Redeemed From The Curse Of The Law: Part 3

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,

 being made a curse for us: for it is written, 

Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 

that the blessing of Abraham might come 

on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we 

might receive the promise of the Spirit 

through faith.

Galatians 3:13-14 

     There are two things that we must examine: redemption and faith. Abraham was given a promise: first that God would leave the country in which he was now living and go to a land that God would show him. God (how God spoke to him we do not know, we only know God spoke) that Abraham leave behind his father's house. Are we not also told to deny ourselves, the life that we may be living and even if this is to remove ourselves from our family, we are to do it and if so as with Abraham God promised to bless, and all who blessed him would also be blessed. Furthermore, that in Abraham all families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3). I do not know about you but this would take faith, not simple faith, but a faith in God. God appeared before Abram who was then 90 years old and God told Abram to walk before Him and be thou perfect (Genesis 17:1) and that God would make a covenant between Abram and God and more; God would make nations of thee (Genesis 17:5-6) and then God said that He would establish His covenant between Himself and Abraham and with the seed of Abraham and this was to be an everlasting covenant that He would be their God, to Abraham and to his seed. Now the faith of Abraham was put to the test and this test was time and age and yet he had not had a child with Sarai his wife as promised so Abraham took things into his own hands. Does this not sound much like what we do or have done? Now after having a child with the maidservant, a time when Abraham took things into his own hand and by this unfaithfulness a son was born and caused much trouble in the house of Abraham. God then when Isaac, the child born according to the promise of God given to Abraham was a young man, took Isaac to cause Isaac to be a sacrifice, that is to be killed. Wait a minute: Was not Isaac promised to Abraham by God? Yes! Was there not a promise that the Gentiles would be blessed by Abraham's seed? Yes! And now God was going to have Abraham to kill the promised child. Yes! Abraham in faith did exactly what God had to told him to do and the story is well known that when Abraham was going to kill his son God provided a redeemer and that redeemer was a ram caught in the thicket. Abraham had not held back his son and believed and had faith in God. Salvation came to Isaac and this by God's redeemer. Due to the faith of Abraham and his obedience no matter the consequences God blessed him and promised that his seed (plural) would multiply as the stars of heaven and the sand of sea shore, and that through Abraham his seed, this seed was given the word "his" and that this singular "his" or seed would possess the gate of "his" enemies. This is what Paul now describes to us as to who that "seed" was ascribed and that was to Jesus Christ for it is by Him that His enemies would be possessed. Now due to the crucifixion this blessing of Abraham would be able to be fulfilled toward all nations, that is this promise applies to you, to all who have come to faith in Jesus Christ. You and I can now receive the promise of the Spirit of God. Redemption is now available but not to those who do not come to have Authentic Christian Faith. It is this Authentic Christian Faith that has its foundation in the truth, unaltered, that we are sinners and in need of salvation, to be redeemed, and this is by the One sent forth to us by God: Jesus Christ. We do nothing but to accept this free gift of faith and if you have heard the pure word of God then you have a response to give: either receive that free gift of faith or reject this gift. 
     This is the Good News that we hear and that we bring to the world. We are the bearers of this Good News and God will bless us as we bless the nations, our friends, family, with this Good News. Our faith to be Authentic Christian Faith places our lives in the hands of God, to be obedient no matter the consequences, just like Abraham. We obey even when we do not understand because our faith is in a Holy God who has come to redeem. What did we do to earn this redemption? Nothing! All we have done is to accept His free gift of faith and then we change and become in the image of His Son. It might take time, and it often does but our lives must change if it is true that we have come to Authentic Christian Faith, no just a faith, but an Authentic Christian Faith in Jesus Christ our Redeemer. 
     Liberal Christians want to add works, speaking in some form of gibberish or to say that God has given to them some special revelation. Really? Is not the word of God in the Bible the inspired word of God and that word of God is all we need to live according to His will? Yes it is! Jesus was not some "good" man, and example, no, Jesus was and is God! Jesus is the Man who was both Man and God united to be the propitiation for our sins. No one has the right to soften this fact: You and I are sinners! Jesus is the Redeemer! It is only by our faith in Him that we have been redeemed! Abraham had faith in God and was blessed, we have faith in God, Jesus Christ and we have and will be blessed eternally. This fact that we must undergo a transformation into His image be an offensive thing according this culture whereby man is at their center but it is not to one who has heard the word of God, received this free gift of faith and allow God to transform them into the image of Jesus. The world will not understand, but to an Authentic Christian: they do understand. 
     Listen to this hymn:
Nearer, my God to Thee,
     Nearer to Thee!
E'en though it be a cross
     That raiseth me.
    Listen again:
In the cross of Christ I glory,
     Towering o'er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
     Gathers round its head sublime. 
 Don't miss this blessing: Choose to receive this free gift of faith, allow God to change you and make you into this person that only God can change you into: the image of His Son Jesus Christ. No, you won't be a little Jesus Christ, but you will be living as He did, innocent and free from sin.

For thus saith the LORD,
     Ye have sold yourselves for nought;
and ye shall be redeemed without money.
                      Isaiah 52:3

Is this not better?

Richard L. Crumb