5. The Ransom​—God’s Greatest Gift

1 WE ALL NEED THE RANSOM

“The Son of man came . . . to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.”​—Matthew 20:28

Why do we need the ransom?

• Genesis 3:17-19

  When Adam disobeyed God, he lost his special friendship with Jehovah, his perfect life, and his Paradise home.

• Romans 5:12

  Because of what Adam did, we inherited sin and death.

• Ephesians 1:7

  The ransom is Jehovah’s way of freeing humans from sin and death.

2 JEHOVAH PROVIDED THE RANSOM

“God sent his only-begotten Son into the world so that we might gain life through him.”​—1 John 4:9

How did Jehovah provide the ransom?

• Psalm 49:7, 8

  None of us could ever pay the ransom for the perfect life that Adam lost.

• Luke 1:35

  Jehovah sent his precious Son to the earth to be born as a perfect human.

• Romans 3:23, 24; Hebrews 9:24

  After Jesus was resurrected, he returned to heaven, where he gave the value of his perfect human life to Jehovah as the ransom.

3 THE RANSOM GIVES US REAL HOPE

“He will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more.”​—Revelation 21:4

How can we benefit from the ransom?

• 1 John 1:8, 9

  Our sins can be forgiven.

• Hebrews 9:13, 14

  We can have a clean conscience before God.

• Romans 6:23

  We have the hope of everlasting life.

• Galatians 2:20

  The gift of the ransom proves that Jehovah and Jesus really love us.

4 WE NEED TO ACCEPT THE RANSOM

“God . . . gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might . . . have everlasting life.”​—John 3:16

How can we show we are grateful for God’s gift of the ransom?

• John 17:3

  Come to know Jehovah and Jesus, and imitate them.

• Luke 22:19

  Attend the Memorial of Christ’s death each year.

• John 3:36; James 2:26

  Do more than simply say we believe in Jesus. Do what Jesus taught us to do.