The Erroneous Belief That A Christian Cannot Be Cursed
Included in the deliverance ministry is the breaking of curses and the casting out of demons that come to perform the elements of the curse. The majority of Christians think they cannot be cursed and base this belief on the following scripture:
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: Galatians 3:13 (AKJV)
In this writing, the apostle Paul was referring to this Old Testament scripture, but he failed to include the underlined condition below:
22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: 23 his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged Is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. Deuteronomy 21:22-23 (AKJV)
Most churches erroneously teach that since Jesus was made a curse for us (according to Galatians 3:13), we are shielded from any curse that might come our way.
But, as aforementioned, the scriptures in Deuteronomy that Galatians 3:13 are based upon are a “cause and effect” or conditional warning. The cause or condition for the hanging on a tree is, “If a man has committed a sin worthy of death…”. The effect is that he is accursed of God.
But what if an innocent man who did not commit a sin worthy of death was hanged anyway?
Would he be accursed of God? No! God’s justice is righteous and perfect. Did Jesus commit a sin worthy of death? No! Even when He was “hanged” on the cross, the curse could not alight on Him.
It is possible that this portion of the Galatians scripture has been tampered with. In his book, The Orthodox Corruption Of Scripture, author Dr. Bart D. Ehrman wrote the following, found on page 17 under the subtitle, The Use Of Literature In Orthodox Polemics:
“…the way that scribes modified their texts of Scripture, in light of the polemical context within which they worked, altering the manuscripts they reproduced to make them more orthodox on the one hand, and less susceptible to heretical misuse on the other.”
Elsewhere he explains that the Hebrew scribes took extreme care to copy the Torah and the Prophets exactly, while the Greek scribes would change text to reflect their own thinking.
This might explain the difference with the original Old Testament scripture. It may be that Paul, who had studied the Torah very well, never wrote this paragraph, but that it was inserted by someone copying the epistle at a later date.
KEEP IN MIND, WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE IS NO REMISSION OF SINS.
1- There is not remission of sins if there is not a blood sacrifice.
2- They are two separate actions.
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
Before the shedding of the pure blood of Jesus, the Jewish people had their sins forgiven once a year on the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. The atonement involved two sacrificial goats: one was to be the blood sacrifice, and the other, the scapegoat, which was not sacrificed, was set free. God decided which one would be sacrificed “by lot.” In other words, God Himself selected the goat to be sacrificed.
The animals that were sacrificed had to be perfect and without blemish. The blood sacrifice had to be perfect and without blemish, as Jesus was.
8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: 21 and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 22 and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. Leviticus 16:8-10 (AKJV) and 20-22
The goat selected by God to be the blood sacrifice for the atonement of sins would be killed and his blood shed, and the other goat would bear the sins of all the people. This live goat would symbolically absorb all the sins of all the people as it was released to the wilderness. This was the remission of sins, the sending away of the sins of the people.
Remission: the act of remitting or sending, as money in payment, remittance. (Webster’s Dictionary)
This word has several different meanings. As applied to the above scripture, the meaning of “sending” is the one that makes sense: “…and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man…”
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE TWO GOATS AT THE CROSS.
18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: 19 (who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) 20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. 21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. 22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. 23 And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. 24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. 25 And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will. Luke 23:18-25 (AKJV)
6 Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. 7 And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8 And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. 9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. 11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. 12 And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? 13 And they cried out again, Crucify him. 14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. 15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. Mark 15:6-15 (AKJV)
15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. 16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. 19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. 20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. 22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. 24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. 25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. 26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Matthew 27:15-26 (AKJV)
The perfect goat without blemish was sacrificed for the forgiveness of the sins of all the people. Jesus represented this. The other goat was ceremoniously endowed with the sins of the people and freed into the wilderness. Barabbas represented this.
And this was the final blood atonement. Jesus did not have sin or blemish, nor was He accursed when he was crucified.
Notice the emphasis that Luke, Mark and Matthew made in the appearance of a murderous criminal during Jesus’ trial, and the fact that a choice of a selection between Jesus and Barabbas was offered.
The selection of the One without sin or blemish to be the sacrifice was a move of God. The Jewish men who clamored for Barabbas did not even know that God had prepared this from the beginning.
The disciples were well acquainted with the Day of Atonement procedures, and in their gospels the emphasis put on the criminal and the procedure in the trial suggests they knew what was going on.
So, in summary, Galatians 3:13 cannot state that Christians are free of curses. Christians can and do have curses. These curses come from several different sources. Regardless of the source, the curses have to be broken and the demons that entered with the curses have to be cast out.
To the Christians who still think a curse cannot alight on them:
JESUS INSTRUCTED HIS FOLLOWERS TO CAST OUT DEMONS.
Jesus did not become a curse on the cross to redeem us from any curse. We are open to be demonized and cursed due to legal rights that demons have, and for this cause He gave us the power and authority to break curses and cast out the demons that come with curses. And He wants us to do this work. When we break curses and cast out demons, He is with us.
