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The Human Condition Before Salvation's Gift of Redemption

Before receiving the gift of redemption, the human condition is characterized by a state of spiritual death, alienation from God, and an inherent inability to achieve salvation through personal effort [5, 6]. This state is often described as being "dead in trespasses and sins" [5].

The concept of redemption itself implies a prior state of being lost or enslaved, from which one needs to be bought back [2]. The Greek word apolutrosis, translated as redemption, consistently carries the idea of a ransom or price paid to secure release [2]. This is evident in biblical passages such as Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45, where Christ's life is given as a ransom [2]. The Old Testament also uses the term lutron in contexts of human-to-human transactions, such as paying for a lost item or a life, and in man's relationship to God, as seen in the redemption of the firstborn [2, 3]. The practice of sacrifice, divinely instituted from the earliest times, further underscores humanity's need for atonement for sin, with examples like Abel's offering and God clothing Adam and Eve with animal skins, likely from sacrifices [4].

Humanity's fallen state is marked by a "haughty" heart that precedes destruction, contrasting with the humility that precedes honor [1]. This pride and self-sufficiency are antithetical to the humility required for salvation [1]. The Apostle Paul, in Ephesians, describes this pre-redemption state as being "strangers and foreigners" to God's family, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and without hope [8]. This alienation is not merely a social or cultural separation but a profound spiritual one.

The inability of humans to save themselves is a recurring theme. Titus 3:5 explicitly states that salvation is "not because" of human actions or works of righteousness, but "because" of God's mercy [6]. This contrasts human efforts, which might be perceived as meriting salvation, with God's grace [6]. Salvation is presented as being "through faith in God’s mercy alone" [6]. Similarly, Ephesians 2:8-9 emphasizes that salvation is "by grace... through faith," and "not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast" [5]. Good works are understood as the result of salvation, not its cause, flowing from a transformed heart by God's Spirit [7].

Before redemption, individuals are considered enemies of God [14]. This enmity is not always consciously recognized by humans, as sin has a blinding effect on understanding, preventing self-awareness of one's true spiritual condition [14]. Reconciliation, therefore, becomes necessary to bridge this chasm of enmity [14].

The concept of an "old sinful nature" is contrasted with a "new nature" that believers receive through Christ [9]. This old nature is characterized by sin and death, from which believers are transferred into a realm of life and purity through a new birth and the Holy Spirit [6]. This transformation signifies a complete departure from the former life [6]. The "old life" is to be stripped off, and Christ's "new life" is to be put on, allowing Christ to guide the believer's way of living [9]. This new nature is a gift of salvation, where God's Spirit expresses His life within the believer, transforming the heart [11].

The human condition before redemption is also understood as being spiritually dead, a state from which God "gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead" [5]. This spiritual resurrection is a sharing in Christ's resurrection, both in the present and in the future [5, 10]. This union with Christ means believers share in God's glory and blessings [10].

The need for redemption is further highlighted by the idea that God "saved us, and called us" [13]. This salvation is not merely temporal but spiritual, preserving individuals from dangers and gross immoralities, and guiding them through a chain of providences [13]. The spiritual redemption is founded on God's "judgment" and "righteousness," which are then produced in those who are "converted" [12]. This conversion is a turning back to God, a return from a state of alienation [12].

Sources

  1. Proverbs “Proverbs 18:12 (KJV) — Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.”
  2. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Redemption — The purchase back of something that had been lost, by the payment of a ransom. The Greek word so rendered is apolutrosis, a word occurring nine times in Scripture, and always with the idea of a ransom or price paid, i.e., redemption by a lutron (see Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45). There are instances in the LXX. Version of the Old Testament of the use of lutron in man's relation to man (Lev. 19:20; 25:51; Ex. 21:30; Num. 35:31, 32; Isa. 45:13; Prov. 6:35), and in the same sense of man's relation to God (Num. 3:49; 18:15). There are many passages in the New Tes”
  3. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: First-born, Redemption of — From the beginning the office of the priesthood in each family belonged to the eldest son. But when the extensive plan of sacrificial worship was introduced, requiring a company of men to be exclusively devoted to this ministry, the primitive office of the first-born was superseded by that of the Levites (Num. 3:11-13), and it was ordained that the first-born of man and of unclean animals should henceforth be redeemed (18:15). The laws concerning this redemption of the first-born of man are recorded in Ex. 13:12-15; 22:29; 34:20; Num. 3:45”
  4. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sacrifice — The offering up of sacrifices is to be regarded as a divine institution. It did not originate with man. God himself appointed it as the mode in which acceptable worship was to be offered to him by guilty man. The language and the idea of sacrifice pervade the whole Bible. Sacrifices were offered in the ante-diluvian age. The Lord clothed Adam and Eve with the skins of animals, which in all probability had been offered in sacrifice (Gen. 3:21). Abel offered a sacrifice "of the firstlings of his flock" (4:4; Heb. 11:4). A distinction also was made between c”
  5. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:5: 2:5 gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (literally made us alive together with Christ): Joined with Christ, believers share in his resurrection, now and in the future (see 2:6; Rom 6:4-14; Col 3:1-4). • It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved: See Eph 1:2; 2:8-9.”
  6. Titus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Titus 3:5: 3:5 not because . . . but because: The contrast is between human actions that might be thought to merit salvation and God’s grace (see Gal 2:16). Salvation is through faith in God’s mercy alone (Eph 2:8). • He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth: See Ezek 16:9; John 3:1-15; Eph 5:26; Heb 10:22; 2 Pet 1:9. • and new life through the Holy Spirit: This signifies a complete departure from the life of sin and death and a transfer into the realm of life and purity (see also Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 5:17; Col 3:10).”
  7. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:10: 2:10 He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us: Good works are the result, not the cause, of salvation. God’s Spirit, working through a transformed heart, produces a good life (Gal 5:22-23).”
  8. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:19: 2:19 Gentiles who believe are no longer strangers and foreigners (2:11-12, 17). Through Christ, they are fully accepted into God’s family. They become children of God, just like believing Jews (see Rom 8:14-17).”
  9. Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 3:9: 3:9-10 your old sinful nature . . . your new nature: Paul contrasts old and new identities (see also Rom 5:12-21; 6:6; Eph 4:22-24). Believers strip off their old life and put on Christ’s new life, allowing him to be Lord and to guide the way they live.”
  10. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:6: 2:6 united with Christ Jesus: Because of this union, believers share God’s glory and blessings, and experience resurrection both now and in the future (see Rom 6:4-14; Col 2:12-13; 3:1-4).”
  11. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 4:24: 4:24 A believer has a new nature: God’s Spirit expresses his life within the believer (see Col 3:10; cp. Gen 1:26; Rom 12:1-2; Gal 5:22-23). The transforming work of God’s Spirit is part of the gift of salvation (Eph 2:8-10).”
  12. Isaiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Isaiah 1:27: redeemed--temporarily, civilly, and morally; type of the spiritual redemption by the price of Jesus Christ's blood (Pe1 1:18-19), the foundation of "judgment" and "righteousness," and so of pardon. The judgment and righteousness are God's first (Isa 42:21; Rom 3:26); so they become man's when "converted" (Rom 8:3-4); typified in the display of God's "justice," then exhibited in delivering His covenant-people, whereby justice or "righteousness" was produced in them. converts--so MAURER. But Margin, "they that return of her," namely the remnant that re”
  13. 2 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Timothy 1:9: Who hath saved us, and called us,.... And therefore should not be ashamed of his Gospel, but should readily partake of the afflictions of it, depending on his power to support under them. There is a salvation previous to calling: there is a temporal salvation; a special providence attends the elect of God, as soon as born; God's visitation in a very special manner preserves their spirits; they are kept from many imminent dangers, and some of them from the grosser immoralities of life; and there is a chain of providences, as the fixing of their habitations, bringing ”
  14. Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 5:10: For if, when we were enemies - See under Rom 5:6 (note). We were reconciled - The enmity existing before rendered the reconciliation necessary. In every human heart there is a measure of enmity to holiness, and, consequently to the author of it. Men seldom suspect this; for one property of sin is to blind the understanding, so that men do not know their own state. We shall be saved by his life - 1. For, as he died for our sins, so he rose again for our justification; and his resurrection to life, is the grand proof that he has accomplished whatever he had purposed ”
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