Redeemed From The Curse Series

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TWO CURSES

Five times in this passage the words “curse” and “cursed” are found.

People are fascinated by stories of curses: (1) the curse of King Tut’s tomb, (2) the curse of the Bambino, (3) the curse of the Hope Diamond.

In this passage, two curses are mentioned:

• The curse of the LAW

In verse 10, Paul quotes Deuteronomy 27:26: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

• The curse of the CROSS

In verse 13, Paul quotes Deuteronomy 21:23: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Several times in the NT the cross is called a “tree” (Acts 5:30; 13:29; 1 Peter 2:24).

ACCURSED OR BLESSED?

Paul shows why blessing comes from faith in Christ, not observing the law:

1. You’re cursed if you DO.

If you RELY on the law, you are cursed.

All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law” (v. 10; cf. Deuteronomy 27:26).

In Deuteronomy 27, the people of Israel are given instructions for a ceremony to be held once they enter the Promised Land. In this ceremony, twelve curses are to be recited. The twelfth and final curse is the one Paul quotes in v. 10.

Paul knew these curses well. He had read them in the book of Deuteronomy, of course, but he had also heard them recited on five memorable occasions. Five times Paul was punished by the Jews for preaching the gospel, and each time he received the standard punishment: “forty lashes minus one” (2 Corinthians 11:24). The synagogue manuals of that time required someone to read out the curses of the law while the prisoner was being whipped. Thus as Paul received the final stripe on his back, he may well have heard the very words that he later quoted to the Galatians: “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”

The Judaizers were probably using Deuteronomy 27:26 to argue that those who don’t observe the law (circumcision, dietary laws) are accursed. Paul uses Deuteronomy 27:26 to argue that those who don’t perfectly observe the law are accursed. The Judaizers were focusing on the word “do.” Paul is stressing the word “everything.”

God requires nothing less than total obedience to the entire law. James writes, “Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10).

In verses 11-12, Paul quotes the Old Testament to show:

• Justification is based on FAITH.

Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith” (v. 11; cf. Habakkuk 2:4).

Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted three times in the NT (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38).

• The law is based on PERFORMANCE.

The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them” (v. 12; cf. Leviticus 18:5).

“The law was the way of life for the redeemed, not a way of salvation for the lost.”

The performance that the law demands (perfection) is beyond human possibility. The Bible says we are all guilty sinners.

• “There is no one who does not sin” (1 Kings 8:46).

• “If you, O LORD, kept a record of sin, O LORD, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3).

• “No one living is righteous before you” (Psalm 143:2).

• “Who can say, ‘I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin’?” (Proverbs 20:9).

• “There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20).

• “We all, like sheep, have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6).

• “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10).

• “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

• “How can a mortal be righteous before God?” (Job 9:2).

2. You’re cursed if you DON’T.

If you REJECT the law, you are cursed.

Four philosophies are prevalent in our society:

• Postmodernism: There is no TRUTH.

• Moral relativism: There is no AUTHORITY.

• Personal freedom: There are no RULES.

• Humanistic atheism: There is no JUDGE.

One day, every person unrighteous before the law will have to stand before God. The verdict will be, “Guilty” (Revelation 20:11-15). They will be condemned whether they relied on the law or rejected the law.

3. Christ became cursed so you WON’T.

If you put your faith in Christ, you are REDEEMED.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (v. 13).