The Curse of the Law
Often, people will make a point of doing something like finishing a financial report at work and having it successfully completed by day’s end. There’s some who will get up on the first day of the week intending to meet all of God’s commands. The commonality between the two ventures is that there aren’t perfect people seeking to do either. However, in a workplace setting, people are judged based on what they do whereas God’s commands reflect who we are and serve as a means for judgement. The second person, if they have any humility will realize that each time they fail to uphold a command(s) it isn’t simply because of human error but rather from an inner corruption going back to the time of their conception (Psalm 51:5) and also from one man’s failure which brought sin into the world (Romans 5:12).
Whether a person has faith in Christ or not the law proves that everyone needs Him. For a non-believer the law proves that person is perishing. Romans 3:23 says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 6:23 goes on to say the wages of sin is death. Ephesians 2:1-2 says, and you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked. Hebrews 11:6 says, and without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. John 6:44 says no can come to me (Jesus) unless the Father who sent me draws him.
The common theme amongst these verses is that we must be willing to come to grips with our corrupt nature and see how much our sin offends God. Only by Christ can we come to God as John 6:44 tells us. However, in the Greek draws can be translated compels which is evident by the Apostle Paul then Saul’s conversion as he was on the road to Damascus to persecute the Church when the Lord revealed Himself to Paul, confronted him with his sin leaving him blind. Not only must we be drawn to God apart from our own effort we must see Christ as the only means to reconcile ourselves with God. 2 Corinthians 5:18 tells us: ‘All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.’
Christ removed the curse of the law on our behalf as He Himself was cursed and condemned on the cross at Calvary. Prior to this people always relied on human intermediaries(priests) to intercede for them to God. As the curtain fell while Christ was on the cross, God’s people could then go directly to Him through the one true intermediary and high priest. 1 Timothy 2:5 tells us that Jesus is the one means for us to go to God: ‘For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus’.
As I said, the law will affect a person regardless of their faith standing. Prior to conversion, the law condemns showing no hope before the ultimate judge. However, following conversion, the law still reflects the condition of one’s heart but leads a person in holiness thus allowing for freedom instead of condemnation. Praise God!
In His Image 