An Incredible Love

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13 ESV)

I try to balance my posts so that they are not always gloomy. It is difficult, as you can imagine, considering the times. So, when I need to be lifted up, I look at Paul. While Galatians 3:13 seems gloomy at first glance, it is really about love.

We continually violate the law, and in doing so, we deserve the curse of the law. Galatians tells us that Christ loved us so much that he became that curse for us. The Son of God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, became a curse for you. Amazing, simply amazing.

The law requires the body of an unrepenting violator of the law to be hung from a tree.[1] Being hung from a tree signaled God’s utter rejection and, as such, was fulfilled in the execution of Jesus by way of Roman crucifixion. It is thought that Paul may have seen this as disproving the claim that because Jesus was hung from a cross, He was not the Messiah, and He was cursed for what he had done. Remember, Christ was mocked while He hung on the cross. Through his conversion, Paul saw the truth of the cross, and that was that it was not Christ’s sins that were paid, but our sins. They were paid for in full out of love.

Every day, I see God's love all around me. Every time God blesses me, I know I am loved. Every morning I wake up, I know I am loved. Even when I stumble in my sin, I know I am loved, especially then. Maybe, when we stand before God, we will finally understand the depth of God's love for us. God’s love is fulfilling, felt, and infinite.

Is there a hole in your heart? Are you missing something, but you do not know what it is? Are you feeling unloved? The love of God penetrates and surrounds us. It is a love that is unconditional. When God brought Israel out of bondage, He did not say, “Worship me, and I will free you from Egypt’s slavery.” On the contrary, He said, “I have freed you from bondage, now worship me.” (Exodus 3:12). That is a huge difference. No matter what Israel did, God loved them. When we place our faith in Christ and repent our sins, God loves us despite our failures.

Do you know Him? If not, seek Him. Reach out to us at inmessiah.com, and we can help guide you to Christ.

Peace and Grace!

To our friend in the Ukraine, please reach out to us. We would like to know more about you, and we are praying for you and your country!

[1] Duet 21:23, Acts 5:30, 10:39, 13:29, 1Pet 2:24