Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it us written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree… Galatians 3:13
His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. Deuteronomy 21:23
The purpose of the cross was ultimately to redeem humanity from sin. This theme runs rampant throughout the whole of the Old Testament, specifically in today’s passage in Deuteronomy and in Leviticus 25:48.
Redemption, in the Old Testament, was a traditional custom in which a loved one was brought out of a difficult situation by another loved one or friend. That situation may have been the death of a spouse, a financial issue, or perhaps a criminal offense. In the book of Ruth, a man by the name of Boaz lived out the theme of redemption by taking in his family and eventually marrying Ruth. Because of his obedience to the law, his family became the ancestors of Jesus. Through the line of Ruth and Boaz, Jesus became the ultimate redemption. He redeemed sinful humanity from the consequences of our actions by dying on the cross.
In an old hymn, the writer states:
“For t’was on that old cross
Jesus suffered and died
To pardon and sanctify me.”
That, my friend, is the purpose of the cross.
To be pardoned means to be forgiven and cleared of guilt.
To be sanctified means to be made holy and set apart for God’s purpose.
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Think About It: Was there ever a time in your life when you accepted and believed Christ’s sacrifice on the cross? If not, why don’t you do so today?
If you’re unsure how, don’t hesitate to contact me through the blog or on social media!
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