“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us for it is written, “‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.’” —Galatians 3:13
Scripture teaches that if we depend upon our obedience to the Law of God to become reconciled to God, then we are under the curse of the Law as lawbreakers. The only answer to finding favor with God is NOT in trying harder, but in the Redeemer, Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us.” To be redeemed implies that we have no power or ability to change our situation. The English word “redeemed” is a translation of the Greek word exagorazo, which was commonly used in 1st century Rome to refer to the purchase of slaves. For a slave to be free someone had to redeem him or buy him out of the marketplace. He needed someone to deliver him from his bondage.
In the same way, the Apostle Paul writes, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law.” The act of redemption was accomplished by the Son of God when He left heaven to be born of a virgin, take upon Himself humanity, live a sinless life, perfectly obey all the righteous requirements of the Law, and then lay down His life for sinners who were given to Him by the Father from before the foundation of the world (John 6:37). Apart from Christ’s work of redemption, every person is born a slave of Satan and sin (2 Tim. 2:26; John 8:34) and is under the curse of the Law. But the Apostle Paul wrote that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law.” Death, both temporal and eternal, is the curse of the Law (Gen. 2:17; Ezek. 18:4, 20; Romans 6:23), and that curse Christ took upon Himself on the cross by suffering God’s infinite, eternal wrath against sin.
However, the question is, has Christ redeemed you from the curse of the Law? Is your trust in Jesus Christ alone? If your trust is in something that you can do then you are under God’s wrath and curse. “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you–unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5). The Apostle Paul tells us to examine our heart. Do you know for certain that you are trusting Jesus Christ alone as the Savior of your soul? Do you trust Him as your only righteousness before God? Do you believe the promise of the Gospel, that all who trust in Christ are redeemed from the curse of the Law? Does your life demonstrate that you are one who has been bought off the slave block of Satan and sin to serve the true and living God? Is Christ your Lord and Master? “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Simply stated, do you obey Him as He speaks to you in His Word, not so you can be saved, but because you are saved? If so, then I declare to you on the authority of God’s Word that you are no longer under the curse of the Law. Your debt to the Law has been paid in full by the perfect law-abiding life and perfect sin-atoning death of Jesus Christ and you bear the curse of the Law no more. All your sins are forgiven by God. Why? Because Christ was made a curse for all those who trust in Him. He paid your wages of sin, both temporal and eternal death. Hallelujah! What a Savior! Have you praised Jesus today for saving you from eternal Hell?
Tuesday Encouragement: December 15, 2020
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry