Redemption (xii)

In this chapter in our series on "Redemption" we will continue to discuss how the sinner is "redeemed" from sin's slavery and imprisonment when he is converted to Christ and made his willing and obedient slave; And, having chiefly discussed how the Father and Son are "redeemers," we have begun to look at the work of the Spirit as a "goel," in conversion and sanctification.

Dr. Clark H. Pinnock under the sub heading "Neglect of the Redemptive Dimension" (see here) wrote (emphasis mine):

"The work of the Spirit in redemption has not suffered the degree of neglect that it has in relation to creation. Certain aspects have been regularly noted and widely discussed: for example, the Spirit’s work of revelation, regeneration, sanctification, ecclesiology, gifting, etc. Such topics receive lots of attention and rightly so. If the Spirit is the power of creation, it is even more obviously the power of redemption. Indeed the two themes are interconnected. By the power of the Spirit, God both creates the world and moves it along to consummation. The church understands well that the Spirit is paramount in the order of grace. Nevertheless, certain aspects of Spirit in relation to redemption do not often appear in theology: for example, the centrality of the Spirit in relation to the mission of Jesus is seldom noted, except in relation to the issue of our own empowerment. As far as Christology is concerned, one gets the impression that the Spirit is a junior partner and of much less importance for the work of redemption than Jesus. The atonement, too, is normally discussed in quasi-legal terms with little attention being given to its participatory and representative aspects. We hear much more about Christ’s work for us than about his work with us and in us. We hear more about salvation as a change of status than as union with God by the Spirit. There does seem to be at least some neglect of the Spirit’s role in redemption and with it (happily) a promise of fresh insight."

These are keen observations about the Spirit's work in creation and redemption. I agree that there is indeed "some neglect of the Spirit's role in redemption" in the minds of many bible students and thus the reason for this series on the subject. We do indeed need "fresh insight" into this glorious subject. It is the Spirit's role in redemption via conversion and sanctification that has been our focus in the immediate preceding chapters and this focus will be continued in this chapter.

The observation about the relation between the Spirit's work in creation and redemption is worth contemplating. In this series we have focused on this very point at times, arguing that "creation is unto redemption," or is a means unto redemption, as Paul affirmed in Ephesians 3.

I also agree with Pinnock that there is, among many Christians, more emphasis about "Christ's work for us than about his work with us and in us," and more about "salvation as a change of status than as union with God by the Spirit." Redemption, as we have seen, involves both objective and subjective aspects. Christ pays the redemption price "for us," but redemption is not experienced by the enslaved sinner till he is actually set free, till the Spirit works "in us."

In the preceding chapters we have seen how redemption involves delivering slaves and prisoners from their bondage and that this occurs first in conversion. It is in conversion that a sinner is freed from the slavery of sin and made a slave of Christ. Believers go from being prisoners of the law, and of sin, and of Satan, to being prisoners of Christ, of his word, and of truth and righteousness. This is when the chains of sin are removed from the sinner and he is "set free," let out of prison as it were. This is when a sinner's "master" is changed. Once he was the slave of master Sin, but now the slave of master Christ. It is a time when the sinner comes out from under "the yoke of bondage" and freely comes under "the yoke of Christ."

Redemption From The Slave Yoke

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Gal.5:1)

There are several kinds of "yokes" in the bible. Some were designed for animals, chiefly oxen, and some for humans, especially for slaves and prisoners. Some yokes were designed for a pair of oxen. Thus the Apostle Paul spoke of "the unequal yoke" in connection with partnerships between believers and unbelievers (II Corinthians 6:14). Thus in the OT we read: "Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together." (Duet. 22:10) Cattle were unequally yoked together when ox and ass were drawing the same plough.

Yokes for humans were generally singular, however. Of this kind Paul referred to in these words: "Let as many servants (slaves) as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed." (I Tim. 6:1)

In Hosea there is reference to "the yoke on their jaws." (Hos 11:4) This we might call a "harness" today. There were yokes of wood and yokes of iron, the latter being worse for the one yoked. (Jer. 27:2)

In the New Testament the word "yoke" is used to denote bondage and servitude (Matt. 11:29, 30; Acts 15:10; Gal. 5:1). The prophet spoke of the disobedient Israelites being brought into bondage by this metaphor saying that the nation's "neck" would be brought "under the yoke of the king of Babylon" (Jeremiah 27:8). In becoming slaves and prisoners of the heathen king, the nation had a yoke around it's neck, denoting not only what is extremely burdensome, but what most often signifies a state of "hard bondage," the kind the nation had first experienced in Egypt.

Sin or moral depravity is a "yoke." Trying to find salvation outside of Christ is a heavy burden. It is truly "hard labor," the kind that slaves and prisoners know. Wrote Solomon - "the way of the transgressor is hard." (Prov. 13: 15) The Bible says, “The way of peace have they not known” (Romans 3:17). “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isaiah 57:21). Expecting to get happiness from sin? Said Spurgeon:

"It must not be forgotten that some ungodly men expend a deal of labour to gratify their evil desires. The way to hell may be down-hill, but it is not all smooth. There are hill Difficulties even for the ungodly. “The way of transgressors is hard.” Hence the Saviour says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,” for sinners labour, and their sins prove to be a heavy burden. The same Hebrew word, and the same Greek word, stands both for “labouring,” and for “sin,” for sinning is often hard; as the prophet says, “The people labour in the very fire, and weary themselves for vanity.” Though men call sin pleasure, who does not know that it often jades and fags the man worse than the hardest toil! How the proud man toils for honour! How the miser pinches himself for gold! How the thief exhausts his ingenuity to get at another man’s wealth! How hard is the harlot’s drudgery! How heavy is the yoke of Satan!" (Travelling Expenses on the Two Great Roads - see here)

In his sermon "The Two Yokes" (here) Spurgeon said:

"ALL THROUGH THE BOOK of Jeremiah you will observe that the prophet taught the people not only by words, but by symbols. At one time he took his mantle and hid it in the earth till it was soiled and worn, and then taught them something by wearing it. At another time he took an earthen pot and broke it in their presence. And on this occasion he put a yoke about his own neck as the token that Israel should be subdued beneath the power of Nebuchadnezzar.

With this, by way of preliminary observation, we will now come to the text, and endeavor to make some use of it for ourselves. Hananiah took off the symbolic yoke, the wooden yoke, from Jeremiah's neck and broke it. Jeremiah comes again, and says, "You have broken the yoke of wood, but God has commanded that ye shall now wear yokes of iron." They were not benefited, therefore, by the change, but the reverse. This is suggestive of a broad principle. From the symbol, which was applicable in one case, we draw a general truth. Whenever men say of God, "Let us break his bands asunder, and cast his cords from us," they may do so if they will; but instead of the yokes of wood they will be sure to get yokes of iron. If they will not submit to the government of Christ, they will have to submit to the tyranny of Satan. Some yoke they will have to wear, and if they reject the easy yoke of the Christ of God, the wooden yoke as it were which he puts on men, there shall be made for them yokes of iron, which they shall neither be able to break off nor yet to support."

"So our thought will run this way. First, that men must wear some yoke or other; and, secondly, that the yoke of Christ is a very easy one; and, thirdly, that when it is refused, it is inevitable that men should wear a heavier one."

Spurgeon, elaborating on the hard labor of sin's service, said:

"We serve ourselves, and oh, the slavery of serving one's self! He that makes his belly his god, and bows down to the lusts of the flesh, serves a tyrant indeed. Something or other we must serve, not only because we are dependent creatures, but also it seems to be stamped upon us that we must follow some great principle, and must yield ourselves to some spiritual influence. A yoke of some kind or another we must submit to. The man who shall say, "I am perfectly free, and I live for nothing but myself," is so mean an animal, that he is hardly worthy to be called a man."

Said Spurgeon again:

"THOSE WHO REFUSE TO WEAR THE EASY YOKE OF CHRIST WILL HAVE TO WEAR A WORSE ONE. "Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron."

Observe! Adam wore an easy yoke in Paradise: he broke it. Himself and his posterity have had to wear yokes of iron ever since.

Be ye not as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding, whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

And look at self-righteous men and women who try to work their own way to heaven. The Pharisees of old-what a slavery their life was! Any man who is seeking to be saved by his good works makes himself a slave. He must know in his conscience that his good works are imperfect, and therefore he has no title, no sure, clear title to heaven. Only the man who takes Christ to be his wisdom, his righteousness, his justification, his redemption, his all and in all-knows that he is saved; but he that getteth Christ hath all that God asks of him, he hath his sins punished in his Savior, he hath had the law fulfilled by his Savior, and he is thus saved. Those who will not have Christ, put upon their necks a horrible yoke. Oh, beware of superstition; beware of self-righteousness! These are iron yokes indeed.

Still giving but a word to each case, we have hearers who, when they listen to the word, are haunted with reproach, but never softened with repentance, because of their sins. They go on hardening their necks and persevering in their iniquities. Impenitent sinner, mark this word. The day will come when inasmuch as thou hast rejected the easy yoke of repentance, thou wilt have to bear the iron yoke of remorse. A man under remorse in this world is a dreadful sight. Horrified with the past and alarmed with the future, yet having knees so stubborn that they will not bow, and blood-shot eyes that will not weep; because, alas! his heart is like to adamant that cannot feel. Of all the pangs convinced and repentant sinners bear, there are none so dreadful as the gloomy torment of remorse."

Oh that sinners would be awakened to the truth that "men who seek their own pleasure put upon themselves a yoke of iron"! 

"The general principle running through every case is, that he who rejects the yoke of Christ bows his neck to something worse by far."

Well, amen to that! Thank God we "serve the Lord Christ"! (Col. 3: 24)