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 tree.” Galatians 3:13 BSB
We've been in a study examining our redemption from the curse of the Law. We've seen that the curse is threefold. That though the curse covers various areas of life it can be summed up as a threefold affliction. The curse is poverty and lack, spiritual death, and sickness and disease.
So far we've seen how poverty and lack isn't something the Lord delights in. Looking at the earthly ministry of Jesus one could never conclude God takes pleasure in poverty or scarcity. This message of abundance and prosperity must stay centered of course. Prosperity isn't "balanced" by accepting a little lack and insufficiency, nor is it "balanced" by concluding all will be millionaires, and that all God cares about is our material gain.
We've seen how Jesus' Finished Work of Redemption forever redeemed us from spiritual death. We are never again to be separated from our Father. We are forgiven and made eternally secure forever.
Sickness and disease are part of the curse, see Deuteronomy 28. The good news is in His Redemptive work, Christ also redeemed us from the curse of sickness and disease. Isaiah and Matthew and Peter speaking of Jesus' work on the cross, declared He bore our sickness and pains and by His stripes, we were healed.
In fact, it was our diseases he bore, our pains from which he suffered; yet we regarded him as punished, stricken and afflicted by God. Isaiah 53:4 CJB
Surely he has borne our sickness and carried our suffering;
yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 WEB
Jesus has procured for us our healing and wholeness in His perfect Redemptive work. He bore sickness and disease so we never need to bear it. Sickness and disease aren't the handiwork of God. He is the author of Goodness, not evil.
Some seriously ignorant and misguided religious tradition-minded believers and ministers teach and believe healing was not in the work of the cross. They write books, preach sermons, host seminars, create videos, and flood social media doing all they can to convince the masses of this. They believe and teach that this healing only speaks of the healing of sin.
This sounds real spiritual but we were not sick or disease-ridden with sin. The Word is quite clear. We were not sick with sins and therefore needed to be healed from sin. We were dead in sins. Because of sin, we were all spiritually dead. We didn't need healing we needed new life. Paul revealed our condition, we were dead and needed to be made new. In Christ, we are a New Creation, not a "healed" old creation.
Healing is ours through the Redemptive Work of Jesus. When we see all the types and shadows of the Passover lamb, the sacrifices offered by the priests, none of the animals were ever scourged and tortured. Yet Jesus, the Lamb of God was shamed, humiliated, scourged, and tortured. Why?
Jesus took the chastisement of our peace, our wholeness, and by His wounds, we were healed. Jesus bore the pain and shame for the joy set before Him. He gladly took our place, for the joy of seeing us healed and being made whole. Our healing, our deliverance, and our protection were a joy set before Him. He willingly gave His body for us.
Now some have said in light of what we can see around us, and the experience of others, that we don't need messages about how God wants us to avoid suffering, but how to endure suffering better. This sounds noble and I am certain those espousing this mean well, but what exactly are we to suffer? What do we need to endure?
Are we to suffer poverty and lack? Are we to suffer sickness and disease? If we are to endure suffering better, and we are meant to suffer what Christ bore on the cross, then why are so many gainfully employed? Why are so many using medicine and seeking help from the medical field to get better?
These phrases are poetic in nature but we must use the Word of God as our source for truth. In a fallen and fractured world, challenges and afflictions may arise. The key to enduring better is to first and foremost understand God isn't the author of suffering, loss, or affliction.
The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 34 that in this world there are troubles, fears, and afflictions. Thanks be to God he doesn't stop there. Through it all, God is there with us. God is bringing us through them. God is also delivering us from these afflictions.
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of sickness and disease. Healing is God's highest and best for His children. Sickness and disease are the work of the enemy. God procured our healing and wholeness in the Finished Work. Freely receive it.
Because healing is a work of Redemption, we, therefore, can't earn or merit it. Healing is a work of Grace, not our effort. We can't ever arrive at a place whereby we are good enough to receive. We can't do enough, give enough, serve enough to merit or earn healing. It is freely received by Grace through Faith alone.
In summation, rejoice in the Good News of our Redemption. We are redeemed from poverty. We are redeemed from sickness. We are redeemed from spiritual death. For poverty, He has given us wealth, for sickness, health, for spiritual death, eternal life. Jesus has perfectly purchased and procured our redemption. We are healed and whole because of Jesus. Claim what Christ has purchased and provided freely, and walk in it. Let the Redeemed say so, we are healed because of Jesus!
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