Are You Under A Curse?
According to God’s Word, the Holy Bible, you are under the curse of God if you are trusting the salvation of your soul to any kind of a works gospel, that is, to any plan of salvation that says you must DO something to make yourself ready for heaven or acceptable to God somehow. And it doesn’t matter how sincere you are or how big a religion you belong to.
“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” [Galatians 3:10]
What is meant by “continueth not in ALL things which are written in the book of the law to do them” is explained in James 2:10:
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” [James 2:10]
In other words, it is a hopeless situation to attempt to appease the wrath of God by one’s works, by human effort of any kind. Only the work of Christ on the cross could appease God, otherwise He would not have left His throne in heaven and suffered and died for lost sinners. Anyone who attempts to get to heaven by their own righteousness is in effect saying that Christ died in vain – or at least that He did not die for them. Such people are trying to establish their own system of righteousness (sabbath keeping, saying prayers, going on pilgrimages, helping the poor, etc.) which God will not accept as payment for sin:
“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” [Romans 10:3]
Anyone who is trusting in their own righteousness better closely examine these verses:
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” [Isaiah 64:6]
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” [Matthew 7:21-23]
Christ’s atonement neither requires nor allows man to assist in his own salvation:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” [Ephesians 2:8-9]
Works gospels may temporarily reform sinners and may provide benefits in this life, but they do not and cannot pay for sin:
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” [Galatians 2:16]
A person can be permanently and completely saved from the eternal wrath of a holy and righteous God, by His grace and mercy and through the all-sufficient atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ. No amount of obedience to any particular commandment will atone for sin. When the “true” and omnipotent Jesus of the Bible saves a soul, a legal transaction takes place: all the sins of that person are accredited to Christ and all the righteousness of Christ is accredited to that sinner:
“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” [Philippians 3:9]
So whose righteousness do you have? Your own or Christ’s? How do you know? Which Jesus are you trusting in for the salvation of your soul? The false Jesus who needs man’s help to save sinners or the One who is mighty to save and needs no help from sinful, rebellious, spiritually dead man?
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ” [Ephesians 2:5]
May the Saviour who only saves LOST sinners, grant you His full and free pardon for your many transgressions*, as He did for a sinner like me.
*”For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them” [Isaiah 59:12]