3921 — Redeemed from the Curse
I do not understand Gal. 3:10, 13. Would you please explain these scriptures? S. H. The scriptures read, "For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them." Verse 10. "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Verse 13. The curse of which the apostle speaks is that of the wages of sin, or death. Rom. 6: 23. All those who are of the works of the law are those who are seeking justification by obedience themselves; but this the apostle tells us is utterly impossible, for "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." All who are in the world are guilty before God, because all have sinned. Rom. 3:19, 23. Consequently a man who utterly ignores Christ, and seeks by his own works to perfect character, simply brings himself under the curse, because he stands for himself, and his own works are imperfect. He has come short of God's glory, he is a sinner and therefore subject to death, and must receive at last the wages of sin. He certainly has not continued in all things that are written in the book of the law. And therefore verse 11 is true, that no man is justified by the law, and that the only way that man can live just before God is by faith; but the man who is seeking to justify himself by works, certainly does not have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, through whom only we can be justified. But God knows our condition, and in His great love and pity gave Christ Jesus our Lord to die in our behalf. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. In the words of 2 Cor. 5:21, "Him who knew no sin He made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." And so Jesus died in order to save us from the curse, and carried out that statement in Deut. 21:23, of dying and hanging upon a tree in our behalf. He hung there for our sins; but in that death for our sins, He redeemed us from the sin, and the redemption is ours if we accept it by faith. And He did that in order "that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Verse 14.