For a few verses now in
chapter three of Galatians, Paul the apostle has been employing the
example of Abraham's faith to demonstrate to the church members of
Galatia how the righteousness of God is obtained. Rather than working
for righteousness as was being promoted by Judaizers among them, the
Galatians were to receive the grace of God through Jesus Christ by
faith. Paul continues his persuasion to them in verse ten of chapter
three where he tells them of the curse that is associated under the
law. He wrote:
For as many as are of
the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed
[is] every one that continues not in all things which are written in
the book of the law to do them.
Very
simply put, Paul said, “For as many as are of the works of the
law are under the curse:” There is a curse for all who are
under the law. The only way for this to not be true is if a person
were to keep the law perfectly. In other words, if we are perfect,
then we are not under the curse, however, if we have ever broken the
law in even one point, we are under the judgment or curse of the law.
Paul
recalls the scriptural reference as he states, “for it is
written, Cursed [is] every one that continues not in all things which
are written in the book of the law to do them.” In the book of
Deuteronomy chapter twenty seven and verse twenty-six we read:
Cursed is he that
confirms not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people
shall say, Amen.
This is
one of the failings concerning the law. It was not that the law was
imperfect, because it was, but people, we, could not keep the law.
Therefore, all who are under the law are also cursed. Paul tells the
Galatians that this is the problem with what the Judaizers were
promoting. The Judaizers were bringing the believers in Jesus back
under the curse of the law by teaching them that they must obey what
they could not keep in the first place. The law was not flawed, they
were. We are, and therefore we must have something, someone greater
than ourselves who could keep the law perfectly to take our curse
upon Him. Jesus did this. Jesus came to the Earth, lived as a perfect
abider of the law, and then paid the price of the curse not only for
the church members in Galatia, but for us also.
When we
consider the marvelous grace of Jesus Christ in that He came as a
substitution for our sin, for our well deserved curse, we should be
inclined to bow our head in Holy reverence, and thank our Heavenly
Father for such an extraneous sacrifice on our behalf. If our heads
are not already bowed, and our hearts tenderly grateful for such a
wonderful gift, as we consider the magnitude of the love and depth of
the grace of God toward us, tears of appreciation should flow down
our cheeks, and our hands should be raised to the heavens in
gratitude for the extent and effort that our God has made just to be
in a relationship with us where we may have fellowship with Him. May
all glory and honor be unto our God who reigns forever and ever,
amen.
Next time we will
see that the just shall live by faith, so read ahead, and let us join
together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation
to Generation” in all major
bookstore
sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to
e-books, and find it
locally
at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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