24/10/2022
Christ purchased our freedom and redeemed us from the curse of the Law and its condemnation by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs [crucified] on a tree (cross)”—
Galatians 3:13
Christ did for us what we could not do. He redeemed us from the curse of the law. The word "redeemed," from the Greek exēgorasen, specifically refers to buying someone out of slavery. Christ did that for us, Paul says, by taking our curse on Himself. Paul again quotes from Deuteronomy: Everyone hanged on a tree is cursed (Deuteronomy 21:23). Even the way Jesus was killed was evidence that He had become cursed in our place.
This great verse contains the essence of the "good news"—the "gospel"—of Jesus in a nutshell. Because none of us could follow the law without breaking it, all of us were cursed by it. We were separated from God, not declared righteous by Him. Then Christ stepped in and took our curse on Himself and paid the price of the curse, which is death and separation from God. That frees us from the law and creates the opportunity for us to be saved by faith.
