Introduction:     (Illus:  Some barbers cleaned up a dirty skid row bum. He was dressed in a new suit and was presented as a changed man. He certainly looked the part. However, within a week the man was back in his former pattern of living. The barbers altered his appearance, but had not changed his inward nature). Anyone who has the money to spend can put a man in a new suit, but only Christ can put a new man in the suit. When God reached down and saved us, that is exactly what He did. Oh, what a Savior! In order for anyone to be saved there must be one who is able to save.  His name is Jesus. We're told in Psalm 3: 8 that salvation belongs to the Lord. In Jonah 2: 9, we're reminded that salvation is of the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 5: 9 depicts salvation being by the Lord. Salvation is simply a result of the grace of a wonderful Savior. As we consider the truth of these verses, we see 3 things about the grace that bringeth salvation. First, we see:

I.          THE LIFE THAT REMINDS US OF HIS GRACE

In the first part of verse 13 we are reminded of the days of our past life.  A graphic depiction is given to describe our past life, and remind us of His grace. We're reminded of:

A.        How He Brought Us Out! "..hath delivered us from the power of darkness.." Immediately our mind is drawn back to the days of our past.

·        We were in danger. We were in distress. We were in darkness.  But, Jesus brought us out.

·        The word "delivered" speaks of being "rescued." The word "delivered" literally conveys the idea of being "snatched out." The picture is of someone trapped in a burning building, with no hope in sight. Suddenly they were "snatched out" in the nick of time.

·        The day God saved us He "delivered" us. He rescued us. He snatched us out just in the nick of time. He brought us out; but we're reminded of:

B.         Where He Brought Us From "hath delivered us from the power of darkness"

 He snatched us out and rescued us; but, from what? 

·        We were held in the power of darkness. The expression points to the kingdom of the ruler of darkness, Satan (Eph.6:12)

·        Without God men grope and stumble as if walking in the dark. Life is lived in the shadows of doubt and in the darkness of ignorance. Simply put, without God, man is walking with blinders on, and he cannot see the way.

·        In the day when I could not help myself, when I could shed light upon myself, or when I could not get myself into the light; He stepped into my darkness and He "snatched me out" just in time. And, that life reminds me of His marvelous grace. The second truth Paul conveys is:

II.         THE LOVE THAT RENEWS US WITH HIS GRACE

The love that renews us with His grace shows where he has brought me to. A man is not saved in his sin, but a man is saved from His sin. He is saved from something in order to be saved to something. Paul speaks of this renewal in two ways. He Speaks of:

A.        A Divine Transformation "… and hath translated us..."

·        The word "translated" literally means, "to transform, or to transpose." It speaks of taking something from one place to another. God found us in darkness but transformed us to another kingdom. Deut. 6: 23. “And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers."

·        Jesus brought us out of darkness, and He brought us in to light. He brought us out of defilement, and He brought us into cleansing. He brought us out of deadness, and He brought us in to life. The moment of salvation involves a divine transformation. Paul not only speaks of a divine transformation; but:

B.         A Divine Association "hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son."

·        The kingdom of "His dear Son" indicates that Jesus is not only the object of the love of God, but the embodiment and expression of that love. 

·        The redeemed have been transferred into the realm where God's love is shed upon us. In Jn.17: 23 Jesus expresses His desire to the Father, "...that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."

·        Do you realize that if you are in the family, God loves you just as He loves His very own Son? 

III.       THE LORD THAT REDEEMS US BY HIS GRACE

Verse 14, of our text, is one of the richest, most blessed verses in all of scripture. It reminds us of God's grace that redeems sinful men. First, of all, it reminds us that by His grace:

A.        Our Sin Has Been Freely Cleansed “In whom we have redemption through his blood..."

·        The word "redemption" means, "to buy back." It suggests a ransom that was paid.

·        Since Genesis 3, you and I were estranged from God by sin. We were held by sin's power, penalty and presence. We were slaves to Satan, and sin, placed on the auction block of sin.

·        At the Cross, Jesus paid the ransom. He paid a debt He did not owe, and I owed a debt I could not pay. Thus, He bought back my freedom, and released me from sin's penalty. He freely cleansed my sin by His own blood. 

B.         Our Sin Has Been Fully Cancelled "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the FORGIVENESS OF SINS."

·        The goal of redemption is not only to freely cleanse our sin, but to fully cancel our sin. "forgiveness" literally means, "to cancel, or send away." 

·        Our sins are removed as far as the East is from the West. He has hid them never to be remembered anymore. Your family, friends, or neighbors may remember your sins, but God doesn't. When He forgives, He forgets. He cleanses them, and He cancels them. He redeems us from sin's penalty, and He releases us from sin's power.

Conclusion:       Thank God, in Jesus, we find both redemption and forgiveness. He has paid the price to cleanse our sin freely; and, he has released us from the debt, and cancelled our sin fully. When I think of the life that reminds me of His grace, the love that renews me with His grace; and, the Lord that redeems me by His grace, all I can say is, 'Oh, what a Savior!'