Curse Turned to Blessing

In the Judges passage we read today at church, the elders of the tribes of Israel placed a curse upon any of the tribes of Israel who gave their daughters to the remaining men of Benjamin.  Though God put a curse upon those who failed to keep His law, the Israelites made great effort to avoid the curse they had spoken.  This made me consider the impact of curses on Christians today, and I have observed a fair amount of  concern and what seems to be misguided fear on the subject.

It is not uncommon for me to speak with Christians who wonder if they are the unwitting victims of a curse.  A mix of feelings, circumstances and teachings on the subject convince people there is something they must do to rid themselves of a curse to receive blessing from God.  This is not scriptural or possible, for it is Jesus Christ alone who frees us from the curse of sin and death.  God promised to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, “...I will bless them that bless you and curse those who curse you.”  When Balak hired Balaam to curse Israel, Balaam said inspired by the Holy Spirit in Numbers 23:8:  "How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?"  It is wonderful that Nehemiah 13:2 says God turned Balak's curse into a blessing!

Having been made Christians by faith in Christ, we are no longer under the Law of Moses or the curses therein.  We have been set free from the defilement of sin by Jesus Christ, and we are also set free from the curses of the Law as well.  Paul wrote in Galatians 3:13-14, "Christ has 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"), ¹⁴ that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."  In Christ, believers can be assured of God's blessing and are no longer cursed.  If you believe Jesus has redeemed you by His shed blood and washed you clean of sin, you are also free of the curse of the Law because He became a curse for us.  He died so we could live; He was cursed so we can be forever blessed.

As Christians we ought to consider:  should we justify living in fear of a curse Jesus has changed into blessing?  Should we sin by fearing being cursed when Jesus Christ became a curse for us that we might receive the promise of the Spirit by faith?  Since sin brought a curse, should we willfully continue in sin Jesus died to deliver us from?  It is ironic for a person to be quite concerned about a curse but quite casual concerning their sin and lack of repentance.  Brothers and sisters, let us give Jesus full credit for what He accomplished through His provision of atonement and redemption by His shed blood.  Having become a curse for us Gentiles, we can receive the blessing of Abraham:  God will bless those who bless us, and curse those who curse us.