JESUS TOOK SIN'S CURSE FOR US
READ Galatians 3:6-14
The aim of the Apostle Paul in this section of Galatians is for us to be totally convinced by Scripture that man is justified by faith in Christ alone. With this in mind we will focus on Galatians 3:13-14 which states, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."
vs. 13 - Jesus Christ has redeemed us from the condemnation of the law’s curse. He stood in our place. The curse of the law was upon us. However, Christ became accursed for us. The word translated as "for" has the sense among other things of ‘over.’ The curse of the law fell upon Him rather than on us. As our substitute, He stepped between us and the curse of the law. It thus fell upon Him. To establish the point, Paul refers to Deuteronomy 21:23, which states "...he that is hanged is accursed of God..." Paul states it in verse 13: "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." As our substitute, Jesus Christ accepted the law’s curse of condemnation in our place.
vs. 14 - Paul now mentions the blessing of Abraham coming upon the Gentiles. This blessing is realized only through Jesus Christ. That blessing had been promised in Genesis 12:3 and it included Gentiles. It was therefore in order that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. The greater point is that in Christ, all, both Jew and Gentile, receive the spiritual promise made to Abraham by faith. The key is faith in God’s work and not our work. Thus, the focus is on Him and not us. To reiterate, the key is faith—not any religious law.
The following story illustrates well what Jesus did for us: "In his book Written in Blood, Robert Coleman tells the story of a little boy whose sister needed a blood transfusion. The doctor had explained that she had the same disease the boy had recovered from two years earlier. Her only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the disease. Since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor.
"'Would you give your blood to Mary?' the doctor asked.
"Johnny hesitated. His lower lip started to tremble. Then he smiled and said, 'Sure, for my sister.'
"Soon the two children were wheeled into the hospital room—Mary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and healthy. Neither spoke, but when their eyes met, Johnny grinned.
"As the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, Johnny's smile faded. He watched the blood flow through the tube. With the ordeal almost over, his voice, slightly shaky, broke the silence. 'Doctor, when do I die?'
"Only then did the doctor realize why Johnny had hesitated, why his lip had trembled when he'd agreed to donate his blood. He'd thought giving his blood to his sister meant giving up his life. In that brief moment, he'd made his great decision.
"Johnny, fortunately, didn't have to die to save his sister. Each of us, however, has a condition more serious than Mary's, and it required Jesus to give not just His blood, but His life."
THE REDEMPTION WE HAVE IN CHRIST IS BEYOND MERE HUMAN COMPREHENSION. THANK GOD FOR HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US.
Your Friend and HIS,
Pastor Abbott
MEDITATIONS
1. What are some ways you can thank Jesus for breaking the curse upon your life?
2. Why did Jesus go to the cross for you?
3. How would you explain His willingness to become a curse for you? Is this kind of love a part of your character—to lay your life down for others?