LESSON II.—SABBATH, OCTOBER 13, 1900
9 "So then they which be of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed is every one which continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them. Now that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, is evident; for, The righteous shall live by faith; and the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them. 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; that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." NOTE.—Do not forget to review from the beginning each time. Before you begin the study of this lesson, be sure that you know every word of what precedes it in the chapter, not by rote, but in reality. Do not forget the first two chapters either. You should read carefully from the beginning of the Epistle several times each week, so as to keep everything fresh in mind. Very frequent reviews and constant application are the only means by which the Epistle can be mastered; but it can be done by every one, and the result will more than repay all the effort expended. (1) Who are blessed? (2) With whom? (3) Who are under the curse? (4) Why? (5) What is evident? (6) Why? (7) By what are men not justified? (8) How do the just live? (9) With what is the law not connected? (10) On what condition only can a man get life from the law? (11) From what has Christ redeemed us? (12) Who has redeemed us from the curse of the law? (13) Has He redeemed us, or will He redeem us? (Note the text carefully.) (14) From what has He redeemed us from the curse of the law? (15) What is the evidence that He became a curse for us? (16) By what, then, is the curse removed? (17) Why did Christ redeem us from the curse of the law? (18) Upon whom does the blessing of Abraham come through the cross of Jesus Christ? (19) What do we receive? (20) By what means? 1. "THE righteous shall live by faith." That makes it evident that no one is justified by works, for if it were by works, then it could not be of faith. Notice how the one thought throughout this Epistle, as far as we have studied, is the sufficiency of Christ as the Saviour from sin. "There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." 2. "THE law is not of faith." The law says, "Do this," or, "Do not do that." The written law, either in a book or on tables of stone, is of course what is referred to here, not the law in Christ, the Living Stone. "The man that doeth them shall live in them." That is the one condition on which a man can get life by the law. But none have done the requirements of the law, and so there can be no doers of the law; for even tho one should from this moment do everything that the law requires, yet, since he can not do more than his duty, his former transgressions rest upon him. Thus he would be a law-breaker at the end, in spite of all his good efforts. That man who is of the law alone, which means that he trusts in his own power to do the righteousness required by the law, is necessarily under its curse, condemned as a law-breaker by that in which he trusts. 3. "CHRIST hath redeemed us from the curse of the law," It is a work finished, complete. Our part is but to accept what Christ has done for us. It is as true of all mankind as it is of a single individual, that they have been redeemed. The price has been paid, and they belong to the Lord. Only the knowledge of this glorious truth can save any soul from sin. It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. 4. NEVER forget that it is from the curse of the law, not its blessing, that Christ hath redeemed us. There is a blessing pronounced on those who do the commandments, and from this Christ has not redeemed us. It is from the curse—failure to do the law—that He redeemed us. He is not the minister of sin, but of righteousness. 5. WHAT is the curse of the law?—It is disobedience and its consequence, death. "Cursed is every one which continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them." Also, "cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." These two statements, taken together, show that if "all things" that the law requires are not done, and done continually, the man is cursed and must die. The curse of disobedience carries with it the curse of death. But from all this Christ hath delivered us. He has redeemed us, brought us back, to be faithful servants of God. He has redeemed us from disobedience, so that we may continue in all things which are written in the law, to do them. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:3, 4. By the Spirit the law is written in the heart, so that he who walks after the Spirit must necessarily continue in the law. What a blessed redemption! 6. WHAT has Christ done to redeem us from the curse of the law—from disobedience to the law?—He has been made a curse for us. Isa. 53:12. God "made Him to be sin for us," altho He knew no sin, "that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor. 5:21. Being made sin, He necessarily suffered death as a sinner; for the evidence that He has redeemed us from the curse of the law is the fact that he was hanged on a tree. This shows us that death is the curse of the law. Disobedience means death. All this Christ gladly suffered to redeem us from disobedience and death. It is in the cross that Christ redeemed us; the cross removes the curse. In this one fact all science is embraced. 7. WHY did Christ redeem us from the curse of the law?—"That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Do not let the following items escape your notice, as you read these verses:— (a) The apostle Paul was a Jew, writing to converts from among the Gentiles; yet he classes himself with them. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law." (b) Christ was made a curse for us, "that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ." Here again the apostle shows that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile. His being made a curse for us, brings the blessing on the Gentiles. (c) Again is the same thing shown by the further statement that this occurred "that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." By one Spirit do all men, of whatever race, have access to the Father. Eph. 2:18. (d) The blessing of Abraham comes only through the cross of Christ. It was the blessing of sins forgiven,—the gift of the perfect righteousness of God; and this comes only through Christ. Therefore Abraham's faith was in Christ and His cross. 8. "The promise of the Spirit." Note well that this does not say the gift of the Spirit, but the promise of the Spirit. Now it is true that the Spirit is sent by Jesus Christ; but that is not what is spoken of here. The promise of the Spirit is what is spoken of. But all the sacrifice of Christ was not made merely that God might make the promise that we should receive the Spirit. The promise of the gift of the Spirit is in the very sacrifice of Christ. So it is very evident that "the promise of the Spirit" means not the promise of the gift of the Spirit, but the promise which the Spirit makes to us. The expression is used in the same signification as "the promise of God." The Spirit is given to all, and what is here spoken of is a promise which comes through the Spirit,—the Spirit's promise to us. What that promise is will appear as we proceed.