Redemption Arc

One element in storytelling that I enjoy is called a “redemption arc.” It’s
where we get to see a character who was evil, hurtful, or just made a lot
of mistakes… turned to good and brought into community. This theme in
stories has strong ties to Christianity and to God’s own story of
redemption.

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In the Bible, Jesus is often called the Redeemer. But how does Jesus redeem
us? Ever since humans first went their own way against God, we all became
sinful, doing wrong against God and against one another. Our sin separated
us from God, but He wanted us to be near Him again. That’s why He took our
sins upon Himself on the cross. When Jesus died and rose again, He was the
One who paid for our sins and brought us back into the folds of God’s
grace. In books and movies, characters often redeem themselves, but for
Christians, our redemption is a gift from Jesus, bought at the price of His
own blood and suffering (Ephesians 1:7; 2:8).

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One way the Bible explains it is that we were slaves to sin, owned by our
sin. But we were bought at the price of Jesus’s death on the cross, and now
we are free! We get to be with our resurrected Lord and become part of
God’s family, the church. Jesus has brought us back into His light, so we
don’t have to hide in the shadows anymore (Colossians 1:13-14). Now, we can
live free from the guilt and shame of our own sins, because we have been
redeemed. • Naomi Zylstra

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• Can you think of a book or movie character who had a redemption arc? How
did they change over the course of the story?

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• Have you ever done something you regret, and then wanted to somehow make
up for it? While God does call us to turn away from wrongdoing and work to
make things right, we can never earn God’s forgiveness or our place in His
family. We are only redeemed by Jesus’s death and resurrection, not by any
of our own efforts. In light of these truths, what might it look like for
us to follow God out of love and gratitude, not obligation or fear?

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“I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the
earth.” Job 19:25 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Rom.3.23-Rom.3.24|Rom.6.17-Rom.6.18|1Cor.6.19-1Cor.6.20|Job.19.25