The curse of the Law, part two

Previously: The curse of the Law

What is the curse of the Law?

The curse of the Law is not brought upon us by obedience to the Law. But the curse of the Law is brought upon us by disobedience to the Law, which condemns us as sinners in God’s sight. Jesus has redeemed us from the indictment of the Law, which decreed us a transgressor of the Law and therefore worthy of death, the wage for sin. He has redeemed us by becoming a curse for us! He has taken the sin, which is charged to our account because we broke the Law (which is the definition of righteousness and sin), upon Himself. Our sin was imputed to Him, and His righteousness (for He lived a sinless life and did not break the Law in any particular) was imputed to us. We receive the gift of righteousness through faith, not by obedience to the Law. For, as Paul points out, if we receive righteousness because of our work, then it is our wage, and not a free gift.

Paul is saying that we have been into the courtroom of the Heavenly Judge, the blood of the Lamb was found brushed over our guilty verdict, and therefore we have been redeemed from the indictment — the curse — of the Law which required death as a result of our sin.

Yes, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law! But it is not obedience to the Law which is the curse, but our having to be justified by our obedience to the Law that is the curse! We know that the curse cannot be obedience to the Law itself, because the prophets tell us that the Law will be written on our hearts and we will be careful to obey its statutes; Jesus tells us that He does not know those who practice Law-lessness; John tells us that sin IS Law-lessness, and the one who practices sin (Law-lessness) does not know Jesus; and Paul tells us that no one who makes a practice of those things which the Law condemns as sin, will inherit the kingdom of God. Paul himself was obedient to the Law throughout his ministry.

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Update: continued in The Jerusalem Council and Torah