But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom

As a child, I was taught the Apostle's Creed. I am completely rubbish at memorizing things (all these years later, I STILL don't know the order of all the books of the Bible!) and didn't know it in full until I learned the song "Creed" by Rich Mullins. I can now recite it (mostly).

"purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death" (Apostle's Creed, A2 SC-BoC)

It really echoes the words of the old hymn: "Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the folds of God! He to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood!" It's a strange concept to grasp, though, and I admit, it some ways I still grapple with it. How could I put bought with BLOOD? It's rather gory, to think about it. Why couldn't God, being almighty and powerful, choose a different way to redeem us? He's God. Why did He choose such a gruesome way to redeem us, with two slabs of wood and sharp nails? I struggle with it. I can't wrap my mind around it. I've been taught it's the ultimate display of love, but at the same time, I can't help but wonder why this was chosen to be such a profound display of love.

"It is this, that He has redeemed me from sin, from the devil, from death, and all evil. For before I had no Lord nor King, but was captive under the power of the devil, condemned to death, enmeshed in sin and blindness. "(Apostle's Creed, A2, Num27, LC-BoC)

This sounds exactly like Romans 8:38-39, because before Christ, all these things could hold us captive. Death, sin, darkness, death, could all separate us. But now, as in the words of the song "In Christ Alone" states "No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand.
Till he returns, or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I'll stand." It's one of those things I know, logically and intellectually, but have difficulty applying to my life. It doesn't make it any less right or wrong, true or untrue. But yet... for those who believe, it's a beautiful, beautiful thing. That you have been redeemed,redeemed from all the darkness. Before, you were condemned to a life of hopelessness, but now, you can have of life of hope.