7. How has provision been made for release from this bondage?

⁷ A fundamental teaching of the Bible is that God, in his mercy, made provision for man’s release from bondage to sin and death. This was by means of his only-begotten Son, who became the perfect human Jesus. In harmony with God’s purpose for him, Jesus laid down his life sacrificially as “a corresponding ransom for all.” (1 Tim. 2:5, 6) Though the ransom or redemptive price was thus paid “for all,” not all will fully receive its benefits. Why not?

8. Why do not all humans receive the benefits of the ransom?

⁸ It is only those with an approved standing before the Creator who gain the full benefits of the ransom provision​—permanent release from sin, sickness, old age and death. While all are invited to gain that approved standing, not all want to accept it because of the responsibility that is involved. Many do not want to act in harmony with the fact that a ransom or redemptive price has been paid in their behalf. They do not want to acknowledge that they have been bought and that Jehovah God and Jesus Christ are their rightful Owners or Masters, deserving of full obedience. All who persist in disobedience or who later renounce Jehovah God and Jesus Christ as their Owners lose out on the benefits of the ransom provision.​—Matt. 10:33; John 3:36; Heb. 10:26, 27; 2 Pet. 2:1-3.

So that sinful, undeserving humans could choose to come into an approved relationship with him and be freed from bondage to sin and death, God did not “spare” his dearest Son from undergoing a shameful death. (Rom. 8:32) For the majority of mankind the opportunity for life free from death that this affords will become theirs upon being raised from the dead. (Acts 24:15) Think of it, Jehovah God did this for humans who did not even acknowledge his authority in their lives. As the apostle Paul wrote to Christians at Rome: “God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”​—Rom. 5:8.

13. Why are we indebted to Jesus Christ?

¹³ The purchase of sinful mankind with “precious blood” was also an outstanding evidence of Jesus’ own deep love. (1 Pet. 1:19, 20) As Jesus himself put it: “I surrender my soul in behalf of the sheep. . . . This is why the Father loves me, because I surrender my soul, in order that I may receive it again. No man has taken it away from me, but I surrender it of my own initiative.” (John 10:15-18) “No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his soul in behalf of his friends.” (John 15:13) Jesus actually did more than that. He died, not only for his friends, but for the world of mankind in general that did not acknowledge any accountability to his Father. (1 John 2:2) Now, what man would have been willing to do that for people who had no respect for his father? We are indeed indebted to Jesus Christ for purchasing us at the cost of his life, opening up to us the opportunity to gain freedom from sin and death.