Ransomed

"knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ like that of a lamb without blemish or spot...." -1 Peter 1:18-19

      I'm sure we've all seen movies or TV shows where the bad guys are holding one of the good guys captive and they call the other good guys demanding money for that prisoner's release. That's worldly ransom, but seldom do the rescuers even end up paying the money. They come with a fake suitcase of "money" or they come with the money but also with a plan of freeing the captive and getting away without paying. Yes, they value the prisoner enough to put themselves in harm's way on his or her behalf, but often they don't have the money to pay the ransom or if they do, they simply don't want to give it up.
       Not the case with Jesus. In fact, he gave up much more than a couple billion dollars, and when it comes to having the ransom, he happens to be the ONLY one who does. Christ, the sinless lamb is the only one capable of paying for our captivity to sin. And he willingly did so, without an escape plan or counterfeit money in the suitcase.
     The context to this verse is of course important, but what if we didn't look at the context at all (in fact you might find I awkwardly didn't continue onto verse 20, leaving an incomplete sentence and thought), and simply looked at these two verses? What if we read these truths to a man or women, boy or girl who had never been introduced to the gospel? Assuming they believed them to be true, what type would they think would be the appropriate response "knowing that (they) were ransomed"? When someone pays for us that way, actually, when the only one capable of paying for us that way does so, do we respond with an offering of a life of holiness?