We have talked about the curse of the law as described in the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy. However the first curse that came upon man was the curse of spiritual death.
Genesis 2:17. "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’’
Man did not die physically that day, that didn’t come for over 900 years, however he did die spiritually. For the first time man was aware of His physical body, up until that point he didn’t even know he was naked. Spiritual death is not ceasing to exist, spiritual death is the absence of the life of God. Man had become separated from the life of God, and for the first time became aware of sin and death.
Our text in this series of lessons is Gal.3:13.
Gal.3:13. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’’),
14. that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The curse of the law is 3 fold, poverty, sickness and spiritual death. We have been redeemed from all of these things, that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us through faith. We might say it like this, So that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us through faith.
Romans 5:14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
5:17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
Death reigned from Adam to Moses, or you might say, death dominated man from the time of Adam to Moses. We know that the Word tells us that the wages of sin is death. The Word also tells us that sin has no more dominion or dominance over us.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Romans 6:23. For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The curse of the law can no longer dominate man; we have been redeemed from it, however we need to realize we have a part to play in this as well. We have to receive this free gift and acknowledge its dominance. If we won’t let righteousness dominate us, it won’t; sin will, and with the sin comes death.
1 Corinthians 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
W.E. Vines dictionary, says to awake means - metaphorically, "of awaking from a state of moral sloth.
If we don’t wake up to righteousness, we will allow sin to dominate us, sin will dominate us by default, and God will not override our will to stop it. However sin no longer has the right to dominate us.
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
There are 2 spiritual laws that are mentioned here, the law of sin and death, and the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. These spiritual laws can not be negated and are in effect whether we know it or not. The wages of sin is always death. When we acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our life and accept Jesus as Lord, we give God the permission He needs to use His power to effect the law of the spirit of life. You are now in Christ Jesus, and this law is in effect. The more aware of this you are the more you can walk in it. We have to renew our minds to these truths, and prove the Word of God true. If the Word of God declares that sin has no more dominion over us, then it doesn’t. God’s Word declares we can renew our minds to His Word and prove His Word true.
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
There is a process that takes place; renewing is an ongoing process, it doesn’t just happen once and that’s the end of it, no it is a continual and ongoing process. It never ends.
The more we learn in Christ Jesus the more we have to bring our minds and bodies under subjection to His Word. Then we allow this law of life to dominate us. It will over ride the law of sin and death. When we awake unto righteousness, we start to become aware of the fact that we have been reconciled unto God. The Word of God is telling us to awake. WAKE UP! Be aware of who you are in Christ Jesus. You have become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Righteousness is an old English Word meaning to be right standing with God. We have been made right with God. We have to make ourselves think this way; it is not natural for us.
Our carnal natural man won’t think this way on it’s own. Yet, God tells us to think on these things, it’s the only way we can begin to take hold of these truths and walk in them, and to give life dominion over death.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on these things.
We have to make a conscious decision to think on these things. Our natural minds will tell us we are unworthy, yet the Word of God tells us we are no longer unworthy, ( I’m not talking about our own worthiness.) we are the righteousness of God in Christ. Our worthiness is in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
If you are in Christ, you are not unworthy; you are the redeemed of the Lord. Start to dwell and meditate on this truth, and it will change your life from the inside out.. God’s Word tells us to let the redeemed of the Lord say so.
Psalms 107:1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
2. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
If we won’t acknowledge and declare it, we will never come to the realization of it. The Lord is telling us in His Word how to be victorious. We have to say we are redeemed. We will never rise above our confession of faith. If we confess doubt and unbelief, we will certainly get what we say. The Word declares that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Our heart won’t have an abundance of righteousness in it if we don’t put it in there, by dwelling on and meditating in what God’s Word declares. We have God’s permission and command to actually speak the fact, we are the redeemed, and we should say so every opportunity we get. This will develop a righteousness consciousness in you. If we won’t act on it, it won’t do us any good; this consciousness has to be developed in us.
AWAKE. Rise up into who you are in Christ, and walk in the glorious reality of the sons of God. Praise His holy Name. Amen
Dr. Lillian B. Yeomans published a book called the Gold of Ophir, and in it she wrote down a psalm that the Holy Spirit gave to her sister. It was based off of Galatians 3:13.
Christ redeemed me from the curse of the law,
As He hung from that shameful tree,
And all that is worse is contained in that curse,
And Jesus has set me free.
(refrain)
Not under the curse, not under the curse,
Jesus has set me free; For sickness I’ve health;
For poverty, wealth, Since Jesus has ransomed me.
Christ paid the price of the broken law, He paid the whole price for me;
God saw not one spot, not one blemish or blot,
In the Lamb that was slain for me.
Do not abide in the ancient days, Ere ever the lamb was slain;
Take that which was given as freely as heaven, And joined in the glad refrain.
Amen
