The Curse

Hello everyone. Welcome back to Deeper Waters where we dive into the ocean of truth. Tonight, we’re going to be continuing our study into the doctrine of the Trinity. We will be looking at a passage tonight that’s not about the Trinity, but brings up a point that I’ve brought up numerous times, and that’s the point that Christ became a curse for us on the cross. Our main verse will be Galatians 3:13, but we will look at verses 10-14 to get the surrounding context.

¹⁰All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” ¹¹Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” ¹²The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.” ¹³Christ 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.” ¹⁴He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Paul is talking about how righteousness comes about through the Spirit and faith in Christ and not through works of the law. His point is that in the law, everyone who is hung on a tree is said to be under God’s curse, and this is what happened to Christ. Christ became that curse for us.

I’d like you to picture being a Jew in the first century and going to talk to another Jew about this new movement you’ve joined called Christianity. He starts asking you questions about this person called Jesus and what his life story was and then you get up to the passion week.

You: And so Jesus entered Jerusalem for the final conflict between him and the Sanhedrin.

Friend: And he overcame them?

You: Actually, no. They crucified him.

Friend: Oh. Nice talking to you.

You: Wait! Don’t you want to hear anything more?

Friend: He was crucified. That’s all I need to know.

This is why Paul said in 1 Cor. 1 that this is a stumbling block for Jews and Gentiles both. How could a king be crucified? How could the Messiah hang on a cross? How could God come and have that happen to him? That’s not the way a true leader and messiah acts.

We need to really grasp this. Once the crucifixion point came in the story, most people would be turned off. Yet that is when we need to see the miracle of the resurrection. That was when God took all the claims that Christ made and vindicated them.

The resurrection explains it all. Either all that Christ said was false and he was the most wicked man who ever lived and the crucifixion was the most righteous act of all, or what he said was true and he was the greatest man who ever lived and putting him to death was the most wicked act of all.

Yes. He took on the curse for us. He didn’t leave it. That is what makes Christianity unique and that is why we must take the claims of Christ seriously.

Are you?