Gal 3:10-14[1]
(Preached at Rolling Hills Church on 11 July 2010)
We've been inundated with drug commercials the past few years. One the things I do NOT miss about TV is the drug commercials. When you think of it, the entire concept is flawed at the core; you're advertising dangerous drugs to those who have no formal education in such information. It's done in such a way that healthy people may be led to think they're sick, go to the doctor and demand these medications they saw a commercial for.
And the side-effects often form a very impressive list. Seriously; when the danger of the side-effects seriously out-weigh the potential help, is some commercial-watching person the one to make that decision wisely? I don't think so; and often this deadly side-effect list is being read while some pretty woman is watering flowers and smiling with pleasant music in the background; "in rare cases, death" sounds nicer that way, I think. Mind you, without the FDA's demands, these drug companies wouldn't waste your time with the side-effects. I for one think this advertising should be reigned in, and that the professionals, the doctors, should be saddled with diagnosis and treatment options; just old-school that way.
These Galatians were like the consumers; Paul was the doctor, and the Judaizers who were telling these folks to get circumcised were like the drug companies – not telling the whole truth; the difference was they either didn't know or didn't believe the truth of the gospel. The Judaizers knew what they thought to be truth and they deceived the churches with this dangerous lie. Paul is working here to convince the Galatians of the danger, the implications of their flirtation with the law. So he goes, in this portion, back to the Old Testament to make his case, with three quotes that drive this section of Galatians three. Let's read it.
Gal 3:10-14
10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them."
11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith."
12 But the law is not of faith, rather "The one who does them shall live by them."
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us--for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree"--
14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
Better to be redeemed from the curse than cursed under the law.
The cursed. Rely on works of the law, but don't obey all the law. When circumcision became the discussion, these Gentiles needed to know that it represented the law. Paul knew the law, and Paul knew the Galatians; he knew they didn't understand the lie they were being led into! If one is circumcised in hopes of gaining any merit with God, it is a doomed hope from the start! Why? Because no human being has ever fully kept God's law.
Let us remember that when God gave the law, He also instituted the sacrificial system; if a man could keep the law, why would they need to know about sacrifices? What righteous man needs to lay his head on a lamb and have it slain for his transgression against God? What righteous woman need bring a dove as a sin offering?! The law did not justify a man; the law declared him guilty before God. So anyone who did not keep all of the law was cursed. Paul quotes from the law (Deut 27:26) to make this point: "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them." This was to happen later in the book of Joshua, when these tribes stood on Mt Ebal and Mt. Gerizim and read off the curses and the blessings. If you obey the law, you are blessed; if you disobey the law, you are cursed (Deut 27:11-14). This is negative proof from the OT that one cannot be justified by the law, but rather is cursed. Here is the problem with the law… perfection allows no exception. Law-keepers are not justified before God. If a man breaks any part of the law, he is guilty of all of it. Cursed means to be the object of God's righteous wrath. Paul's second quote has to do with faith: "The righteous shall live by faith." This is even taught in the Old Testament, Paul means here. That's what we learned in the first part of this chapter; Abraham was a man of faith before he was a man of circumcision; faith precedes the law. So these Judaizers didn't understand the law but they were peddling it off on these relatively new believers.
Works righteousness is faulty: they are still guilty of breaking the law.
Christ. Purchased redemption for us. He redeemed; paid the price to purchase or set free. He bought back those which were already His!
He became cursed. He is the only one who ever obeyed the Father, but He became cursed for us.
Our sinless Lord fulfilled the law and yet was crucified by and for law-breakers. Isn't this astounding? Paul quotes another Old Testament passage… Deut 21:22-23 "And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance." For our sake, 2 Cor 5:21 he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The blessed. All who believe in Christ for forgiveness and right standing with God are justified before God.
These are and have been justified by faith in Christ. There is no need to go back to the law, no need to question the good doctor who was taught by the Great Physician.
The cursed are those who would go back to the law. Don't do that, church; trust in nothing or no one to make you right with God; only Jesus' death on that cross.
When we consider how blessed we are, it is amazing indeed!
All of our sins – past, present, and future – justified by the blood of Christ alone.
All of our righteousness secured – in Christ alone.
All we can do is believe – and that a gift of God!
We are loved, adopted, accepted, and made whole. We even receive the Holy Spirit to live in us – by faith, not by works of the law! All who believe in Jesus Christ with sin-hating, Christ-loving faith are blessed in and through Christ.
Closing
Church, are you aware of how blessed you are? Are you aware of how scary it is to be caught trying to gain a righteousness of our own? Especially if we knew the truth and turned back to some form of works of the law! I beg you today to heed this simple message from this direct epistle; repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ to make you right with God!
Remember, perfection allows no exception; if you're going to a works-based righteousness, it has to be perfect.
It is too late for that, isn't it?
The cursed are trusting in their works, in keeping some rules, or even God's law.
The blessed live by faith. The blessings of Abraham do not come through circumcision, but through Christ, by faith in Him.
He became cursed to make us righteous.
We receive the promised Holy Spirit by faith in Christ.
[1] All Scripture, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved
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