Galatians 3:13 says, "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.'” All of this was wonderfully foreshadowed with the bronze serpent. This is part two. Here is part one.

Table of Contents* Under a Curse from the Law* Taking the Curse of the Law for Us* Personal Application (Continued from Part One)* Complaining about Circumstances Can Be Complaining about God* Ingratitude Is Sin* Discouraged Too Easily* Disciplined for Good* Ruining the Good* The Gospel Is Meant to Be Shared* The Only Way to Be Saved

Under a Curse from the Law

Galatians 3:10 says, “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.’”  This is a quote of Deuteronomy 27:26 which says everyone who doesn’t perfectly obey God’s law is cursed. Because none of us perfectly keep God’s law all of us are under a curse. Some Jews, whether out of pride or ignorance, believe they can go to heaven by obeying God’s law, but it is this same law that tells them they are cursed if they don’t keep it perfectly.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 says, “There is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The law must be viewed as a unit, which is why it’s always spoken of singularly: law versus laws. The law contains 613 commands, but it is only one law, and to break part of it is to break all of it: “Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it” (James 2:10). Imagine a boy who throws a rock through his window. His parents confront him and he replies, “I didn’t break the whole window. I only broke part of it.” This is the same argument as the person who claims to have only broken part of the law.

The first part of Galatians 3:11 says, “Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law.” Justified means, “Declared righteous.” Nobody will be justified, or declared righteous, by the law because nobody keeps it perfectly. But what is the purpose of the law if not to save us? It is meant to show us our sinfulness: “Through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). When we become aware of our sinfulness we see our need for the Savior.

Because we can’t be justified by the law, we must be justified another way. That is by faith so Galatians 3:11 finishes, “For ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” This is a quote of Habakkuk 2:4. Those who are justified, or declared righteous, “Live by faith,” versus works for obedience to the law.

Galatians 3:12 continues, “But the law is not of faith, rather ‘The one who does them shall live by them.’” By quoting Leviticus 18:5 Paul juxtaposes living by faith in the previous verse with living by the law in this verse. The law and faith are mutually exclusive. To try to be justified by one is to choose not to be justified by the other.