Soul man
Member
A good friend (now departed) wrote a book entitled 'The law is not faith. It was one of the finest understandings I have ever seen on the subject. The scripture I'm dealing with in Galatians has this phrase in it. The very wording of the phrase shows how far modern religion has departed from Paul's gospel.
The cross and the curse, Galatians 3: 10–13.
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 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:
This section of scripture begins with an explanation of how Old Testament law worked. It shows the utter failure of the law. On one hand, it says that whosoever keeps the law is under a curse and then it says whosoever does not keep the law is under a curse. You might ask, why would God put such an impossible ruling upon people? The answer to this is plainly shown in Paul's writing: the purpose of the law is to bring us to Christ,
Galatians 3:24.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
This scriptures say, " cursed is everyone who does not abide by the things written in the book of the law, to perform them, Deuteronomy 27:26." Then Paul says in one of his most important statements that every man is justified only by what Jesus does at the cross and those so justified need only live by faith. There is nothing more for them to do: Christ alone finished salvation.
The fact that law believers in the Old Testament could not live the law was like a curse put upon them. In Galatians 3:13, Paul gives us a good understanding concerning the curse of the law taken from Deuteronomy 27. He says two important things.
One, he says "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law." The curse of the law was so important that the father incorporated into Christ's death. Just like our sins, ourselves, and our old man, were crucified, meaning killed out with Christ death on the cross, so was the curse of the law killed out at Calvary.
Two, Paul says a second thing in this verse more meaningful than anyone could imagine. Not only did the curse of the law die out at the cross, but it died because Christ was made the curse himself, "cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. His death was the death of the curse of the law.
Oh, that this were known and enacted by religionists because so many believers today are being killed by the curse of the law, Romans 7:9-11.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
If you do not attend every meeting you are cursed by the law. If you do not pay tithes you are cursed by the law. If you do not pray and read your Bible daily you are cursed by the law or if you do not participate in the church program you are cursed by the law. On and on goes the program of law that is thrust upon most believers.
If we had not received the final gospel from Christ, as was given to Paul, the whole of humanity would still be struggling under the weight of this curse. There are some preachers who feel believers cannot live without the law in their lives, but such preaching as this minimizes the death of Christ and gives the religionist the opening to put the "curse" on believers even though the curse is dead, completely dead, at Calvary.
The cross and the curse, Galatians 3: 10–13.
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 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:
This section of scripture begins with an explanation of how Old Testament law worked. It shows the utter failure of the law. On one hand, it says that whosoever keeps the law is under a curse and then it says whosoever does not keep the law is under a curse. You might ask, why would God put such an impossible ruling upon people? The answer to this is plainly shown in Paul's writing: the purpose of the law is to bring us to Christ,
Galatians 3:24.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
This scriptures say, " cursed is everyone who does not abide by the things written in the book of the law, to perform them, Deuteronomy 27:26." Then Paul says in one of his most important statements that every man is justified only by what Jesus does at the cross and those so justified need only live by faith. There is nothing more for them to do: Christ alone finished salvation.
The fact that law believers in the Old Testament could not live the law was like a curse put upon them. In Galatians 3:13, Paul gives us a good understanding concerning the curse of the law taken from Deuteronomy 27. He says two important things.
One, he says "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law." The curse of the law was so important that the father incorporated into Christ's death. Just like our sins, ourselves, and our old man, were crucified, meaning killed out with Christ death on the cross, so was the curse of the law killed out at Calvary.
Two, Paul says a second thing in this verse more meaningful than anyone could imagine. Not only did the curse of the law die out at the cross, but it died because Christ was made the curse himself, "cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. His death was the death of the curse of the law.
Oh, that this were known and enacted by religionists because so many believers today are being killed by the curse of the law, Romans 7:9-11.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
If you do not attend every meeting you are cursed by the law. If you do not pay tithes you are cursed by the law. If you do not pray and read your Bible daily you are cursed by the law or if you do not participate in the church program you are cursed by the law. On and on goes the program of law that is thrust upon most believers.
If we had not received the final gospel from Christ, as was given to Paul, the whole of humanity would still be struggling under the weight of this curse. There are some preachers who feel believers cannot live without the law in their lives, but such preaching as this minimizes the death of Christ and gives the religionist the opening to put the "curse" on believers even though the curse is dead, completely dead, at Calvary.
