Requirement Fulfilled!

The requirement of the Law is fulfilled in Jesus...if you belong to Him, you have been redeemed from the curse of the Law.

'Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

'For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

'For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.' [Romans 8:1-4]

'For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM.

Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "THE RIGHTEOUSMAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."

However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE "--in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise. [Galatians 3:10-14,29]

The requirement has been fulfilled, eternally, for all who receive it...in fact, Romans 5:18 says that one act of righteousness resulted in the justification of life to ALL men! Hallelujah!

Already Righteous

'...and through Him everyone who believes is FREED FROM ALL THINGS, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.' [Acts 13:39]

The word 'freed' here is the Greek word dikaioo, meaning to render righteous—to declare or pronounce one to be just or righteous—to show or exhibit one to be righteous!

Romans 5:17 says that we have received the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness. If you're not convinced, here are some additional relevant scriptures...

'But BY HIS DOING you are IN Christ Jesus, Who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption...' [1 Corinthians 1:30]

'He made Him Who knew no sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.' [2 Corinthians 5:21]

'...and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.' [Ephesians 4:24]

'...having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.' [Philippians 1:11]

'...but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith...' [Philippians 3:9]

So you see, if you're in Christ Jesus, you are righteous already and redeemed from the curse of the law.

We are subject to the New Covenant law of love, and no other. Romans 13:10 says that '...love is the fulfillment of the law' and Galatians 5:14 tells us that '...the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Paul had this very thing in mind when he wrote 'It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery' [Galatians 5:1] and 'But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the Law.' [Galatians 5:18]

Blessed
We are, in fact, freed from the curse and subject to every blessing! 2 Corinthians 1:20 says 'For as many as may be the promises of God, IN HIM THEY ARE YES...'

If you read Deuteronomy 27-30, you'll see both the curses for disobedience and the blessings for obedience.

Actually, Moses demonstrated them in an extremely graphic manner. He split Israel into two halves, placing 6 tribes onto Mount Ebal and 6 tribes onto Mount Gerazim. Then he had the Levites scream out both the blessing and the curse of the Law!

Now, I'm pretty sure this was memorable. And since we know that God uses men and women to prophesy His Word into the earth to accomplish His will, it is my personal OPINION that this is what He was doing here. Both the blessing and the curse, forever settled in Heaven, now decreed into the earth among men.

Picture this: the curse, decreed by Israelites some 6000 years ago, is forever silenced for those redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus, so that we may enjoy all the promises of God!

'He sends forth His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly.' [Psalm 147:15]

"You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it." [Jeremiah 1:12]

The decreed curses have been silenced, but the decreed blessings are still running very swiftly in the earth...for us!

Performance
Unfortunately, ours has become a legalistic, performance-based religion. We're still trying to earn our blessings...if we do this, then God will do that.

But the truth is that God has already blessed us. According to Hebrews 4, His works were finished from the foundation of the world and He has rested from His works. We access what is already ours by faith, not by accumulating Sunday School pins!

So the next time you're subjected to legalism at church or by fellow believers, don't buy into it. You've been made the righteousness of God in Christ and you're redeemed from the curse of the law.

Remember...'All things belong to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.' [1 Corinthians 3:21,22]

Hallelujah