Redeemed from the Curse of the Law
By V. B. Watts
CHRIST hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.” This is a most wonderful statement, and we will let the word of God explain the text. We know that when man came from the hand of God, he was a happy, holy creature; and it was not until he put forth his hand and took of the forbidden fruit, that the change came. As a result of this sin, the Lord said to Adam, “Because thou hast . . . eaten of the tree, . . . cursed is the ground for thy sake.” This is the first text in the Bible where the curse is mentioned. Why the curse?—Because man had broken God’s law. The next statement we have of the curse was made to Cain after he slew Abel. God said, “And now art thou cursed from the earth.” From the very beginning of the history of sin, the curse was pronounced upon the one who had transgressed God’s holy law. Tracing the result of wilful disobedience through the history of the Bible, we find every wilful transgression of the Ten Commandments brought the transgressor under the curse. In the thirteenth chapter of Deuteronomy is recorded the result of breaking the first two precepts; and in the twenty-fourth chapter of Leviticus, the third. Turning to Ex. 31:15, we find the curse pronounced upon those who refuse to keep the Sabbath holy to the Lord. Disobedient children did not escape the curse, as we find recorded in Lev. 20:9. Many records are made of the result of transgressing the sixth, seventh, and eighth commandments. Achan fell under the curse as a result of breaking the eighth and the tenth. In the fifth chapter of Acts is recorded the result of breaking the ninth precept of the Decalogue. These scriptures record the terrible result of disobeying our heavenly Father. “How did Christ redeem us from the curse of the law?” is a question that every man and woman should be interested in, for “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Man failed to live the holy life that God intended him to live; but God did not leave him in his lost condition, for He so loved the world that He gave His son Jesus to come and live the life He wanted man to live. In the city of David this Redeemer was born. Earth was silent, and heaven listened to the song, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” The Babe foretold by prophets was here. Divinity was clothed with humanity. Heaven and earth were united. The ladder that was seen by Jacob had now spanned the gulf made by sin. The curse resting upon humanity was now to be lifted. Jesus did not come to live this life with the nature of an angel, but He took our nature, became like His brethren. The Lord “laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Now, dear reader, what did God do with your transgressions? He says He laid them all on His beloved Son. Then all the lying, stealing, committing adultery, Sabbath-breaking, coveting, swearing, and idol-worship was laid upon the Son of God. Paul says, “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Cor. 5:21. What is the penalty of sin?—“The wages of sin is death.” Rom. 6:23. Then when God laid on Jesus all our sins, He must die to meet the penalty for us. Could He not change His law to meet man’s condition?—No! No! It reveals the very character of God, and is as unchangeable as God Himself. The only thing God could do to save the race, was to let the One who had made the worlds to float in space, and created man in His own image, come and live the holy life, with the fallen creatures,—live in their flesh, meet all the temptations that are common to man. This He did, yet without sin. The very night in which He was betrayed by Judas He took His disciples with Him to the Mount of Olives. As they neared the mount, Jesus said, “All ye shall be offended because of Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.” O, the hour had come for the Saviour of the world to bear the curse for us! The guilt of the human race was placed upon Him, and He must tread the wine-press of the almighty God alone. He was numbered with the transgressors, and must bear the guilt of fallen humanity. He exclaimed, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.” The sins of humanity separated Him from His Father’s presence. He fell prostrate upon the ground, and in agony, said, “O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it. Thy will be done.” As He poured out His soul to God, His sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood, falling to the ground. He would have died there in this awful crisis had not His Father sent a mighty angel to strengthen Him. The angel came, not to take the cup, but to assure Him of His Father’s love. Dear reader, it is your sins and my sins that caused that terrible agony to the Son of God in Gethsemane. It was because you and I have transgressed God’s holy law, that the blood oozed from the Saviour’s brow. Our sins put Him to death on Calvary. Christ’s agony did not cease until He expired on the cross. Why did He die before the thieves did?—Because He was giving His life as the penalty for the transgression of God’s law. For “we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, . . . that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” You ask, Is not this universal salvation?—Yes, on condition. What is the condition?—(1) We must confess to God that we have sinned, or transgressed His holy law. 1 John 1:9. (2) We must accept Jesus as the one who has paid the penalty for transgressing that law. John 3:16; Heb. 2:9. (3) We must accept His righteous life that He lived here in the flesh as our life. Jer. 23:6. (4) We must trust in His divine power to live the life that Jesus lived. 1 John 2:6. To confess with our lips that we believe in Him, and yet trample underfoot the holy law, is to fail to receive eternal life, and failure is written opposite the name of every one who tries to keep the law without Christ. The natural man receives not the things of God, “because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Rom. 8:7. God has surrounded this world with an atmosphere of grace as real as the air we breathe, and we are without excuse before Him. May the love of God fill our hearts, and lead us on to be like Him, for “there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Rom. 8:1. We have been justified by faith, and have peace with God through Jesus Christ. “And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Gal. 2:20.