Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

Rom.9:1 I tell the truth in Christ. I am not lying, my conscience testifying with me in the Holy Spirit, 9:2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart. 9:3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers' sake, my relatives according to the flesh, 9:4 who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service, and the promises; 9:5 of whom are the fathers, and from whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God, blessed forever. Amen.

The apostle Paul uses strong language here saying: “He wished he was accursed from the Christ for his brothers, the Jews!” A person might wonder what curse Paul speaking too here? Let us remember the Law given to Moses had a curse in it, that is, if one did not practice all the things written into the law they would have the curse of the law come upon them, is this Paul's curse?

Deuteronomy 11:26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse:

Deuteronomy 11:28 and the curse, if you shall not listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which you have not known.

Will, let us understand first that none of us, including the Jews could keep the law, so God in His great mercy provided propitiation of their sins by innocent blood of animals to atone, justifying their sins before God, making them right, and/or righteous before God. However, the Jews as a whole came to practice the law as their righteousness, and not God's mercy in atoning innocent/righteous blood for their sins.

In other words, one could not keep the law without blood, getting this backwards caused Israel a curse of not keeping the law, hence, receiving the plagues of the law, and not the blessings of the law!

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your seed;

Israel had a curse because of this, but is this the curse Paul speaks to here? Not exactly! Once Christ by his innocent blood fulfilled law, that is, completed the law, the curse of the law no longer existed, now their was a new law of Christ, the new covenant with mankind, and a new law given through the greater Moses - Jesus Christ. The new law is love, mediated by a better covenant of Christ Jesus righteous blood. Subsequently, the Jews still trying to keep the law, abolished in Christ Jesus life blood were under a curse, they could not get the blessings of the Old law even if they worked over time in keeping it. You see there was no sacrifice for sins left by inferior animal blood under the Old Law that God accepted too atone for their sins. Hence, only a curse was left for that great nation unless they accepted the blood of Christ.

Galatians 3:13 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,"{Deuteronomy 21:23}

This is the curse Paul would have assumed too save Israel, but he could not, because Paul was freed from this curse by God's undeserved kindness toward Paul in his becoming a member of the body of Christ Jesus, a living son of God. This is what Paul wanted for each individual Israelite, which removed their curse in Christ.

Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, "Cursed is everyone who doesn't continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them."{Deuteronomy 27:26}

All the power of the flesh on earth was defeated in Christ Jesus life, the power of Jewish fleshly connections to the Christ defeated, unto Paul's own fleshly connection to Israel, right down to Paul own sinful flesh. One could no longer walk by sight, that is, works of the Old Law, nor by sight of an earthly priesthood practicing holy service at the physical temple of God, no! Each person of Israel, and us, must walk by faith unseen, in our personal relationship with God through Christ Jesus. It is in this manner we receive the blessings of God, founded in His love towards us.

Revelation 22:3 There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants serve him.

Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

Romans 8:8 Those who are in the flesh can't please God.

Romans 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn't have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.

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