Gal. 3:5-10; Rom. 2:12-16

This story, the story of the cross of Jesus, as recorded in the Gospels by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, this story is one of great suffering.  Jesus said it Himself, that when He arrived at Jerusalem He would suffer great affliction at the hands of men (Lk. 9:22).  And yet He went to Jerusalem anyway.  Again, we ask “why?”  Why did He have to die on a cross?  On Day 6 we noted that Jesus said He had to be lifted up so as to give men a clear view of Him in His death so that they might have eternal life.  Yet we still ask, “why the cross?”  Could He not have been made clearly visible to humanity in some other way?

Today’s passage is about blessing and cursing.  God’s plan for the salvation of sinful men was to provide it through a Man, specifically a man born into a specific nation (Israel) into a specific family, the family of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, David and a young virgin named Mary.  God revealed this plan to Abraham when He said, In you all the nations shall be blessed (Gen. 12:3; 22:18), a promise reiterated to Isaac (not Ishmael, Gen. 26:4) and then Jacob (not Esau, Gen. 28:14).  Abraham would bless the nations through his Descendant, a Son who would provide salvation by the shedding of His blood.

Paul also draws from the story of Abraham the way this blessing comes to mankind.  They must become connected with Abraham by placing their faith in in God’s plan, just as Abraham did.  Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness (Gen. 15:6).  Abraham believe God, being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform (Rom. 4:20-21).  Because of Abraham’s faith in the One who would atone for his sin, God justified Abraham; God declared Abraham righteous (that is the definition of justification).  As Paul notes in Gal. 3:5, this was done not on the basis of our good works but on the basis of faith.  

Thus, the nations are blessed when they exercise the faith of Abraham: So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.  Like Jesus said, He must be lifted up that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (Jn. 3:14-15).  It is that simple, though it is profound as well.  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household (Ac. 16:31).  All who look to Jesus in faith will be saved.

But we ask, “Why do we need to be saved?  How are we lost?”  Paul tells us.  Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them (a quote from Deut. 27:26).  We have disobeyed God’s law.  For the Jews it was God’s law through Moses.  For the nations it was God’s law put in our hearts.  We call it our conscience (Rom. 2:12-16).  We have not kept God’s law, the word of our Creator.  Thus, we are cursed, condemned to die and to be eternally separated from God.  This is a hopeless situation.  Where is the answer?  How can Jesus, who never sinned, deal with our curse?