: “If we are walking in the light as [Jehovah] is in the light, . . . the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:6, 7) We can be as confident of that as we are of any other Bible teaching. The ransom has given Jehovah the legal basis to extend mercy to us, and his Word says that he is “ready to forgive.”​—Ps. 86:5.

THE RANSOM PROVIDES HEALING

9. Besides wrong acts, what does sin include? (Psalm 51:5 and footnote)

⁹ In the Bible, the word “sin” refers not just to an action but also to a condition, one that we inherited the moment we were conceived. (Read Psalm 51:5 and footnote.) This condition not only inclines us to do wrong but also causes weaknesses that make us susceptible to disease, aging, and death. That helps explain why infants​—who have not committed any sinful acts—​can get sick and even die. It also helps explain why both bad people and good people suffer and succumb to death. Every imperfect descendant of Adam has inherited a sinful condition.

10. How were Adam and Eve affected by their sinful condition?

¹⁰ Think about how that sinful condition affected the first human couple. It produced an internal upheaval within them. After they rebelled, Adam and Eve immediately experienced the consequences of their violating God’s law​—a law that was “written in their hearts.” (Rom. 2:15) They could sense a change in themselves​—and not for the better. They felt compelled to cover portions of their body and hide like criminals from their Creator. (Gen. 3:7, 8) For the first time, Adam and Eve were subject to feelings of guilt, anxiety, insecurity, pain, and shame. To one degree or another, those feelings would plague them until their death.​—Gen. 3:16-19.

11. What effect does our sinful condition have on us?

¹¹ The condition of sin has a similar effect on us as it did on the first couple. Our physical and emotional anguish is rooted in our sinful condition. No matter how hard we try to improve our situation, we can only go so far. Why? Because, as the Bible says, we have been “subjected to futility.” (Rom. 8:20) This has proved true not only for us as individuals but also for mankind in general. For example, think about man’s efforts to manage the environment, to control crime, to eliminate poverty, and to achieve peace among nations. Despite any small steps of progress, those efforts have been futile. How can the ransom rescue us from our sinful condition?

12. What hope does the ransom provide?

¹² The ransom provides hope that “the creation itself will . . . be set free from enslavement to corruption.” (Rom. 8:21) When the benefits of the ransom are fully applied in God’s new world, we will no longer be tormented by physical, mental, or emotional illness; nor will we be plagued by crippling feelings of guilt, anxiety, insecurity, pain, or shame. Furthermore, our efforts to manage the earth and to live in peace will no longer be futile but will succeed under the rule of the one who ransomed us, the “Prince of Peace,” Jesus Christ.​—Isa. 9:6, 7.

13. What else can you think about as you prepare to attend this year’s Memorial?

¹³ Think about what being rescued from a sinful condition will mean for you. Imagine what it will be like to wake up each morning feeling well, to live each day without being afraid that you or your loved ones will go hungry, get sick, or die. Even now, you can find a measure of peace as you “take firm hold of the hope . . . as an anchor for the soul, both sure and firm.” (Heb. 6:18, 19) Just as an anchor can stabilize a boat, your Christian hope can stabilize your faith and help you to endure any trials you face now. Indeed, you can have confidence that Jehovah will become “the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.” (Heb. 11:6) The comfort that you receive now and the hope you have for the future are possible only because of the ransom.

THE RANSOM PROVIDES RECONCILIATION

14. How has sin affected our relationship with our Creator, and why?

¹⁴ Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, humans have been alienated, or separated, from God. The Bible even says that mankind as a whole has been cut off from the Creator. (Rom. 8:7, 8; Col. 1:21) Why? Because Jehovah’s perfect standards do not allow him to condone sin. The Bible says about Jehovah: “Your eyes are too pure to look on what is evil, and you cannot tolerate wickedness.” (Hab. 1:13) Sin has thus created a breach between God and man. None of us can have a relationship with Jehovah unless that breach is healed and we are reconciled with him. The ransom makes that reconciliation possible.

15. What did the ransom appease, and with what result?

¹⁵ The Bible states that Jesus is “a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 2:2) The Greek word rendered “propitiatory sacrifice” can refer to “a means of appeasement.” In what way was Jehovah appeased by the ransom? We are not to think that the death of His Son brought Him some kind of comfort. Rather, the ransom appeased, or satisfied, Jehovah’s standard of justice. He now had a basis to restore the relationship between himself and man. (Rom. 3:23-26) He could even ‘credit’ righteousness to those who worshipped him faithfully before Christ’s death. (Gen. 15:1, 6, ftn.) How? On the basis of the future ransom. Jehovah was absolutely certain that his Son, Jesus, would provide it. (Isa. 46:10) The ransom opened the way for man to be reconciled to God.

16. What more can you think about as you prepare to attend this year’s Memorial? (See also picture.)

¹⁶ Think about what reconciliation with God means for you. For example, perhaps you refer to Jehovah as your “Father,” as Jesus instructed. (Matt. 6:9) At times, you might even refer to Jehovah as your “Friend.” When we use terms like “Father” or “Friend,” we should do so with reverence and humility. Why? Because in our sinful state, any closeness we feel to Jehovah is not due to our own merit. It is only because of the ransom that we can even have a relationship with Jehovah. Through Jesus, Jehovah made it possible to “reconcile to himself all other things by making peace through the blood [Jesus] shed on the torture stake.” (Col. 1:19, 20) That is why we can enjoy a relationship with Jehovah​—even now in our imperfect condition.

THE RANSOM SHOWS JEHOVAH’S MERCY

17. How does the ransom highlight Jehovah’s mercy? (Ephesians 2:4, 5)

¹⁷ The ransom highlights the fact that Jehovah is “rich in mercy.” He “made us alive . . . when we were dead in trespasses.” (Read Ephesians 2:4, 5.) Those who are “rightly disposed for everlasting life” cry out for help, realizing that they are trapped by the rubble of inherited sin and need to be rescued. (Acts 13:48) Jehovah responds to their calls for help by means of the Kingdom message, so that they might come to know him and his Son, Jesus. (John 17:3) If Satan thought that the fall of Adam and Eve had thwarted God’s purpose, he was mistaken.

18. While we meditate on the ransom, what issue do we need to keep in mind?

¹⁸ While we meditate on the benefits that the ransom makes possible for us, we need to keep the bigger issue in mind. Rather than view the ransom as a provision solely for our benefit, we should remember that it is the means Jehovah uses to answer the challenge Satan raised in the garden of Eden. (Gen. 3:1-5, 15) By means of the ransom, Jehovah sanctifies his name, clearing it of all reproach. He also saves us from sin and death, demonstrating that he is a God of love. And in his undeserved kindness, Jehovah allows us​—despite our sinful condition—​to have a share in answering Satan’s challenge. (Prov. 27:11) How can you show your appreciation for the ransom? We will answer that question in the following article.