Christ Redeemed Us From the Curse of the Law Explained

Hello, and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick, an Oklahoma rancher and farmer. Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for over 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say, time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick. Okay, let's get right back to the book, and in our last program we were in Galatians chapter 3, and we ended up at verse 10, now we're going to go to verse 11. And so you can be looking that up here in the studio, and for those of you joining us on we like to welcome you. We're just an informal Bible study, we're not associated with any group. We've got, I suppose, all kinds of various denominations and church congregations represented here, but all we hope to do is just open the Word so that anyone can understand, and bring a lot of people out of a spiritual darkness. And again, we just appreciate so much hearing from you. Your letters, mail time of course is the highlight of it. The other day Iris and I were going through a whole stack of letters, and of course I'm going to date myself when I say this, but I think a lot of you older folks remember when Charles Fuller was on the Old Fashioned Revival Hour out of California, and you remember how he would have his wife come up and read from their mail, and he would say, Let's hear what the letters have, and I just couldn't help but think of that. They appreciated their mail, and we appreciate ours. And when I tell people we read every letter, I mean that. I don't know how long we can keep on, because it's taking more and more of our time, but so far at least we can honestly say that we read every letter. Once in a while I get one that I just read over, and over, and over. I wrote to the lady the other night, and I said, Only the Lord knows how many times I have read your letter, because it was so expressive of someone who had been in church all their life, and just never got any satisfaction, never had any joy, and was always sort of afraid that God was not satisfied with her. I listened to you teach, and I think it was back when we were in Romans, and she said, All of a sudden when I could believe that it's by faith plus nothing, what a change came over my whole life, and what freedom, and what joy. Well a letter like that I will. I'll just read it over, and over, and over, because it's so thrilling that the Lord is able to do that with someone who has been so steeped in a religion of one sort or another. So again, thank you for your letters, and your financial help, and again I guess you've already seen the books and tapes that are available, and if you're interested in any of that, you can give us a call or drop us a line. Let's get right back where we came to do, and that is study the Bible. Galatians chapter 3, and remember we're stressing over and over as Paul does now, especially in Galatians like he did in Romans, that we're not under Law, we're under Grace. Remember that was the whole reason for this letter, is that those churches up in Galatia were being, I use the word, submarined, where false teaching was coming in and was literally torpedoing them with, but you can't be saved by faith plus nothing, you have to keep the Law of Moses. Now lest you feel that I'm pulling that out of the woodwork, sorry honey, but let's go back to Acts chapter 15 for just a second, because I like people to see this with their own eyes. Now we did this a few weeks ago, or a few programs ago, whatever the case may be, but Acts chapter 15, beginning at verse 1. I want you to see with your own eyes, and this of course is Luke's recording, how this was indeed the problem. Acts chapter 15, and certain men who came down, that is to Antioch up in Syria, who came down from Judea, and they taught. In other words they somehow or other, invigiled their way in, to get in places of teaching position, or whether they were in the pulpit or what, I don't know. They didn't have big congregations in those days, but nevertheless these Judaizers from Jerusalem, who were believing Jews, but they taught the brethren and said, "...except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved." See that? That's in your Bible. I know it is. Then you come on up to verse 5, and it's repeated again, that these Judaizers, especially now in this verse, the Pharisees who had become believers. Now when I say they had become believers, I'm not talking about Paul's Gospel, they had become believers of the Kingdom Gospel, that Christ was who He said He was. So there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, and they said that it was needful to circumcise them, that is these Gentile believers up at Antioch, and to command them to keep the Law of Moses. Now you can't get it any plainer than that. This is what Paul was constantly up against, that everywhere he had begun a little congregation of Gentiles primarily, there may have been a scattering of Jews, but primarily Gentiles. Here come the Judaizers from Jerusalem, and they begin to just torpedo Paul's message with this kind of teaching. Oh hey, you can't be saved by faith alone. You see what I say when I'm sure that there are people out there who say, well don't listen to that Lesfeldic, you can't be saved by faith alone. Well listen, it isn't Lesfeldic that's saying that, it's this book that says it, that it's faith plus nothing. All right, come back again to Galatians, verse 11. So here Paul is confronting this false teaching that was leading these people astray. Remember what he said in chapter 1? You are falling for a perverted Gospel, and let anyone who preaches that kind of a Gospel be accursed. Well he's still dealing on that same premise. This is all in the same letter. Now he says, "...but that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God..." Oh maybe in the sight of men. Maybe you can fool people that you're a Christian by law keeping, but you're never going to fool God, I'll guarantee it, because that's what the book says. "...and so that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident. For the just shall live by faith plus nothing." There's no more on that sentence. Verse 12. "...and the law is not of faith, but the man that doeth them has to live in them." In other words if you're going to keep the Law, like one dear old brother of mine down in my neck of the woods, when a neighbor thought that he had to keep the Sabbath, he had to keep the Law, and this relatively new believer said, wait a minute, it looks to me like if you're going to keep the Law, you better have a temple, you better find a priest, and you better go buy a herd of sheep. He said if you're going to keep the Law, you've got to keep it all, if my Bible means what it says. And then he asked me later, did I say the wrong thing? And I said no, man I couldn't have said it any better, because this is where most people are. If they want to keep the Law for salvation, they better keep it to the last iota, and there was only one way they could keep the Law, and that was to have a temple, and the priesthood, and the sacrifice. And even then they couldn't accomplish it, because it's impossible. And so here's where we have to get people to stop and think, am I trying to attain salvation by some kind of a works religion? And that's what it becomes. Then it becomes a religion. Remember I've put that on the board more than once. Religion is man attempting to somehow merit favor with God. Christianity is God reaching down in grace and saving sinful men. Oh what a difference! There's no comparison between the two. Religion will always demand works, religion will always tell people what they have to do and what they can't do. But true Gospel Christianity says you do nothing, because God has done it all. Now verse 13. Ephesians 1, verse 13 "...Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law..." Now remember what we read in Deuteronomy in the last program? If you do not keep every jot and tittle of the Law to the last iota of perfection, then you're under the curse. Now that sounds like harsh language, and it is, but that's what the Book said. We read it. Cursed is every man that does not do them, if you're going to do the Law. So Christ hath redeemed us. He has taken the curse of the Law upon Himself, being made a curse for us, for it is written, "...cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Let's go back to Deuteronomy 21, starting at verse 18. Deuteronomy 21, verse 18 "...if a man have a stubborn and a rebellious son, who will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that when they have chastened him, he will not hearken to them, then his father and his mother shall lay hold on him, and bring him out to the elders of the city, and unto the gate of his place." In other words, he will not obey our voice, he is a glutton and a drunkard. Ring a bell? Oh yeah it does. You've all heard of families who have one. I think it was Dobson, if I'm not mistaken, I don't like to falsely quote somebody, I think he wrote a book that he titled, Tough Love. What did he advocate? That with this kind of an individual, you have to take steps and exercise some tough love. You can't just keep feeding him, and paying him, and helping him out of his tight places. You've got to deal with it. Well Israel did, only far worse than what Dobson would have ever suggested. Look what they said, "...all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die, and so shalt thou put away evil from among you. And all Israel shall hear fear." Now you see this is what the sociologists have totally removed from our judicial system. Our kids have no fear of the Law, that's our problem. They can do almost whatever they want to do, and they know they're going to get a slap on the wrist, and they'll be back on the street. Hey if we would practice some of this, it wouldn't take long. Now I remember a friend of mine who was in service in Japan in the Occupational Forces after World War II, and he came home and boy he said, there's nobody in jail in Japan, the courts don't have much to do, because the police dealt with it on the sidewalk. They'd practically beat somebody to death if they caught them stealing or snatching a purse. So there was at that time, now I'm sure it's changed, but at that time there was practically no crime in Japan, because they dealt with it. Well that's exactly what Israel was instructed to do. That if you have that kind of a no good, rebellious, drunkard son, turn him over to the authorities, and the authorities were to literally stone that young man to death. And I've told you before, stoning was an obscenity. It was awful, it was not a very pretty picture. Now let's read on. Verse 22. And if the man hath committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, thou shalt hang him on a tree. Now the hanging on a tree didn't kill him, the stoning did. So what was the purpose of hanging him on a tree? A public spectacle, to let the public know this is the way Israel deals with this kind of an individual. Now of course people will look at that and say, well that's barbaric. Well maybe so, but they didn't have the crime problem that we've got. And so he was hung on a tree, or a stake, and then verse 23. And his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day. Now is all this ringing a bell? Who hung on the tree? Christ did. And as soon as Israel saw the sun begin to set, what did they scramble for? Get him off that tree! We can't have him on there after sundown. And so he shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day. And here's the reason. For he that is hanged on a tree is accursed of God, that the land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. Now we say this is awful. This is awful. But look, what is this all a preview of? Of what Christ accomplished in our behalf. Turn back with me now to II Corinthians in your New Testament. II Corinthians dropping down to verse 21. Now see here again, when I can stand up here and teach a total salvation based on the finished work of the cross, plus nothing, this is why I can do it. And keep that picture on your mind of what it was for that rebel who was a sinner to be sure, and he had been stoned to death, and then hanged on a tree for a public spectacle. It was all a preview of the one that was to come. II Corinthians chapter 5, verse 21, God hath made him to be sin for us. Oh not just the frilly nilly dilly sins, but the horrible, worst imaginable sins that the human race can commit, and they were all laid on him. The worst, the most vile sin that man could ever imagine was all laid on him, and he took the place of that rebel, sinful son of Israel. And he took the place so that God could put the curse of the Law on Christ. Now listen, that's strong language. I know it is. That's not the kind of language most people like to hear. But listen, this is what the Word declares. That Christ became the curse under God. He fulfilled all the curse of the Law, so that God in turn could now say, I have forgiven every human being that's ever lived, I have reconciled them, I have pardoned them. It's there for anyone and everyone who will simply believe it. And oh, they refuse to believe it. They refuse to believe it. So I had another verse, and it's already come and gone. I forgot where it was, but I was going to use another one. Let's go back to Romans chapter 3, where this whole plan of salvation from the pen of the Apostle Paul really has its beginning. Romans chapter 3, and again it's that same concept that by the keeping of the Law is no justification. I always like to use those two verses to never forget. One time I was using it, and a young pastor happened to be in my class at the time, and when I read those two verses, I hadn't commented on them, I just read them. And his mouth just dropped open. And you know the first thing I had to think of? He's never seen this before. He had never seen this before. And like I said, all I did was read them. I didn't comment on them. I read them, and I think the Spirit just blew his mind. Now look what it says. Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law. Well now, that's no great big mathematical problem. Who was under the Law? Jews, Israel. But it didn't stop at the borders of Israel. The ramifications of the Law went to the whole human race. And that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may have a way to Heaven. That's not what your Bible says. That all the world may be found guilty. And that's all the Law could do, was pronounce guilt upon every human being. Therefore by the deeds of the Law, there shall no flesh be justified. Oh and why can't works religion people see this? But they are evidently just closing their eyes to it, and saying, No my church, my religion will do it. And my Bible says, No it won't. I don't care what church it is. If they're going to hold you to something that you have to do, then my Bible says there is no justification in that, but only condemnation. And so reading on in verse 20, "...there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the Law..." The Ten Commandments, beautiful as they are, perfect as they are, yet by the Ten Commandments is nothing more than the knowledge or the understanding of sin. That's what sin is, is breaking the Ten Commandments. Oh but then look at verse 21. Something totally different has taken over. The righteousness of God, what's the next word? Without the Law. Do you see that? The righteousness of God without the Law. Leave it out. It has no part in your salvation. "...and so righteousness without the Law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the prophets." What does that mean? It isn't like the people at Corinth accused the Apostle Paul that he was coming in like an imposter, with some kind of a false religion, and something that he had concocted on his own. But what does he say? Hey I'm not coming with something that's a watered down product. I am coming with the truth of the Gospel, and all the world has hated it from day one, they do yet today, because the world says, I want to work for it. I want to do something so that I can take a little pride in what I've accomplished, and God hates pride like nothing else. So here we have that without the Law, even though it was witnessed by all the Old Testament before it, remember what I said in the last program? Everything builds on that which was before, and we just kept building. Yes the Law and the prophets, the life of Christ, and it all brings us to His death, burial and resurrection. Then we have the Apostle Paul who comes out and declares it to the Gentile world, not just to Israel. Then reading on in verse 22. Ephesians 1.2a "...the righteousness of God, which is by the faith, or the faithfulness, of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe." Now we've been over all this before. And then verse 23, the all inclusive verse of condemnation, where I've always said you have to here's where we have to start. Ephesians 1.2a "...for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Why? Because we've all broken God's Law, every one of us. And then verse 24. Ephesians 1.2a "...o being justified freely by His grace through the redemption." Now that's why I came back here. Remember the word was used in Galatians 3 .11-12. Through the redemption. And you all know what redemption involves. It means paying a price for something that was once yours, and you lost it. And that's exactly what happened to the human race. It was God's in the person of Adam and Eve. But what happened? He lost it when they sinned, and as soon as he realized he had lost it, as we saw 3 or 4 programs ago in Genesis 3.15, what did he immediately kick in gear? A plan of redemption through the seed of the woman. Now it took centuries before it became a reality, but nevertheless it all began right after Adam and Eve sinned when he lost them. He put in motion the plan of buying back the whole human race. And that of course is what Paul is teaching here in Romans 3. Verse 25. Romans 3.25a "...that through Christ Jesus God hath set forth the Lord Jesus to be a propitiation through faith in his blood." In this particular case, why? Because it's the blood that's the price of redemption. Peter tells us that in his little epistle. You're not bought with silver and gold, but with what? The precious blood of Christ. It's the price of redemption all through Scripture. That's why Hebrews says that without the shedding of blood there is no remission. It has to be paid for with atoning blood. And then come down to verse 26. Romans 3.26a "...to declare I say at this time his Christ's righteousness, that he might be just, and absolutely fair, in being the justifier of that person who does what?" Believe! See how simple it all is? It's so simple. Now back to Galatians. We've only got a minute or so left. Galatians chapter 3, verse 13. Galatians 3.13a "...Christ hath redeemed us, he hath paid the price of redemption with his blood, being made a curse for us. Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." He fulfilled that. He became that curse that was hung on a tree. And then here's why we went back to Deuteronomy. For it is written, "...cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Now I suppose a lot of people have wondered down through the ages, why? Why did God choose death by crucifixion, when the normal death for a criminal in Israel was stoning? Well you see he had to be lifted up, he had to be placed on a tree to fulfill this whole concept of cursed is every one that hangs on a tree. He couldn't have died any other death. It would have never fulfilled the total picture. And that's why again I'm always bringing out, and I hope you're catching it, that all of Scripture fits. Just like a jigsaw puzzle, everything fits. And that's why it's so dangerous to just take one verse and lift it out of context. We have to use every bit of it. Weekly Bible Study If you would like more information about the Les Feldick Ministries, a Bible study in your area, or about this program, write to Les Feldick Ministries, Route 1, Box 760, Kenta, Oklahoma, 74552. That's Route 1, Box 760, Kenta, Oklahoma, 74552. Through the Bible with Les Feldick is viewer supported, and your gift is appreciated. Thank you, and be sure to tune in next time for Through the Bible with Les Feldick.