Day 335
Galatians 3:13 NIV
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."
Deuteronomy 21:23 NIV says, "You must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse." In Galatians 3:13, Paul explained how Jesus took the curse from us by becoming a curse for us. Jesus hung on a tree. The cross was a pole made from a tree.
According to the New American Heritage Dictionary, the first three definitions of the verb redeem are: to recover ownership of by paying a specified sum; to pay off as a promissory note; to tum in (coupons or trading stamps, for example) to receive something in exchange. Man was lost through the disobedience of Adam. Jesus came to redeem humanity. He recovered ownership of man by paying a specific sum (death and separation from God).
Mankind had a debt he could not pay. He could not pay God off to regain his original place. Jesus paid the note. He canceled the debt, so man could be free.
Jesus turned Himself in to receive the blessing of God for us. Galatians 3:14 reveals that when Jesus paid the price for our redemption, He received something for us in exchange. Through His actions, we inherited the blessing that was given to Abraham and the promise of the Holy Spirit
Deuteronomy 28 details the curse that man experienced when he broke God's law. When people walked in rebellion against God, God allowed the results of the fall of man to overtake them. Toe curse is already out there, but walking in God's ways protects us from it. Because man could not walk perfect before God, Jesus came and did it as our representative and purchased protection from the curse for us. He secured the blessing of Abraham for us. We can see what the blessing of Abraham was by reading about the things God promised Abraham and his descendants. Deuteronomy 28 outlines details of the blessings for the children of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob. According to Galatians 3, that blessing is also for the Gentiles through Jesus Christ
Nothing God has provided for us is automatic. It is all available, but we must receive it by faith. Jesus paid the price for the forgiveness of our sins. We must receive it. Jesus purchased for us the blessing of Abraham and protection from the curse of the law. We must receive it. Through faith, we access all God has provided for us. We must also walk in obedience to God. We do not have to keep the old law, because Jesus fulfilled it. However, we must walk in the light of the New Testament and follow the individual leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Obeying God does not purchase the blessing for us. The blessing has already been purchased. Obedience enables us to walk into the path where the blessings lie. Since the blessings are in Christ, living in Him will give us access to them and will protect us from the curse, as we operate in faith.
Jesus has redeemed me from the curse of law. I am free from everything associated with the curse. I am blessed because of what Jesus did for me. I will walk in obedience to God's Word and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. By faith, I will experience all the benefits my redemption brought for me.