Rom 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
There is no curse to those who are doers of the law. The curse is here because we have broken the law of God. The only way to be free of that curse is to accept that Christ redeemed us from the curse by being made a curse for us. He took the penalty for sin, which is death.
Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
There is no curse to those who continue in all things to do the law. But there is a curse to those who are of the works of the law. The curse comes when we break God’s law. Why?
Because those who are of the works of the law = Not doers of the law. = Therefore we are “cursed”
Gal 6:13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law;
The Galatians had some among them that didn’t keep the law, but yet they wanted these to be circumcised and were telling others to keep the law while not keeping it themselves. They wanted to glory in the flesh, in their own works, in what they had done. They were using circumcision to do the exact opposite of what it was given to Abraham to show. It was a sign that they had cut off the flesh, with the affections and lusts.
Paul wrote letters explaining that circumcision was nothing if you didn’t keep the law of God or were not a doer of the law. In fact circumcision was a sign of the righteousness of God, not by works, but by faith.(Romans 4:11). But they had circumcised themselves and yet were still law breakers. In the same manner many break God’s law after baptism.
Rom 2:23-26 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? (24) For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. (25) For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. (26) Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
Some have confused the law of God with circumcision. But they are distinct from one another. The one is a sign of doing the other. Not just doing it, but by faith allowing the word to do what it says in you. In breaking the law we dishonor God. Is not our baptism made unbaptism when we are a breaker of the law? Therefore if the unbaptized keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his unbaptism be counted for baptism. Baptism is only a sign of accepting that the flesh is dead, buried, cut off. Baptism is unprofitable if you are a breaker of the law. We should receive righteousness by faith before we are baptized. Some think that they are saved by baptism today. Is this much different than the Galatians or Romans thinking they were saved by circumcision?
Rom 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
I believe I received the sign of baptism, before being baptized. That sign was the seal of the spirit, the seal of righteousness by faith. Abraham had it before he was circumcised. When accepting it the righteousness of faith becomes manifest.
The issue with the Galatians and Romans was not whether we keep the law or not. But how the law is to be kept. Does it come by something we do, or does it come by accepting the word which says that God will work in us to do in us what He said He would do?
Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
No man from this side of the cross, to the other side of the cross, has, ever, could ever, or will ever be justified by the works of the law. To say that God ever asked any such thing is to say that God is a legalistic God.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
If righteousness every came by the law, then there would never have been need for Christ to die. People could just have said “All I need to do to get to heaven is be a good person”. What would be the point of Christ dieing if we could be justified by our own good works? Did the law just make them better people? Absolutely not. The only purpose of the law is to show us what sin is. (Gal 3:19)
To believe that to try to get righteousness by the law was ever God’s way, to believe that this was God’s way from Moses to the cross, is to believe that God demanded something impossible. Something contrary to righteousness by faith, something contrary to the gospel. It is to teach another gospel. It is to believe in another god. It is a perversion of the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:6-9 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: (7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (9) As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Where did Paul get his gospel brethren? From the Old Testament. And the truth is this. If you can’t, like Paul share the gospel from the Old Testament, then it’s quite possible that you are teaching “another gospel”.
Gal 3:8-9 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. (9) So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
And why is the blessing given?:
Gen 26:4-5 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; (5) Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
Why did He obey or keep the law? Because He believed God and this is Righteousness by faith.
