WHAT THE RANSOM TEACHES US ABOUT JEHOVAH

 The ransom teaches us about Jehovah's justice. (Deuteronomy 32:4) How so? Consider: From disobedient Adam, we inherited sin that leads to death. (Romans 5:12) To set us free from sin and death, Jehovah arranged for Jesus to provide the ransom. But how could the sacrifice of one perfect human redeem millions of people? The apostle Paul explains: "Just as through the disobedience of one man [Adam] many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one person [Jesus] many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:19; 1 Timothy 2:6) In other words, it took one disobedient perfect man to cause us to become enslaved to sin and death. Therefore, it took one obedient perfect man to set us free. 

Did Jesus really have to die in order to save us? Couldn't Jehovah have simply decided to allow righthearted members of Adam's offspring to live forever? To imperfect humans, that would seem to be the kind and reasonable thing to do. But it does not take into account Jehovah's perfect justice. Because Jehovah is just, he would never choose to ignore Adam's glaring act of disobedience.

What, though, if Jehovah had not provided a ransom but had set justice aside by allowing Adam's imperfect sons and daughters to live forever? People would likely wonder if God might disregard justice in other matters as well. For example, might he fail to keep some of his promises? We need not worry about such a possibility. The fact that Jehovah carried out justice even at a great cost to himself-sacrificing his own dear Son-assures us that he will always do what is right.

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