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QUESTION 207
What is the Ransom theory, and where did it come from?

ANSWER:
I understand it to be that Satan captured Adam and the human race and God had to pay him to let them go. It goes on to say, that He had to give His only Son to paid the ransom to Satan. This is wrong in several ways. First, Adam was never tempted by the devil, it was Eve. Secondly, God owed Satan or nobody anything. He is not a debtor.

This seemed to have originated with an early churchman named Origen about 200 AD. It was held for some 1000 years or so and is still taught in the Greek Orthodox Church. It was never held by the Roman Catholic or Protestant churches.

Today is it taught in a more blasphemous way by the Word of Faith movement. They have a very dangerous and perverted teaching on the atonement. They teach that Jesus was taken captive by Satan for three days down into hell (hades} and was tormented, and it was there that He atoned for our sins. They further teach that when He arose from the dead He was reborn. They also teach that when we are saved we are little gods. This is a denial of the cross work and blood of Christ. It is pure heresy, and gullible. Christians even support and watch this false teaching. When Jesus died of the cross He cried, “It is finished” There was nothing to be added to it. When He died His soul went down in Hades (Paradise Luke 23:44) for three days while His body was in the tomb. The word ‘ransom’ means to pay to release a captive. It was our sins that held us captives. It was sin that Jesus died to put away (Hebrews 9:26) The ransom was paid to the justice of God. His law demanded death. He provided His Son for the ransom to satisfy His holy justice. Have you repented and embraced by faith this wonderful Saviour. He loved us when we were unlovable and died for us. Why not trust Him today.

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

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Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen