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STUDYARTICLE 31
SONG 18
 Grateful for the Ransom
Jehovah’s Forgiveness
—Why We Appreciate It
“God loved the world so much that he gave his
only-begotten Son.”—JOHN 3:16.
FOCUS
To build appreciation for Jehovah’s forgiveness of our sins by understanding
what the basis is for that forgiveness.
IMAGINE a young man who has been brought up in a wealthy family. One
day tragedy strikes; his parents are killed in an accident. The news is devastating to him.
However, another shock awaits this young man. He learns that his parents squandered
the family fortune and that they acquired huge debts. Now, imagine that instead of
inheriting their wealth, he inherits their debts, and creditors are demanding payment.
The debt is far beyond his ability ever to repay.
2In some ways, our situation is like that of this young man. Our original
parents, Adam and Eve, were perfect and lived in a beautiful paradise. (Gen. 1:27;
2:7-9) They had the prospect of enjoying a rich, endless life. But then everything
changed. They lost their Paradise home as well as their prospect of everlasting life.
What inheritance could they pass on to their future children? The Bible tells us: “Through
one man [Adam] sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread
to all men because they had all sinned.” (Rom. 5:12) The inheritance Adam passed on
to us is sin, resulting in death. This inherited sin is like a huge debt, one that none of us
can pay off.—Ps. 49:8.
3Jesus likened sins to “debts.” (Matt. 6:12; Luke 11:4) When we sin, it
is as if we incur a debt to Jehovah. We have to pay the penalty for the sin. Should this
debt be left unpaid, it would be canceled only when we die.—Rom. 6:7, 23.
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4Is it possible for us to regain all that Adam and Eve lost? Not on our
own merits. (Read Psalm 49:7-9.) Without help, we would have no hope for a future life
or a resurrection. In fact, our death would be just like that of animals.—Eccl. 3:19.
5Thinking back to the young man mentioned at the outset, how would
he feel if a wealthy man offered to pay off all his debts? No doubt, the young man would
be moved by deep appreciation to accept that generous offer. In a similar way, our
loving Father, Jehovah, has given us a gift that pays for the debt of sin that we have
inherited from Adam. Jesus explained it this way: “God loved the world so much that he
gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be
destroyed but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Additionally, this same gift allows us
the possibility of establishing a good relationship with Jehovah.
6How can we benefit from this amazing gift and have our sins, or
“debts,” forgiven? The answer to that question is found in the Bible’s use of such terms
as reconciliation, atonement, propitiation, ransom, redemption, and being
declared righteous. In this article, we will discuss the meaning of each of these
concepts. As we meditate on these explanations, our appreciation for the basis of
Jehovah’s forgiveness will grow.
THE GOAL: RECONCILIATION
7In addition to losing the prospect of everlasting life, Adam and Eve lost
their precious relationship with their Father, Jehovah. Originally, Adam and Eve were
part of God’s family. (Luke 3:38) But when they disobeyed Jehovah, they were
expelled from that family before they started to have children. (Gen. 3:23, 24; 4:1) As
their descendants, we therefore need to be reconciled to Jehovah. (Read Romans
5:10, 11.) In other words, we need to develop a good relationship with him. According
to one reference work, the Greek word used here for “reconcile” can mean to “make a
friend out of an enemy.” Amazingly, Jehovah is the one who took the initiative to make
this possible. How?
THE ARRANGEMENT: ATONEMENT
8Atonement is the arrangement Jehovah put in place for restoring a
good relationship between him and sinful humans. It involves exchanging one thing for
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another of equal value. In this way, something that is lost or destroyed can be regained
or replaced. The Christian Greek Scriptures use a related term that is similar in meaning
to “atonement,” propitiation. (Rom. 3:25) Propitiation is the act that allows one to be at
peace with God and to have a good relationship with him.
9To enable the Israelites to enjoy a good relationship with him, Jehovah
instituted a temporary arrangement for the forgiveness of their sins. In Israel, Atonement
Day was observed annually. On that day, the high priest would offer animal sacrifices on
behalf of the people. Of course, animal sacrifices could not completely atone for
anyone’s sins because animals are inferior to humans. But as long as the repentant
Israelites offered the sacrifices that Jehovah required, he was willing to forgive their sins.
(Heb. 10:1-4) In addition, that arrangement and their regular sin offerings impressed on
the minds of the Israelites the seriousness of their sinful state and their great need for a
permanent solution.
10Jehovah had a permanent arrangement in mind for the forgiveness of
sins. He arranged for his beloved Son to be “offered once for all time to bear the sins of
many.” (Heb. 9:28) Jesus gave “his life as a ransom in exchange for many.” (Matt.
20:28) What is a ransom?
THE PRICE: THE RANSOM
11According to the Bible, a ransom is the price paid to bring about
atonement and reconciliation. From Jehovah’s standpoint, it provides the basis to
restore what was lost. In what way? Remember, Adam and Eve lost their perfect life
along with the prospect of living forever. So the ransom would need to be a price of
equal value to what was lost. (1Tim. 2:6) It could be paid only by an adult man who
(1)was perfect; (2)had the potential of living forever on earth; and (3)was willing to give
up, or to sacrifice, that life for us. Only then could the life of that person replace, or atone
for, the life that was lost.
12Consider three reasons why Jesus was able to pay that ransom price.
(1)He was perfect—“he committed no sin.” (1Pet. 2:22) (2)Because of that, he had
the potential of living forever on earth. (3)He was willing to die and give up that life for
us. (Heb. 10:9, 10) As a perfect man, Jesus was the equal of the first man, Adam,
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before he sinned. (1Cor. 15:45) So by his death, Jesus was able to atone for Adam’s
sin, that is, to replace what Adam had lost. (Rom. 5:19) Jesus thus became “the last
Adam.” There is no need for another perfect person to come and pay for what Adam
lost. Jesus died “once for all time.”—Heb. 7:27; 10:12.
13What, then, is the difference between the atonement process and the
ransom? The atonement process is the action God takes to restore a good relationship
between him and mankind. The ransom is the price paid to make atonement possible
for sinful mankind. This price is represented by Jesus’ precious blood poured out in our
behalf.—Eph. 1:7; Heb. 9:14.
THE RESULTS: REDEMPTION AND
BEING DECLARED RIGHTEOUS
14What are the results of the atonement arrangement? The Bible uses
several expressions to highlight the benefits. Although the meanings of these words
overlap, each word emphasizes a certain aspect of the atonement arrangement that
opens the way for Jehovah’s forgiveness. As we analyze these words, we will also see
how they affect us personally.
15In the Bible, redemption refers to the releasing, or acquittal, that
results because of the payment of the ransom. The apostle Peter expressed it this way:
“For you know that it was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you were set
free [lit., “you were ransomed; you were redeemed”] from your futile way of life handed
down to you by your forefathers. But it was with precious blood, like that of an
unblemished and spotless lamb, that of Christ.”—1Pet. 1:18, 19; ftn.
16Because of the ransom sacrifice, we can be set free from the
oppressive rule of sin and death. (Rom. 5:21) Certainly, we have good reason to feel
deeply indebted to Jehovah and Jesus for the redemption that comes from the
precious blood, or life, of Jesus.—1Cor. 15:22.
17Being declared righteous means that the charges have been
dropped and that our record has been expunged, or wiped clean. By doing this, Jehovah
does not violate his own standards of justice. He does not declare us righteous on our
own merit; nor does he condone our sins. But because of our faith in the atonement
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process and the ransom price that was paid, Jehovah has a basis for canceling our
debts.—Rom. 3:24; Gal. 2:16.
18What does this mean for each of us? Those who have been selected
to rule with Jesus in heaven have already been declared righteous as children of God.
(Titus 3:7; 1John 3:1) Their sins have been forgiven. They no longer have, as it were, a
criminal record, and thus they qualify to be in the Kingdom. (Rom. 8:1, 2, 30) Those
who have an earthly hope have been declared righteous as friends of God, and their
sins are forgiven. (Jas. 2:21-23) The great crowd, who will survive Armageddon, have
the prospect of never dying at all. (John 11:26) “The righteous” and “the unrighteous”
who are sleeping in death are in line to be resurrected. (Acts 24:15; John 5:28, 29)
Eventually, all obedient servants of Jehovah on earth will “have the glorious freedom of
the children of God.” (Rom. 8:21) What an amazing blessing comes from the
atonement arrangement—total reconciliation with our Father, Jehovah!
19Truly, our situation was once like that of the young man mentioned
earlier who lost everything and inherited a huge debt he could never repay. But thanks
to Jehovah, we have help. Our situation has changed because of the atonement
arrangement and the payment of the ransom. Our faith in Jesus Christ allows us to be
redeemed, or set free, from sin and death. Our sins can also be canceled, and our
criminal record, erased. Most important of all, though, we can now have a good
relationship with our loving heavenly Father, Jehovah.
20As we meditate on what Jehovah and Jesus have done for us, our
heart is filled with appreciation. (2Cor. 5:15) Without their help, we would have no hope
at all! But what does Jehovah’s forgiveness really mean for us individually? That is what
we will discuss in the next article.
HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?
What is the goal of Jehovah’s forgiveness
of our sins?
Your answer
What is the basis for Jehovah’s forgiveness
of our sins?
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How are we affected by Jehovah’s forgiveness
of our sins?
 SONG 12
 Great God, Jehovah
[Footnote]
In some languages, the term “ransom” is translated with an expression that
literally means “the price of life,” or “the payment made.”
[Study Questions]
1-2.In what way is mankind’s situation like that of the young man
mentioned in paragraph 1?
Your answer
3.Why can our sins be likened to “debts”?
4.(a)Without help, what would happen to all sinners? (Psalm 49:7-9)
(b)To what does the word “sin” refer in the Bible? (See the box “Sin.”)
Your answers
5.How has our loving Father helped us with our inherited debt of sin?
6.What Bible terms will we consider in this article, and why?
7.(a)What else did Adam and Eve lose? (b)As descendants of Adam and
Eve, what do we desperately need? (Romans 5:10, 11)
8.What is atonement?
9.What temporary arrangement did Jehovah make so that the sins of the
Israelites could be forgiven?
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10.What permanent arrangement did Jehovah make for the forgiveness of

sins?
11.(a)According to the Bible, what is a ransom? (b)What would be needed
for this ransom to be paid?
12.Why was Jesus able to provide the necessary ransom price?
13.What is the difference between the atonement process and the ransom?
14.What will we now consider, and why?
15-16.(a)In the Bible, to what does the word “redemption” refer? (b)How
does this affect us?
17-18.(a)What does being declared righteous mean? (b)How does this
affect us?
19.How has our situation changed for the better? (See also the box “What It
Means for Us.”)
20.What will we discuss in the next article?
[Box on page3]
Sin
The word “sin” in the Bible can refer toseveral things:
•first, the original sin, or transgression, that Adam committed against
Jehovah God.—Gen. 3:17-19; Rom.
5:14, 17.
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•second, the imperfect inclination

that has been passed down to each one of us because of Adam’s sin.
—Ps. 51:5.
•third, any wrong deeds (whether intentional or unintentional) that wemay
commit because of this inherited defect.—John 8:34; Jas.
1:14, 15.
[Box on page 6]
What It Means for Us
RECONCILIATION:
 Jehovah’s goal, or purpose, for imperfect humans to establish agood
relationship with him
ATONEMENT
(and PROPITIATION):
 Jehovah’s arrangement to restore peaceful relations between him
andsinful humans
RANSOM:
 The price paid—Jesus’ shed
blood—to bring about our atonement andpropitiation
REDEMPTION:
 A result of the atonement arrangement; the release, or acquittal,
frompunishment for our debts
DECLARED RIGHTEOUS:
 Another result of the atonement arrangement; our “criminal record” is
wiped clean


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