September 02, 2025 | Be God's Family
Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse
Scripture: Galatians 3:6-14 (NIV)
6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” 13 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 pole.” 14 He 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.
Devotional
Abraham is the forefather in faith of all of us moderns. Through him “all the nations shall be blessed (verse 8). With that blessing of Abraham now coming “upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (verse 14) in the Incarnate Son of God. Through Jesus, Christians have been adopted into the family of God!
Throughout the Old Testament, people tried to earn God’s favor by works of the law. That failed mightily. Abraham wasn’t perfect. Neither was Moses. Joshua, David and Solomon joined the good-try club. Even the high priests offered sacrifices for their own sins. Every human being fell under the curse of their own sin.
That is, until Jesus. Verse 13 says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” This echoes 2 Corinthians 5:21, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” On the cross, Jesus became our sin. Jesus became our curse. In exchange, we receive the righteousness of God. We receive the promise of the Spirit.
Good works are a dead-end street of destruction.
Right faith is an eternal avenue of grace.
The essence of this passage is that salvation in for both Jews and Gentiles who have faith in the work of Christ, not their own works. We are all children of Abraham. We are all part of the family of God!
Poem
The Curse V. The Blessing
Psalm 109
While they curse, may you bless; may those who attack me be put to shame, but may your servant rejoice.
Psalm 109:28
The Curse brings
Fruitless labor
Thorny life
Broken mutuality
Painful bearing
Hardened longing
Death
The Blessing brings
Abundant harvests
Cleared way
Loving intimacy
Joyful labor
Deep fulfillment
Life
