MDB 53: Galatians 3

Gal 3:13-14: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us... so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

What is the best way of helping other people who are in trouble? If someone has fallen down a hole, should we jump down it in order to show how much we sympathize? Or should we stay where we are and look for a rope or ladder to throw down and help the victim to climb out? Most of us would say that the second option is the more realistic one, but what if the person concerned cannot make the climb? Perhaps he has broken a leg or is too weak to lift himself up by his own efforts. It may be that the only way to help him is to go down there and lift him out, taking the safety rope with us so that we can tie him to us and lift him to safety.

That is what the Son of God has done for us. He knew that we had fallen down a hole called sin, and that we were so injured by it that there was no way we could ever climb back up again. He had to come down to rescue us, because we could never have done it for ourselves. Long before he actually came, he promised a rescue to Abraham, and for nearly two thousand years his descendants waited in hope for the help to materialize. When it did, it was not only Abraham who was rescued, but all those who believed that this was God's provision for our sin. Jesus Christ saved us by taking our sin on himself and dying in our place. He has united us to him by his death and is taking us up to glory. Those on earth who believe in him are still on the way up out of the hole, but we know where we are going and what is waiting for us at the end. The Holy Spirit, given to us to sustain our faith on the upward journey, comforts us and reminds us of what our destiny is. We are children of God because he has come to claim us, and in becoming a curse on our behalf, Jesus Christ has taken that curse away and made it possible for us to live with him for ever.