In the gospels, Jesus dealt with a group of people called the Pharisees.  While He treated them kindly and fairly, they were considered the opposition.  They represented the opposite of the mission of grace Jesus came to this planet to complete.  The belief system of the Pharisees accommodated a legalistic system of do’s and mostly of don’ts.  They walked around piously, prayed long and loud, and even tithed a tenth of their herb gardens.  They were serious about their outward appearance, but gravely lacking on the inside.  To give you a taste of what Jesus thought of them, let me read to you from Matthew 23:23-28.

²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. ²⁴ You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

²⁵“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶ You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. ²⁸ So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

      Jesus’ reaction to them is due to their teaching a religion contrary to the claims of the free gospel God intended from before the beginning of creation.  The very gospel Jesus was ready to consummate through His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension.

      No Pharisee was beyond the reach of the free grace of Christ.  There were Pharisees who believed in Christ while He walked this earth; Nicodemus from John 3 being one of them.  As the Holy Spirit continued His work among the disciples and the Jewish nation, believers were added in droves to the New Testament Church.  Many Pharisees believed as well.  The problem with many of these Pharisees is that they thought themselves to be joining a movement or club instead of believing in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life.  They sought to apply some Old Testament requirements to the claims of Christ in the New Testament.  They, and those following them, were called Judaizers.

      The author of the letter to the Galatians was a Pharisee.  Paul studied under the renowned Gamaliel and was at one time considered a zealot for his beliefs.  There is, however, a difference between Paul and Judaizers.  Paul totally understood and embraced that Jesus Christ totally fulfilled the requirements of the Old Testament and freely offered eternal life through the gospel.  I would think that he had to wrestle with his former belief system, but was able to preach and believe the gospel.

      The Judaizers’ main addition to the gospel of Christ was the circumcision of males.  This plus faith in Christ equaled salvation.  Paul’s purpose in writing this letter is to refute these claims by saying that faith in Christ alone equals eternal life.

      So, what we are getting in Paul’s letter to the Galatians is a look at the first problems troubling God’s chosen people following the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.

      Can a human being be justified by his obedience to the law? Paul uses the term justified.  This is a legal term used in a court of law meaning to be proclaimed innocent, to be acquitted, and to be cleared of all charges.  Biblically, it means being declared righteous before the bar of God’s justice.

      In Galatians 3:10-18, Paul continues to make clear this foundational principle from the fuzzy theological views of the Judaizers. He hands us three key factors in God’s covenant with mankind.

      The first key factor in God’s covenant with mankind is no one escapes the curse of the Law. vv.10-12

      Paul leaves no room here for speculation. If you rely on the works of the law, you are under a curse. Plain and simple! Without going through a lot of explanation or etymology of the word, curse ends up in death. Here it’s the kind of death that is eternal presence in the wrath of God. Not a place you want to be.

      The Old Testament is full of curses. For a sample let me read from Deuteronomy 27 what was later performed in Joshua 8:30-35.

⁹ Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the Lord your God. ¹⁰ You shall therefore obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.”

¹¹ That day Moses charged the people, saying, ¹² “When you have crossed over the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. ¹³ And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. ¹⁴ And the Levites shall declare to all the men of Israel in a loud voice:

¹⁵ “ ‘Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’

¹⁶ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

¹⁷ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

¹⁸ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who misleads a blind man on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

¹⁹ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²⁰ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s nakedness.’  And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ ²¹ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with any kind of animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²² “ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²³ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²⁴ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²⁵ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²⁶ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

What a worship service that was!

      Paul knew these curses well. As a student of the Old Testament he knew them, but on 5 memorable occasions he had heard them read. In Paul’s list of sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11 he documents his being lashed at the hand of the Jews 5 times. According to the custom of the day, these sentences were carried out with a reading of the curses as accompaniment. So Paul was very familiar about the curses and what they meant.

      God’s standard, the law, is perfect. Anyone who does not meet the standard is cursed.

      How can one ever escape from the curse of the law? Paul tells us in verse 11, the righteous shall live by faith, a quote from Habakkuk 2:4.

      These two, faith and law, are in opposition to one another in regards to salvation, establishing a right relationship with God, or justification (being pronounced innocent even though you aren't). The moral law (Ten Commandments and their derivatives) plays a role in the life of the believer after their relationship with God has been established, not in establishing it. We obey because we are now able.

      So, faith doesn’t have anything to do with the law, nor does the law have anything to do with faith. In faith, you exercise trust. In the law, you exercise work. It’s one or the other, not both.

      Recently the Youth Group went canoeing on the Chattahoochee River. When you’re familiar (and unafraid) with a situation, you look over many things that would never escape the eye of one less experienced and scared to death. I don’t like water! And things other people take for granted with water...I don’t! Like getting into the canoe. Eventually, one foot is in the boat while the other is on the dock. If distance grows between the two feet, you fall in the water! You are cursed!

      You cannot have your feet in the boat and on the shore at the same time. If you commit yourself to either side, there are consequences. If you commit yourself to the law, the consequence is God’s curse.

      The second key factor in God’s covenant with mankind is God the Son took things into His own hands. vv.13-14

      If you cannot perform all the law, you are cursed.

Romans 3:23

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Ephesians 2:1

…you were dead in the trespasses and sins 

We are sinners living in rebellion against God.

      The law cannot save. It only curses. Everyone who breaks the law, and everyone does, is cursed. Everyone is cursed. Interestingly, the Judaizers, who base salvation on the law, are actually inviting the opposite, the curse of God!

      To escape the curse of the law, one must be redeemed. It refers to the payment of a price. I have often called my wife the coupon queen. She collects coupons for things we often use, takes them to the store and trades them for money off that particular item. She redeems the coupons. During Paul’s time, the word was used most often in the slave trade, referred to as the purchase price for a slave. Sometimes a friend or relative would pay the price for the slave in order to set him free. The slave gained freedom through the payment of a ransom, which was ordinarily the highest price offered.

      The highest price that was possible to pay for the redemption of God’s children was met in Jesus Christ. His blood was shed on the cross to pay the price or our redemption. In order to pay the price, Jesus had to endure God’s curse.

      In verse 13 Paul writes, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. Paul understood that in Deuteronomy 21:22-23 the Bible states:

²² “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, ²³ his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance. 

      In hanging a criminal like this was to expose his crime to public shame. Elevating his body was to show that he was under God’s curse. To hang on a tree was the ultimate curse.

      No wonder the Jews had trouble with Christianity. The crux of the gospel is Jesus Christ dying on a tree; the cross! The followers of Christ went out of their way to be sure the cross was called a tree. Here is Jesus, the Messiah, hung on a tree exposed to public shame. Nothing more could have been so blasphemous to the Jews. In 1 Corinthians 1:22, Paul identifies the crucifixion as a “stumbling block to Jews.” No wonder! The apostolic message was about a Messiah whom God cursed!

      Jesus died in our place as a substitution. All those curses shouted from Mt. Ebal, curses that condemned us, Christ took upon Himself. The death penalty for breaking the law was executed on Jesus Christ in a way that demonstrated the ultimate curse from God. This why and how Christ cried out from the cross, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Mt. 27:46).

      All of this is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham so that the blessing of that covenant would be applied to Gentiles, which is received through faith, not in obedience to the law in any form.

      In an evangelistic meeting in Ireland the speaker was explaining what it means to abide in Christ and to trust Him completely in every trial. Concluding his message, he repeated several times, "It means that in every circumstance you can keep on saying, 'For this I have Jesus.'" The meeting was then opened for testimonies. The young lady who had been at the piano stood up and said, "I have to leave shortly so I'd like to be the first to testify. Just a few minutes ago I was handed this telegram. It reads, 'Mother is very ill; take train home immediately.' When I saw those words, I knew that tonight's message was meant just for me. My heart looked up and said, 'For this I have Jesus.' Instantly a peace and strength flooded my soul."

      After pausing a moment, she continued, "I have never traveled very far alone, but for this I have Jesus. And for all the strain and suspense that goes with the thought of Mother's severe illness, I praise God that for this too I have Jesus."

      From Texas history comes the story of the conversion of Sam Houston. At one time, the Texas hero was called “The Old Drunk.” While he was governor of Tennessee, his wife left him. In despair he resigned as governor and tried to escape his problems by going to live among Cherokee Indians. He stayed drunk much of the time. It is said that the Indians, as they walked through the forest, would have to move him out of the path where he lay in a stupor.

      Later, he went to Texas, where he became the great hero of the Texas revolution when he routed General Santa Ana’s Mexican army. Houston’s battle cry, “Remember the Alamo!” helped win independence for Texas. He married the daughter of a Baptist preacher and later trusted Christ, but he still had some of his old tendencies. One day as he rode along a trail, his horse stumbled. Houston spontaneously cursed, reverting to his old habit. Immediately he was convicted of his sin. He got off his horse, knelt down on the trail, and cried out to God for forgiveness. Houston had already received Christ, but God was teaching him to live in fellowship with him moment by moment. And as soon as the Holy Spirit made Sam Houston aware of his sin, he confessed it.

      We, too, need to be detail-sensitive in our confession of sins. We should learn that in every temptation to transfer sin, death, the curse, and all the evils that oppress us, from ourselves to Jesus Christ. Then, to realize that all of His righteousness, life, and blessing are ours because of the curse He endured on the cross.

      The third key factor in God’s covenant with mankind is believers live joyful ever after. vv.15-18

      I believe that Paul has proven his point well, but he decides to use an illustration to prove even further that the promise given to Abraham lasts beyond the law.

      In verses 15-18, Paul employs an example from life. When a last will and testament is signed, sealed, and delivered, it cannot be changed. It is legally binding as it stands. In the ancient Greek court system, once a will had been properly registered with the government it could not be altered. Once it was made it was irrevocable. On this human level, once something is ratified, it cannot be changed.

      Now, let’s bump it up a notch. Once God has established a covenant, it surely cannot be changed. What holds true in the human court has even greater force in God’s court.

      Jesus is the true offspring referred to in v. 16. The covenant with Abraham looked forward to its culmination in the life, work, and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. When we belong to Christ, the promise belongs to us.

      So, the promise ratified by God 430 years before the law was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai surpasses all others afterwards, especially the aspects of the law the Judaizers are trying to impose on new believers.

      God deals with us according to His promise of inheritance through the covenant fulfilled by Jesus Christ His Son. Believers are unified in Christ as indicated in Galatians 2:20:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 

      Because of our union with Christ, all that was promised Him in the covenant of grace by God is ours. Our hope rests apart from any performance or keeping of the law of works and leans solely on the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ! We inevitably break the law while on the other hand God never breaks His promise. Thank God He deals with us according to His promise and not our performance.

      Since we do not work for redemption, it is a once-for-all time gift given to keep forever. It is the fulfillment of God’s promise in Christ Jesus. It is received by God-given faith in Christ alone. We become heirs and strive to act like one. And, since we are in Christ our standing before God does not sway back and forth with the inconsistency of our daily behavior. It stands strong in the promises of God.

      Dr. Howard A. Kelly had a unique and effective way of "witnessing". He was never seen in public without a beautiful pink rose in his lapel. This practice gave him many opportunities to witness about his relationship with the Lord Jesus. Someone meeting him on the street might remark, "That's a lovely rose, Dr. Kelly." "Yes, it is," he would reply. "Actually, it's a 'Christian rose!'" "Why do you call it that?" he would be asked. The well -- known physician would then turn back his lapel and display a tiny water bottle which held the stem of the flower and kept it fresh and sweet. "It's a 'Christian rose," he would explain, "because it has a hidden source of life and beauty. When our Savior pardons our sins, He also unites us with Himself and thereby nourishes and strengthens us. He becomes the secret reservoir of our joy, and any fragrance of testimony we exhibit to the world comes from Him."

      A dying judge, the day before his departure to be with Christ, said to his pastor, "Do you know enough about law to understand what is meant by joint-tenancy?"

      "No," was the reply. "I know nothing about law, I know a little about grace, and that satisfies me."

      "Well," he said, "if you and I were joint-tenants on a farm, I could not say to you: That is your hill of corn, and this is mine; that is your stalk of wheat, and this is mine that is your blade of grass, and this is mine; but we should share and share alike in everything on the place. I have just been lying here, and thinking with unspeakable joy, that Jesus Christ has nothing apart from me, that everything he has is mine, and we will share and share alike through all eternity." -- By J. Wilbur Chapan, "Present Day Parables."

      We are one in Christ. We are strengthened by Him, inspired by Him, and presented holy and blameless before God because in Him.

      We live in a performance-driven society. It is looked down upon if you aren’t doing something. I can understand this when there is something to work towards. However, an improved standing before God is not something achieved through your performance. If you are trusting in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life there is no sin you can commit to make Him love you less, and, there is no work you can perform to force Him to love you more. Your position as one of His children is complete because of your faith in Jesus Christ. Remember:

I.   No one escapes the curse of the Law.

II.  God the Son took things into His own hands.

III. Believers live joyful ever after.