WE are not under the curse of the law Why would anyone want to be. Our Savior took away the curse of the law and we are under his grace and love.
In my time here I've often notice through the way many discuss this topic that many interpret the phrase "the curse of the law", to mean "the curse, that is the law". And interpret "works of the law" to mean "everything written to be followed in the law".
I think it would help if we fleshed out these phrases.
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There is The Law.
Written in The Law are:
A) Instructions (to walk in)
B) Blessings (for obeying)
C) Curses (for disobedience/sins)
D) Works (for cleansing of sins); performed by levitical priesthood
When the Israelites broke The Law - by not walking in its (
A) instructions - they were subject to the (
C) curses detailed in The Law. They were placed "under" those curses and were required to perform the (
D) "works" found in The Law to cleanse themselves of their sin.
...but the "works" (for cleansing of sins) were just examples that taught what Christ would later do to *truly* cleanse sins...like a "schoolmaster" for students, teaching a class on the subject of "cleansing sins". To be performed over and over as a rehearsal, never really doing anything to take away the sins.
After Christ, those "works" (for cleansing of sin) are no longer needed. Simply having faith that Christ is doing the real work in heaven is sufficient (faith because we can not
see the priestly work being performed like the Israelites could witness daily in the temple).
Still existing in The Law are:
A) Instructions (to walk in)
B) Blessings (for obeying)
C) Curses (for disobedience/sins)
But with a change to The Law:
D) Faith in Christ (for cleansing of sins); just confess sins at the heavenly throne. Levitical priesthood no longer needed. Nothing else needed to die.
After this change, any Israelite who would go back to performing the old (
D) "works" (for cleansing of sin) - After Christ - was effectively denying the true work of cleansing...and if they're denying the true cleansing they're still "under" the (
C) curses and still in their sins.
Meanwhile, those who have faith in Christ were cleansed and no longer under the curses...but were still expected to follow the (
A) instructions to "sin no more" so as to not make the blood of Christ worthless, receiving (
B) blessings for their obedience.
They are free from the (
C) curse of the law.
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So "the curse of the law" = the law's curses (for committing sins)
And "the works of the law" = the law's works (for cleansing sins)
And "under the law" = under the law's punishment (the curses)