n.l. pearson bible study teacher/revealer of the WORD

The “Law” is the very opposite of faith.

Galatians 3:10-12 says, “For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because ‘the righteous will live by faith’. 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, ‘The person who does these things will live by them.’”

In Galatians 3, the apostle Paul is telling us that everyone who does not keep the Law perfectly is cursed by it (Deut. 27:26; Galatians 3:10) — there were over 600 laws the Jews had to keep to be right in the eyes of God… breaking even one commandment put a person under condemnation!

The Law demands perfection—an impossibility because we’ve all sinned (Romans 3:10,23) — as a result, all who try to live by the Old Law were under a divine curse. The good news is that Jesus Christ “redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” (Galatians 3:13) — Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice on the cross when He bore God’s curse — Paul goes on to explain: “God presented [Jesus] as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood — He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance (patience/self-control), He left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—He gave us the One who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:25-26)

The curse of the Law fell on Christ on our behalf so that the righteousness of God could fall on us,even though we didn’t deserve it (Corin. 5:21) — vs. 19-20 in Gal. 3 tells us the reason the Law was given in the first place: “Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.” (see also vs. 21-29)

February 21 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

Great question, Lawrence Siamuyoba!

"The curse is the penalty levied for not keeping the Law." S. Michael Houdmann.

I take this statement of his to mean that the curse of the law is death. Most Christians know the hymn, My Redeemer:

I will sing of my Redeemer,
And His wondrous love to me;
On the cruel cross He suffered,
From the curse to set me free. --P. P. Bliss

Benson thinks that, "The curse of the law, from which all are bought off by Christ, is not a curse peculiar to the law of Moses. For as the Gentiles never were under that law, they could have no concern with its curse. But it is the curse of that more ancient law of works, under which Adam and Eve fell, and which, through their fall, came on all their posterity. Also it is the curse of the law of nature, under which all mankind, as the subjects of God’s universal moral government, are lying for having broken that law. These curses are called by the general name of the curse of the law; not as being peculiar to the law of Moses, but because they were published in the law of Moses." 

But, praise God, that Christ has taken care of that awful, condemning curse that should have been ours. God's Son, Jesus, sinless, came to be our Substitute! He died in our place. 

The burden, for me to sustain
Too great, on Thee, my Lord, was laid;
To heal me, Thou hast borne my pain;
To bless me, Thou a curse wast made.

Extended on a cursèd tree,
Besmeared with dust, and sweat, and blood,
See there, the King of Glory see!
Sinks and expires the Son of God.

February 22 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report