For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.” However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them.” Christ 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”— in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.                                                                                                    

                                                                                                            Galatians 3:10-14

The idea of being cursed is not a pleasant one. Cursing involves misfortune, evil, and doom. In the biblical sense, being cursed implies being exposed to God’s divine vengeance. Paul explains that the Law actually works as a curse toward mankind. Mankind is the reason for this, not the Law. God’s Law is perfect. Everything done by God is perfect. If the entire world would live by the Law of God all of the time and without fail, you could argue that the world would be a perfect place, but it’s not. So even though the Law is perfect, it cannot save because humanity is not capable of keeping it to the letter. There are at least four truths in today’s passage regarding the Law.

(1) Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law. In order to escape the curse of the Law through law keeping, we would have to be perfect in everything we do. Consider the following:

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 

                                                                                                                       James 2:10 

The problem with legalistic religion is that it fails to acknowledge that everyone is in equal need of a Savior. God doesn’t grade on the curve and failure to obey even one of the commandments makes us guilty of the whole thing. This should totally eliminate the possibility of spiritual arrogance or self-righteousness.

(2) Scripture teaches us that no one is justified by the Law. In fact, our righteousness doesn’t come by our actions rather through our faith. Consider the following:

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

                                                                                                                   Romans 1:17  

The righteousness is God’s and not our own. This righteousness is revealed and applied to our lives through faith. This is what it means that a righteous man will live by faith. Morality and good works are not a means of being justified rather they are a result of a life that is justified.

(3) The Law is not of faith. Living by rules, statutes, and ordinances does not require faith. Paul emphasizes this point by reminding us that whoever attempts to be acceptable to God through works must live by them, all of them. This is not the only place in scripture where we see this principle at work. Jesus reminds us that the way we receive others comes back to the way we will be received. If we forgive, then we will be forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15). If we do not judge, we will not be judged. If we pardon, we will be pardoned. If we give to others, it will be given to us (Luke 6:36-37). He concludes the passage with the following:

For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.

                                                                                                   Luke 6:38

Seeking to be justified by works is to abandon faith in Jesus and faith in Jesus to abandon works as a means of being justified. Paul makes it clear that we will either be judged according to our works (if we choose the former) or we will be declared righteous by Jesus’ performance on the cross (if we choose the latter). It has to be one or the other.

(4) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us. This is essence of propitiation, which means that Jesus took our place, taking our punishment on Himself so that we can go free and not be condemned for our actions. This is often referred to as Jesus becoming our atoning sacrifice. It is by faith that we receive this pardon from God and it is by faith that we receive the promise of the Holy Spirit.

If you have ever seen the trapeze artists at the circus, you know that they will swing from one apparatus to another. At one point in the routine, the performer will let go of one trapeze in order to fly through the air and grab another. Much like a trapeze artist, we have to completely let go of the old covenant (realizing that we will never live up to all of its demands) and grab hold of Jesus as the Mediator of a new and better covenant. For some who were raised to believe that the Christian life is just following rules, this adjustment from old to new can feel a little like flying helplessly through the air. Sadly, those who insist on adherence to the Law will find themselves under a curse. But for those who wholly trust in the name of Jesus for their salvation, life is exactly what they will find.