Faith Is Work!

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” [Galatians 3.13]

This is one of the most descriptive scriptures in the Bible about what Jesus did on our behalf. It is a 'nutshell' picture of what every believer must believe.

The "curse for our  wrongdoing," in eternal terminology, is death - eternal separation from God. However, this singular "curse" is also seen in the plurality of temporal curses described in Deuteronomy 28.15.68. 

Blessings and curses have both eternal and temporal effect.

Here is a sobering question: what if our temporal conditions (blessings or curses) reveal our eternal condition?

I hope the answer to the question above is "they don't." However, a tree is known by its fruit, is it not?

The problem most of us have is that we strive for the temporal blessings according to the Law - the context in which those blessings were described. What we struggle to comprehend is Galatians 3.13 (above)!

Look at Galatians 3.14! 

Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. [Galatians 3.14]

Yes, it is faith - not obedience to the Law, that saves us and brings all God's blessings.

But then another serious question comes up! It is actually the same one asked above: what if our temporal conditions (blessings or curses) reveal our eternal condition as it pertains to faith?

We are compelled to look and act like Jesus - not like the Law. But still there IS something for us to do. Faith is work.

Father, help us to see that salvation is free - meaning our obedience to the Law has nothing to do with it. But help us also to see that the faith You have given us requires effort!