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The Amish Voice 6
cannot secure righteousness by himself. He must look to Christ, the
real Teacher, for righteousness and acceptance by God. And once
faith in Christ has come, there is no need for the law nor for any other
guardian, for Jesus Christ brings us face to face with God.
12. The law is still in force for the unbeliever (1 Ti.1:8-14). It re-
mains in force to condemn and to lead the unbeliever to see his need
for God.
13. Men were not always transgressors (Ro.4:15; 5:20). There is
no transgression where there is no law, for there is no law to trans-
gress. But men were still sinners before the law was given to Moses.
They were just not as aware of their sin nor did they sense as much
guilt as was necessary to show their need for God. For that reason the
law was given, that men might be more and more aware that they
were sinners before God.
A CLOSER LOOK:
(3:10-12)
Justification—Faith
: this verse is used three times in the
new Testament. A different point is emphasized each time it is used.
It tells how a man can be just with God (see Hab.2:3-4).
1.
“The just shall live by faith”
(Ro.1:17). Who can live by
faith? Only the just. People make two claims to justification. The
man who says “I am justified by doing the best I can” is simply say-
ing that he expects God to excuse his sin. But God does not excuse
sin; God forgives sin. Excusing sin is nothing more than license—
allowing man to go on living as he wishes and always coming up
short. Therefore, a man is not justified by doing the best he can—by
living after the law. He is justified by faith, by trusting God to forgive
him. Once a man has really trusted God, he is just. And the just then
begins to live by faith. The former man, whether a legalist or a man of
fleshly indulgence, has no opportunity to live by faith. Why? Simply
because he never started the life of faith. It is the just, not the legalist
or the man of sinful indulgence, who lives by faith.
2.
“The just shall live by faith”
(Ga.3:11). By what rule does a
person live? By the principle of faith, not by the principle of works.
The person declared just by faith shall live apart from works. The
believer is saved by faith, and the believer lives by faith (Gal.3:11).
3.
“The just shall live by faith”
(He.10:38). By what power does
a person live? By the power that is given him by God because of
faith. The Christian believes God, believes in the promises God has
made. Therefore, the believer does what God says. The power of
faith energizes him to live a just life. Works have nothing to do with
making him just nor with keeping him just.
4. SCRIPTURE SAYS CHRIST HAS REDEEMED US FROM
THE CURSE (vv.13-14).
The word
redeemed
means to buy back or to buy from or to ransom.
Christ has bought man back and ransomed him from the curse of the
law. That man has broken the law of God is unquestionable; every
honest man knows this. Therefore, every man stands guilty before
God and must be judged and condemned to bear the curse and punish-
ment of the law. But this is the glorious news: Jesus Christ has re-
deemed us from the curse of the law. How?
1. Jesus Christ was made a curse for us. Simply stated, Jesus
Christ took our condemnation, doom, death, and punishment upon
Himself, bearing them all for us. Jesus Christ took our place as the
lawbreaker and guilty party before God, and He bore the punishment
of the lawbreaker for us. How was this possible?
Because Jesus Christ had obeyed and kept the law of God
perfectly. He had never broken the law, not even once. He
was sinless and perfect. He had secured the Ideal Righteous-
ness and Perfection before God. Therefore, He bore no guilt
and no penalty and no mark of death. He had the right to
stand before God to claim eternal life, the right to be accepted
by God so as never to experience death. He was perfect; He
had secured incorruptible righteousness.
Because God is love. The glorious gospel is that instead of
claiming the right to live in God’s presence, Christ deter-
mined to give His perfection and righteousness to the people
of the earth and to take their sin upon Himself. He was deter-
mined to swap His ideal righteousness for man’s unrighteous-
ness, to swap His ideal life for man’s sinful life.
Stated as simply as possible, Jesus Christ substituted Himself, His
perfect life, for man’s sinful life. He substituted His obedience to
God for man’s disobedience. He bore man’s sin and punishment so
that man might stand righteous and perfect before God. Jesus Christ
bore the curse of the law for us.
Note the Old Testament quotation: “Cursed is everyone that hangs
on a tree” (De.21:23). This does not mean that a man is cursed be-
cause he is executed upon a tree, but rather that a man who is execut-
ed upon a tree is there because he is cursed, having been judged as a
lawbreaker. Jesus Christ was the lawbreaker, taking the place of the
transgressor; therefore, He was cursed (condemned) to die as the un-
lawful and disobedient sinner.
2. The purpose for Jesus Christ’s bearing the curse of the law was
to open the door of blessing to all men. Christ’s bearing the curse of
the law was the way God fulfilled His promise to Abraham: that all
QUESTIONS
:
1. Why did not Christ abolish the law when He came to earth?
2. Contrast the law with God’s grace. How have you learned to
balance the two in your life?
QUESTIONS
:
1. What do you think of when you hear the word justifica-
tion?
2. What effect should justification have upon you day by
day?