GALATIANS 3
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hanged on a tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
COMMENDED AND NOT CONDEMNED
The law curses us and condemns us; we stand no chance if we are matched against the law, and we are found guilty and have no answer to its requirements.
We have violated God’s law and deserve the full force of God’s judgement and condemnation. We stand in the dock, condemned by the law, the judge is ready to pass just sentence, but instead of condemning us, in Christ He forgives us, because the curse has been taken by someone else.
The full curse has been taken by his sinless Son, who has taken the curse for us.
We have a wonderful picture of what the Bible calls imputation in Zechariah 3:
And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
2 And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
4 And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
We are brands plucked out of the fire, literally we have been plucked from the very edge of hell, by God’s grace.
Now we stand before God, righteous, because the curse has been removed; it has been taken and destroyed by One who is perfect. He fulfilled the law in every point and so we are now justified.
Look at what Paul says in Romans 3 and 5:
3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
In verse 20, no one is justified by the works of the law, no one.
But in Chapter 5, if we trust Christ and him alone for salvation, we are justified, we have access to God, we have peace with Him. We stand in this grace; we can stand before God, clothed in the righteousness of CHRIST.
As Paul again says in 2 Corinthians 5
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
The curse removed! We no longer stand condemned, but stand commended to God. There is no condemnation for us! What an amazing truth; this should make us shout HALLELUJAH!!
Romans 8
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 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:
Look at verse 2, we are now FREE! The curse has been removed by Christ.
Look at verse 3; what the law couldn’t do, God did through His Son.
Now that too should make you shout HALLELUJAH!!
IT DOES ME
KK