"He who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does" (James 1:25).
"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse" (Gal 3:10). Why? Because the law is a curse? Not by any means: "The law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good" (Rom. 7:12). The "curse of the law" is transgression of the law. Disobedience to God's law is itself the curse, for "just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin" (Rom. 5:12). Sin has death wrapped up in it. Without sin death would be impossible, for "the sting of death is sin" (1 Cor. 15:56).
Why, then, are all who rely on works of the law under a curse? Because "cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, and do them."
They are not cursed because they do the law, but because they do not do it. So, then, we see that relying on works of the law does not mean that one is doing the law. No! "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7). All are under the curse, and he who thinks to get out by his own works, remains there. Since the "curse" consists in not continuing in all things that are written in the law, therefore the "blessing" means perfect conformity to the law.
"Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today; and the curse if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God" (Deut. 11:26-28). This is the living word of God, addressed to each one of us personally. "The law brings about wrath" (Rom. 4:15), but the wrath of God comes only on the children of disobedience (Eph. 5:6). If we truly believe, we are not condemned, because faith brings us into harmony with the law, the life of God. [1]
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