Galatians 3:10-14 Curse Ended by Another Curse
Paul digs in and tells his readers WHY following the law will only lead to disaster for them. The law actually brought the attempter under a curse, NOT delivered salvation.
God’s law was amazing, BUT man couldn’t live up to its standards. Every single person fell short of the standard and if you fell short in ANY way then you earned the curses outlined in it instead. “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them” (verse 11).
God said ALL THINGS. There was no wiggle room. Even the born again Christians couldn’t live up to those standards. So the Gentiles trying to keep the law after receiving the promise by faith were putting themselves back under the curse. You can’t have it both ways. Either you follow every letter of the law or you leave it lay. No picking and choosing which parts to obey.
But the best part about the law is that Jesus took care of fulfilling it for us. He took on our curse. He actually became cursed Himself through His death. He had to become sin to pay for our sin. So since He cancelled the curse of the law by becoming cursed Himself we are no longer required to adhere to the requirements of the law. What those requirements were unable to do, Jesus did instead; gave us salvation.
The law pointed to the promise and its fulfillment. It wasn’t the fulfillment of any promise in itself. The righteous have to live by faith. That is where the promise rests. Faith in Jesus’ redemptive work.
The only reason to try and gain God’s favor by works would be if you didn’t think Jesus had done enough for you. Maybe you don’t think you deserve what Jesus did for you. Could that be why you are trying to curry God’s favor by doing good? NOTHING you do could please God more than accepting that He did it ALL. Acknowledging that what Jesus went through on your behalf was enough. Can you imagine the pain in God’s heart when He hears someone discount what Jesus did? His Son gave EVERYTHING He was, He had, and would ever be just for you. All you need to do to receive that amazing gift, the gift of salvation, is to stop trying to earn it yourself and accept His offer of substitution, love and forgiveness.
Father God, please forgive me for ever discounting Your love for me. I have heard it said that if I was the only one who would ever accept Jesus’ work that He still would have done that work for me. I would consider this statement and easily believe the “Billy Graham’s” of the world would qualify for this statement but wonder about myself. Today You blew that argument out of the water. NONE of Billy Graham’s works made him any more loved by You. NONE of my works make me any more loved either. My thinking this equated to me believing I had to do more before I would have been loved enough to be the one. Forgive me for discounting Jesus’ work in that way.
Lord Jesus, thank You for considering me while You were on the cross. Thank You for taking my sins on Yourself. Thank You for taking my place, even though I had nothing to give in return. Thank You for loving me enough to even be the only one. Thank You even more that I know I am not the only one but one of many whom You love. Thank You that I don’t have to measure up first to receive Your love, I only need accept it by faith.
