THE CURSE AND THE CURSE FOR US – Charles Spurgeon
THE CURSE AND THE CURSE FOR US
The Law’s Curse and Its Universality
“For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse; for it is written, Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them. But that no one is justified by the Law in the sight of God is evident, for the just shall live by faith. Yet the law is not of faith, but, the man who does them shall live by them. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:10-14.
The Apostle tells us, in the eighth verse, that the Gospel was preached to Abraham. Very briefly, very tersely, but very fully was the Gospel proclaimed to him in those words, “In you shall all families of the earth be blessed.” The true Gospel is no new thing; it is as old as the hills. It was heard in Eden, before man was driven from the garden, and it has since been repeated in sundry ways and in many places, even to this day. Oh, that its very antiquity would lead men to venerate it and then to listen to its voice! It is “Gospel,” or good news—the best of news for fallen men. Oh, that they would receive it with gladness!
The Blessing of Abraham Comes by Faith
The Gospel blessing, which was thus preached to Abraham and to his seed, came to him by faith. He was justified by his faith, as it is written, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” The blessing, which is the soul of Abraham’s Gospel, must come to us in the same way as it did to him, namely, by faith. And if we expect to find it in any other way, we shall be grievously mistaken. There were some in Paul’s day who were “of the works of the Law” and expected to obtain the blessing through their own doings. But they could not find it.
The Failure of Seeking Salvation by the Law
We have many around us who are practically looking for Gospel blessings upon legal principles. The object of our sermon is to show them their certainty of failure and, at the same time, to make clear that way of faith by which the curse is rolled away and the blessing comes to the chosen seed.
I. Blessedness Comes Not to Those Who Are of the Works of the Law
First, observe the fact, as the Apostle states it very positively: “As many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse.” You cannot be under the curse and yet be partakers of the blessing. A man cannot be in darkness and in light at the same moment—he cannot be under the curse of the Law and under the blessing of the Gospel, too. All who are of the works of the Law are under the curse and consequently none of them are blessed with faithful Abraham.
The Universal Nature of the Curse
Note well the persons spoken of: “As many as are of the works of the Law”—that is, all of you who hope, by the works of the Law, to commend yourselves to God. We are all “of the works of the Law” by nature because it is our bounden duty, as creatures, to keep the Law of our Creator. He is our Benefactor, our King, our Lord and God, and He has claims upon us which we ought not to disown. He has set forth those claims in the Law of the Ten Commandments, and these are binding upon all of us, without exception.
Because we have disobeyed that Law and denied to God His just claims, our violation of the Law has brought us under its penalty, which is described as “the curse.” No man has always kept all the Law, and consequently every man that is of the works of the Law has come under the curse and must remain under it unless ransomed in the one appointed fashion. If you read those Ten Commandments through, as you should do very carefully, you will have to pause at each one and say, with solemn truthfulness, “I have broken this.” Especially will this be the case if you remember the truth that the Law is spiritual and deals with thoughts, desires, imaginations, motives—yes, with your nature itself. Surely you will have to cry, “Guilty! Guilty!” every way and “Guilty!” every day.
II. Blessedness Comes to Those Who Are of Faith
On this point I shall run on much the same lines as under the first division of the subject. Here we have a blessed fact—“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law.” If the former truth, that we are under the curse, should make us sit uneasily, this blessed doctrine should make us dance for joy! The ransom is paid. We are free! “Christ has redeemed us.” That is, so many as believe in Him.
The Substitutionary Work of Christ
He has “redeemed us from the curse of the Law.” “He has bought us out from under the curse.” Our deliverance from the curse is by a process similar to that by which slaves are set free, namely, by their being bought with a price. We are not merely delivered from the curse by a moral change in us but by a redemptive work for us. Christ was slain and has redeemed us to God by His blood.
The Fulfillment of the Law in Christ
The Apostle goes on to show the manner of it: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us.” I do not understand language at all unless this means substitution. Christ was made a curse for us. That is to say, in our place He bore our sins and the curse which came of it. The curse of the Law, which otherwise must have fallen upon us, fell upon the Anointed of the Lord, who stood Sponsor for us. Jesus was accursed of men. Oh, how they hated and loathed Him! How clamorously the Jews cried, “Away with Him! Crucify Him, crucify Him!”
By the mode of His death, our Lord was exhibited as “made a curse for us.” Oh, look to the Crucified! While the darkness gathers around us, let it remind you of the gloom which gathered around your Savior. Remember the hour when the concentrated essence of darkness and of eternal night gathered about His blessed Person while He hung exposed to death upon the tree.
The Blessing of Abraham Through Christ
Notice, furthermore, the consequence of all this: “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.” Our Lord Jesus Christ was made a curse for us that He might deliver us from the curse of the Law, and that in consequence we might be blessed.
Grateful Extolling of Our Redeemer
Beloved, see what has come to you through the substitutionary work of Christ! Justification is yours as truly as it was Abraham’s, and you are as assuredly justified as Abraham was. The promise also comes to you even as it did to Abraham. For you are Abraham’s seed in Christ and you are blessed with faithful Abraham. Rejoice, therefore, with joy unspeakable and full of glory.