¹⁰ For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” ¹¹ Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” ¹² But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” ¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— ¹⁴ so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

1) What does it mean to be under a curse?
The Greek word translated “curse” means “accursed, execrable, exposed to divine vengeance, lying under God’s curse.”  (I had to look up the word “execrable”, which means “utterly detestable; abominable; abhorrent.”)  While we tend to think of a curse as some meaningless language meant to scare someone, the Biblical understanding is that someone who is cursed is deserving of God’s wrath.  It is very serious to be cursed.

2) Why is Paul quoting the Old Testament so much in these verses?
Paul is making an argument that our salvation is by faith alone, apart from the law.  He does this by quoting parts of the law itself.  It is clear, even from the Old Testament, that no one can be justified, or made right with God, by following the law.  It is impossible to uphold completely.

3) What is the difference between law and faith?
Sometimes, it is difficult to see the difference between those who live by the law and those who live by faith.  Outwardly, they may both be moral and obedient.  However, those who live by the law are counting on their works to save them—they are self-righteous.  Those who live by faith see themselves as deserving of God’s wrath, and they are counting on Jesus’s sacrificial death to pay for their sins.  Therefore, they are actually viewed by God as righteous, and they obey God out of gratitude, not as a way to earn His favor.

1) What does it mean to be under a curse?
One of the reasons that we try to earn God’s love is because we don’t truly see ourselves as deserving of God’s wrath.  We tend to minimize our sin and focus on the good things we do, ignoring the bad things.  Sadly, this can keep many people from calling out to God for salvation, because they feel like they don’t need to be saved.  But praise God, although we were execrable, we are now washed, clean, accepted, and loved, thanks to Jesus Christ being cursed in our place.

2) Why is Paul quoting the Old Testament so much in these verses?
The Bible tells one big story, about how God is redeeming His people through Jesus Christ.  If you look for Christ in the Old Testament, you will see that everything points to Him.  Look for Him, sister, and marvel at how God has orchestrated everything perfectly to bring us salvation and to help us know Him!

3) What is the difference between law and faith?
Many times, we fall back into the trap of legalism—believing that our status before God is determined by our behavior.  We were not saved because of anything we did!  And God’s love for us is steady, even when we don’t feel like we are doing enough to please Him.  Keep preaching the gospel to yourself, daily, and live by faith.

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We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
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