GOSPEL TRUTHS

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Gal. 3:13 NKJV).

In this verse, we have some important truths regarding the Gospel. Here we are told who the Savior is, why we need a Savior (sin), and what the Savior did for us (substitution). Thus, this verse speaks of Christ, the curse, and Calvary.

Savior/Christ - “Christ has redeemed us.” Our Redeemer and Savior is clearly identified in this verse. Nowhere in the Bible are we told of other redeemers. Rather, the Bible insists that there is only one Redeemer and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 states, “Nor is there salvation in any other.” If we take the Lord Jesus Christ out of the Gospel message, we have no Gospel message. We must come to the Lord Jesus Christ if we want soul salvation, since no one else can save.

Sin/Curse - “Redeemed us from the curse of the law.” Because of sin, all mankind is under the curse of the law. This is the reason mankind needs a Redeemer. Sin does not bless; it only curses. The world paints sin as attractive, and makes sin look rewarding, delightful, and exciting. But the word “curse” exposes all the world’s advertising as bogus and deceitful. Instead of benefiting us, sin puts us in trouble with Almighty God. It brings condemnation from God because our sin has broken the holy law of God.

Substitution/Calvary - “Having become a curse for us.” By becoming our substitute and taking upon Himself the curse of our sin, explains how the Lord Jesus Christ is able to redeem us. And He did it on the cross of Calvary, “for it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” The word translated “tree” is the word often used to refer to the cross. The Lord Jesus’ death on Calvary was His being our substitute in taking our curse that we might be saved. So, salvation is not God overlooking our sin and allowing us into heaven. Absolutely not! Our sin had to be adequately punished. And it was adequately punished in the Lord Jesus Christ, our sinless substitute.

(Adapted from Butler’s Daily Bible Reading 2)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“The heart of the Christian Gospel with its incarnation and atonement is in the cross and the resurrection. Jesus was born to die!”

William (Billy) Franklin Graham (1918 – 2018)

American Evangelist and Southern Baptist Minister 

Word Study

Firm

In 1 Peter 5:9 we read, “But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world” (NASB).

“Firm” is the Greek word stereós (στερεός = ster-eh-os'). It means stable, steadfast or solid like a foundation. In a physical sense this word describes something as firm, hard, solid and compact like a rock. Metaphorically, it is used of the food the spiritually mature eat (solid) rather than milk; solid food of course referring to advanced or deeper doctrine. The idea that the apostle Peter is conveying is that believers are to be steadfast, i.e. firmly fixed in place, not subject to change, and immovable in their faith. Believers are to stand firm and unyielding, resisting the devil.

Did You Know…

When the Lord Jesus died on the cross, the following things happened - the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked; rocks were split; graves were opened; many dead saints were raised, but only appeared to others after the Lord’s resurrection (Matt. 27:51-53).

Bible Quiz

When some of the guards came and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened, what did the chief priests do?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz

After His resurrection, what explanation did the Lord Jesus give to Mary Magdalene for her not to touch Him? “I have not yet ascended to My Father” (John 20:17).

Prophecies Fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ

They pierced His hands and His feet (Psalm 22:16; cf. John 19:34, 37; 20:27)

"For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet!” (Psalm 22:16 NJKV).

Here we have a prophetic reference to the wounds that the Lord Jesus would suffer in His crucifixion (cf. Isa. 53:5; Zech. 12:10; John 19:37). The Psalmist David did not know the practice of crucifixion in his day, but described the physical agony of it with great accuracy. Yet, the Holy Spirit used David’s experience to point to the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. The Lord Jesus was not held to the cross by cords, usually the more humane method of tying the condemned to the cross, but by spikes driven through His hands and feet. This especially cruel method of punishment was reserved for the most despised criminals. The prophet Zechariah also foretold this detail of the Lord Jesus’ death (cf. Zec. 12:10; 13:6). As sinners, we are subject to death (cf. Gen. 2:17; Rom. 6:23). However, in God’s divine plan, the Lord Jesus suffered in our place, giving His life in order that we might live (Matt. 20:28; Rom. 3:21-26).

Did You Know – Christian History

Desiderius Erasmus was born on 28 October 1466, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He was a Dutch humanist and theologian.

Erasmus grew up in the Netherlands. Educated by monks, Erasmus joined the religious life. He studied Christian theology at the University of Paris and followed this interest even after he left the university.

Erasmus significantly influenced the Protestant Reformation through his critical stance on church abuses and his support for humanism. His humor in “The Praise of Folly” and his New Testament translation challenged traditional church practices and highlighted errors in Scripture, which was in agreement with reformers like Martin Luther. Erasmus’ efforts to reform the Church and his call for greater access to Scripture set the stage for the Reformation, although he remained Catholic and distanced himself from Protestant theology. His influence was profound, as he inspired many to seek a more direct relationship with the Scriptures and criticized the church’s corruption, which contributed to the eventual break from the Catholic Church.

However, although Erasmus was sympathetic to Luther’s critique of church corruption, he wasn’t ready for the kind of radical changes that Luther demanded. When Luther started getting into trouble with church authorities, Erasmus defended him and wrote him letters of support. He thought Luther’s voice should be heard. But he did not defend all of Luther’s teachings. Some, he felt, were too divisive. For a time Erasmus and Luther remained friends. But Luther’s words were so violent that Erasmus could not accept them. When Erasmus did not agree with Luther, the Reformer called him all sorts of names, such as “secret atheist.” Erasmus, who thought that the Christian life meant living in the peace of Christ, was hurt. Further, he was in grave danger from both camps. Protestants said he held onto too much that was Catholic; the Catholics threatened him because they claimed he was wrecking the church. Erasmus had to flee from Catholic Louvain to escape being burned to death at the stake.

Erasmus died on July 12, 1536, from an attack of dysentery in Basel, Old Swiss Confederacy. We do not often hear of Erasmus, yet Anabaptists, Zwinglians, and Lutherans claimed to be his true children. Erasmus never joined the Protestant movement, but many scholars would argue he set the stage for the Reformers. It is said that Erasmus, the greatest scholar of his day, loaded the cannon that Luther fired. His Bible and his wit helped bring about the Reformation.

A Little Humor

A teacher asked her class, “What do we call the day Jesus rose from the dead?” A student replied, “The biggest Sunday surprise in history.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“The way to face Christ as Judge is to know Him as your Savior!”