Set Free From the Curse Lesson 1

Galatians 3:13

* Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Curse is everyone that hangeth on a tree:

Those who understand and walk in the blessings of the atonement in Christ Jesus have been redeemed from the curse of the law. The curse of the law was nailed to Calvary’s tree with the death of Jesus Christ, so says the scriptures! The curse of the law is sickness, suffering, pain, poverty and the second death.

2 Corinthians 5:17 * Therefore if any man shall be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Firstly it is important to understand that our mortal body of flesh which has been contaminated by hereditary sin from Adam has not been regenerated – born again! Our spirit that was dead in trespass and sin has been regenerated by the indwelling Holy Ghost – created a new creature in Christ Jesus; joined unto God and created in the image and likeness of God, perfectly holy and righteous possessing eternal life. Therefore it is our regenerate spirit that becomes a new creature in Christ, old things are passed away – we have become one with God He is in us and we are in Him, we are no longer guilty sinners, we have been forgiven – reconciled to God, we are now the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, we have eternal life in Jesus and therefore do not fear the wrath of God. God provides all our needs and keeps us in good health because we were healed by the Lords stripes. We are now children of the Everlasting Covenant - Sons of God and joint heirs with Jesus, and have power to do the same works as did Jesus, preach the gospel, cast out devils and heal the sick. We have changed kingdoms and

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hold to new principles and rules and live by faith in the promises of God’s word, our life is not our own we live to let Jesus live through us. Indeed all things have become new and God desires to bless His blood bought children! The Old Testament Law the Ten Commandments brought a blessing if obeyed or a curse if disobeyed. The curse of the Law automatically worked against those who broke the law in any point therefore everyone was under the curse, as no one was capable of perfectly keeping the law. The only way the Old Testament saints could escape the curse of the law was to walk in Covenant relationship with God, which they did by keeping the Levitical Covenant in obedience and faith once each year on the Day of Atonement. The sacrificial death and blood of animals figuratively atoned for sins – covered the sins of God’s chosen people and sanctified their sinful flesh, and protected them from the curse of the law, whereby God accepted them as His holy chosen people. When the Jews broke the Covenant agreement through rebellion and unbelief they stepped out from under God’s divine protection and the curse of the law automatically worked against them as can be seen in.

Numbers 21:4-9 * And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of E dom: And the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. * And the people spoke against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. * And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. * Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpent from us. And Moses prayed for the people. * And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

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* And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole; and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Many Israelites died of the plague, only those who confessed their sin and got back into covenant relationship with God by looking upon the brass serpent in faith, lived. In those days they did not have a serum whereby those bitten by the snakes could be healed through the knowledge and wisdom of man, if they did not believe and trust God they died. Another important point to remember is the Law was not given to the Israelites as a means of self-justification, the purpose of the Law was to expose sin and reveal to the Jews that they could not achieve the perfect holiness God required, therefore their only hope of remaining God’s Chosen holy people was obedience and faith to the terms of the Covenant. The procedure on the Day of Atonement is laid out in Leviticus, it is important that we understand the Old Covenant which is a schoolmaster to teach us why Jesus came into our world; and what His sacrificial death and Holy redeeming blood freely purchased for fallen humanity. The Old Covenant was a type and shadow of what Jesus was going to fulfill in His death to set fallen humanity free from suffering the penalty for sin. We must have knowledge of the type and shadow to understand the realities of its fulfillment in Christ Jesus. The Law was a shadow or outline of good things to come – a schoolmaster to bring us to the substance, a shadow has no reality in its self it can only point to that which casts the shadow. The Tabernacle of Moses was a pattern of heavenly realities – a copy of the Heavenly Tabernacle! The Tabernacle and all its furnishings typified the Lord Jesus Christ; the Tabernacle of Moses was simply a portable tent with various curtains and coverings over a wooden structure which contained three separate apartments. The Holy of Hollies or most Holy Place was where God’s presence dwelt on earth in the midst of His chosen people the Jews, within the Holy of Hollies was placed The Ark of the Covenant which was the most important piece of furniture in the Tabernacle. The Ark of the Covenant was a chest overlaid with gold within the chest were placed the tablets of stone on which God had written the Ten

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Commandments. The lid of the chest was the blood stained mercy seat, above which Gods presence appeared in the form of a cloud.

LESSON 2 The grounds upon which Almighty God could actually reside or dwell amongst sinners was through the sacrificial blood which lay on the mercy seat before Him, which was a continuous remembrance of the fact that He was going to give His own life – the life of the God-Man, our Lord Jesus Christ as the ransom payment to free sinners from sins penalty - eternal damnation and the curse of the law. The Ark of the Covenant with its blood stained mercy seat and the Holy presence of God dwelling amongst sinners typified the fullness of the Godhead bodily, revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ living on earth in the midst of sinners, who would give His sinless body as the once for all perfect sacrifice for sin. His holy blood would not merely cover sin but cancel out sins record against us. The blood of animals could not cancel out sins debt, but covered sin until the fullness of time came, when Jesus gave His sinless body as the perfect sacrifice to cancel out sins record against believers.

Colossians 2:13-14 * And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; * Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.

Christ’s death is our life; and you who were dead in trespass and sin hath He quickened – made alive – joined unto the life of God by the regenerating power of the indwelling Holy Ghost. The death of our Lord Jesus Christ was the death of our sins, through His sacrificial death and redeeming blood all your trespasses has been forgiven. All means all without exception. Jesus died for our sins and by merit of His resurrection we are justified in God’s sight.

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Romans 4:25

* Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.

Justified means we have Holy right standing with God and are sanctified and set apart as God’s chosen holy people through faith in what Jesus has accomplished for us in the atonement. The handwriting of ordinances which were against us was the curse of the law which is sickness, suffering, pain, poverty and the second death – punishment for sin in the lake of fire and brimstone.

Deuteronomy 28:15-45 * But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command this day; that all this curses shall come upon thee, and over-take thee: * Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. * Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. * Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. * Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. * The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me. * The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. * The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.

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* And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. * The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed. * The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them; and shalt be removed into all the kingdom of the earth. * And the carcass shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away. *The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. * The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: * And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee. * Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build a house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof. * Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them. * Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand. * The fruit of thy land, and all thy labors, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway: * So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

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* The Lord shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head. * The Lord shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone. * And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the Lord shall lead thee. * Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it. * Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them. * Thou shalt have olive trees through-out all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit. * Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity. * All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume. * The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. * He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail. * Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee.

So there we have the curse of the law plainly set out, the only way the Jews could be protected from the curse was to keep God’s commandments and statutes concerning the Covenant agreement. They had to do everything in obedience and faith to protect themselves from the curse working against them. In certain verses it states, “The Lord shall smite thee or the Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, we need to understand that the Lord is

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not directly doing these things, if the Jews disobeyed the clear instructions as laid down by the Lord, they stepped out side of God’s hedge of protection and the curse automatically worked against them. Disobedience to God’s clear instructions gave Satan a legal right to attack them. The curse of the law is still operational today, the only way believers can escape the curse is by walking in Covenant relationship with God by faith. Those who are ignorant of their Covenant blessings are under the curse as are those who are unbelieving concerning the blessings of the Covenant. Everyone in this world who is not walking by faith in the blessings of the Everlasting Covenant is under the curse one way or another. All the blessings of Deuteronomy now belong to those whom Christ has redeemed from the curse of the law.

Lesson 3 Deuteronomy 28:2-14

* And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. * Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. *Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. * Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. * Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. * The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. * The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouse, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. * The Lord shall establish thee a holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways.

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* And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. * And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee. * The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. * And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: *And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

Cursed is every one who hangs on a tree, Jesus died the cursed death of crucifixion to set us free from the curse of the law.

Galatians 3:13

*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:

Therefore all the blessings of the law are free to come upon us and overtake us IF we wholeheartedly believe and understand the Everlasting Covenant that God has made with us through Christ Jesus our sacrificial Lamb and scapegoat and take the blessings by faith. When Jesus was nailed to that cross the curse was nailed to the cross, Christ’s sacrificial death on behalf of sinners annulled- abolished the judgment that was against us – cancelled out the power of the curse to work against us. We were crucified with Christ; our imputed inherited sin was nailed to Calvary’s tree. There is therefore now no curse or sin

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record against us, Jesus death and holy blood was the full ransom paid to satisfy divine justice and reconcile sinners with our holy God. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who live by grace through faith in the atonement freely provided by our Lord Jesus Christ. The Ark of the Covenant with its blood stained mercy seat above which dwelt God’s presence also typified the Holy Ghost, (the Spirit of Christ) dwelling within regenerate sinners, which comprises Christ’s body on earth. The regenerate believer is washed by the water of the word, sanctified and justified through faith in the power of Christ’s death and redeeming blood, as a result is indwelt by God the Holy Ghost. Hence God continues to reside on earth in the midst of His redeemed people. Wonderful Jesus! The second room in the Tabernacle was the Holy Place which contained the Alter of Incense which was for the burning of incense unto the Lord and typified the prayers and intercession of the Lord Jesus who ever lives to make intercession for us as High Priest and only mediator of the New better Everlasting Covenant. Within the Holy Place stood two other pieces of furniture the Table of Shewbread which typified Christ as the living bread – the bread of life which we eat at the Lords table to impart health to our flesh and maintain eternal life in our Spirit. As we live in the true vine- Jesus, and feed on Him through His word and eat the bread at the Covenant Table Jesus imparts divine health to our mortal flesh, because we were healed by His stripes and redeemed from the curse of the law. Jesus maintains divine health in our mortal flesh and eternal life in our spirit. Divine – proceeding from God! As we drink from the true vine – Jesus, at the Lords Table we confess our trespasses and maintain our Holy right standing with God, which was freely purchased by Jesus redeeming blood; and clothe ourselves afresh and anew with the robe of righteousness which Jesus blood freely provided for us by faith. The blessings of the Covenant have been freely provided by God’s amazing grace and are received through faith in the promises of God’s word. Directly opposite the Table of Shewbread stood the Golden Candlestick! When we think of a candlestick our mind sees burning candles however candles burn by self-consumption, the Golden Candlestick was actually a lamp which burned and gave light by a constant supply of oil being poured into it.

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The Golden Candlestick typified Jesus as the light of the world and the only way by which sinners can approach our Holy God. The oil which kept the lamps burning typified the Holy Ghost in the regenerate believer who does the works of Christ on earth, proving Jesus to be the same yesterday, today and forever that the Father may be glorified in the Son. The Holly of Hollies was separated from the Holy place by a thick curtain known as the veil of the Tabernacle. Only the High Priest could pass through the veil and enter into God’s presence in the Holy of Hollies carrying the sacrificial blood which covered his sins and sanctified to the purifying of his sinful flesh. If the high priest did not wholeheartedly believe in the power of the sacrificial blood to cover his sins and sanctify his sinful flesh, he would have died instantly upon entering into the presence of God’s holiness – sinful flesh without redeeming blood cannot enter the presence of God’s holiness and live.

Lesson 4 The Third apartment in the Tabernacle was the Outer Court where the Brazen Alter and the Laver were situated. There were two Alters in the Tabernacle, the golden Alter of Incense and the Brazen Alter for the burnt offering; the golden Alter of Incense was situated in the Holly Place and only the Priests were allowed to enter the Holy place. No blood was to be offered on the Alter of incense it was the Alter of burnt offerings. (Exodus 30:28, 31:9, 35:16) The Laver was a washing vessel where the Priests washed in pure clean water, which typified the cleansing power of God’s word on mans soul and intellect - washed by the water of the word! (Eph 5:26, Titus 3:5) Every piece of furniture and ordinance of the Tabernacle was a type and shadow of what Jesus was going to fulfill when giving His life as the perfect once for all atonement for sin. The sixteenth chapter of Leviticus presents the doctrine of Atonement in its entirety and furnishes us with a record of the transactions of the great Day of Atonement whereby Jehovah’s relationship with His chosen people was established and maintained, when all the sins, failures, weaknesses of the flesh and infirmities were perfectly atoned for, so that the Lord God might continue to dwell amongst His chosen people whose flesh was contaminated by hereditary sin from Adam. Therefore they lived in

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two positions, in their flesh dwelt no good thing sin was ever present with them yet God accepted them as clean – sanctified and purified through faith in the power of the atoning blood of the Covenant. ”Simul peccator et justus” At one and the same time sinful and righteous, sinful in my flesh, yet righteous with the righteousness God has freely provided by the blood of the Covenant.

Hebrews 9:13-14 *For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, SANCTIFIETH TO THE PURIFYING OF THE FLESH; * How much more shall the BLOOD OF CHRIST, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

The dictionary definition of purge is: make clean; purify; remove; get rid of; clear out. The sacrificial death and atoning blood of animals purged - removed the sins of the Jews, sanctified and purified their flesh and set them apart as God’s Holy chosen people. OF HOW MUCH MORE VALUE WAS THE SACRIFICIAL DEATH AND BLOOD OF CHRIST, WHO OFFERED UP HIS SINLESS BODY TO GOD, AS THE ONCE FOR ALL PERFECT SACRIFICE FOR SIN, purge, purify, remove from our conscience the guilt of dead works – the sinful works of the flesh to serve the living God. The blood of Christ has sanctified and purified our flesh and gives us right standing with God. Like God’s chosen people of Old testament times we also live in two positions, in our flesh dwells no good thing to sin is ever present with us, regardless we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus by grace through faith in the atonement in Christ our Lord. Under the terms of the Old Covenant justification and sanctification was accomplished in the Jews through works of obedience and faith in the sacrificial death and blood of animals. Under the terms of the new better Everlasting Covenant justification and sanctification was freely provided by the atoning works of Christ’s sufferings and death and pouring forth of His holy redeeming blood, and is received by grace through faith in the promises of God’s word by individual believers. Chapter 16 of the book of Leviticus presents the doctrine of atonement in its entirety; an

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understanding of the shadow reveals the true value of the substance.

Leviticus 16:1 *And the Lord spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the Lord, and died;

The Judgment of God by the death of Nabad and Abilu the sons of Aaron is recorded in Leviticus chapter ten; it appears that these two brothers who were consecrated to the priesthood should have remained at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation seven days and nights, that they die not. (See Leviticus chapter 8) Part of their work as priests was to serve at the Alter of Incense, without receiving orders or instructions they took their censers and entered the Tabernacle and performed an illegal rite in the presence of God under the influence of strong drink; a thing that was strictly forbidden by God. Priests were not allowed to go into the tabernacle of the congregation under the influence of strong drink, “That they die not!” commanded the Lord. (See Leviticus 10:8-11) Their rebellion brought God’s judgment upon the two newly consecrated priests, fire went out from the Lord and devoured them and they both died before the Lord. The priests had to walk in total obedience to God’s word and commandments concerning all things pertaining to the Tabernacle and the offering of sacrifices, but these two young proud priests approached the presence of God’s holiness with neither reverence nor Godly fear under the influence of strong drink. They did that which Almighty God had clearly forbidden and paid for their rebellion by death.

Leviticus 16:2 * And the Lord said unto Moses, speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the Holy Place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the Ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

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Within the veil between the cherubim dwelt the Shechinah Glory and presence of the One True Living God, none but the High Priest could pass through the veil into the presence of God’s holiness, this he did once each year on the day of atonement, when Jehovah’s relationship with His chosen people was established and maintained through the sacrificial death and blood of the Covenant. The Day of Atonement was a day of remembrance and confession of sin when all the sins of the Israelites were confessed to the High Priest, all the sins, failures and infirmities of the Jews were perfectly atoned for. Aaron had to perfectly obey the Lords instruction when entering into the presence of the Holy One of Israel, that he die not!

Leviticus16:3 * Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place; with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.

By virtue of the sacrificial blood that was shed on the Day of Atonement – the tenth day of the seventh month, the Holy God of Israel could reside in the midst of an unclean people. The blood of bulls and goats could not open a permanent meeting place between fallen humanity and the Holy God of Israel, therefore the Holy One shut Himself up in the Holy of Hollies and could only be approached by sinful man with sacrificial blood once each year. Aaron could only enter the Holy Place with a young bullock as a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. The sin offering – the blood to atone for sin and the burnt offering-which typified the removal of the consequences of sin – the curse and the second death, are two great aspects of the atoning work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Atonement through the death of a substitute and sacrificial blood reveals God’s nature to mankind; God is love! Who made a way of escape for fallen humanity to be forgiven and reconciled to the Holy One of Israel! Atonement through the death of a substitute and sacrificial blood reveals God’s character to mankind; God is good all the time! The most Just Judge, full of mercy, grace and amazing unconditional love towards fallen humanity.

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Atonement through the death of a substitute and sacrificial blood reconciles sinners with the Holy One of Israel and cancels out our sin record, and sets us apart as God’s sanctified holy people. The sacrificial death and bleeding of animals under the Old Covenant was a type a shadow of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who died and was bled to take away the sins of the world; he was the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. (John 1:29, 1John 2:2, 4: 10) Propitiation: appeased Divine Judgment and bought sinners favor with the one true Holy God.

Lesson 5 Leviticus 16:4

* He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put it on.

Aaron washed his body in pure clean water, which typified the word of God - washed by the water of the word, which renews the believers mind with Godly knowledge and wisdom and brings our thinking into line with God’s thinking. Once washed in pure clean water Aaron was robed in white linen garments which typified the robe of righteousness which the sacrificial death and atoning blood of Jesus freely provided for all believers. Aaron by faith clothed himself in the robe of righteousness which the sacrificial atoning blood freely provided for him, which was typified in the robbing of the white linen garments. Once clothed in righteousness by faith in the death of a substitute and the power of sacrificial blood to remove and cancel out sin, Aaron could enter into the Shechinah presence of the Holiness of Israel’s God. Sinful flesh without blood atonement cannot enter the presence of the Holiness of Almighty God, and live, as was demonstrated by the death of Aaron’s two sons.

Leviticus 16:5-7 * And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

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* And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. * And he shall take two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Aaron offered his bullock to God as a sin offering to atone for his sins and the sins of his house- his house being the priesthood. In offering the bullock as a sin offering to the Lord he laid his hands upon the head of bullock with much pressure as he made confessed of sin. The act of laying his hands with much pressure upon the sacrificial beast was a legal transaction according to divine justice whereby the sins of the priesthood was taken from the sinner and imputed to the animal which would be put to death as their substitute. Sacrificial blood was God’s instrument of sanctification; the blood sanctified the sinners flesh, clothed them with a robe of righteousness and set them apart as God’s holy redeemed people. Having atoned for his own sins and the sins of the priesthood, he then presented two goats to the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to atone for the sins of the congregation.

Leviticus 16:8-10 * And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. * And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. * 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.

One goat was to be sacrificed as a sin -offering to God to satisfy God’s justice for the sins of the congregation and provide the blood for the atonement. By the confession of sin and the laying on of hands upon the head of the sin- offering, the priest transferred the punishment of the sinner upon the innocent sacrifice which was to bear the punishment as the sinners substitute. This was a legal transaction in accordance with divine Justice whereby sin was removed from the congregation and imputed to

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the sin-offering. The other goat was the scapegoat which was released alive in the wilderness. Prior to the goat being led out and released in the wilderness into a land not inhabited never to be seen again, the priest confessed all the sins and transgressions of the congregation for a second time upon the head of the scapegoat. This was done as a legal transaction whereby the curse of the law that would have come upon the Jews as a result of their sins, was imputed to the substitute - the scapegoat. The curse of the law was sickness, pain, suffering, poverty and the second death. By the second confession of the same sins the priest by an act of faith was transferring the curse upon the scapegoat. A Scapegoat bears the burden or punishment due to others. The two goats typify the twin aspects of the atonement in Christ’s suffering the stripes of the scourge as our scapegoat, by whose stripes we are healed. And His sacrificial death as our sin-bearer whose holy redeeming blood perfectly atoned for the sins of the world. Jesus fulfilled the animal type to pay the full ransom for sin and cancel out our sin record and set the sinner free from the curse of the law. Christ did indeed redeem us from the curse of the law according to Gal 3:13.

1Peter2:22-24 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he Suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself

to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the

tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:

BY WHOSE STRIPES YE WERE HEALED. Jesus did no sin, no injustice or wrong and through out His life on earth perfectly kept the Ten Commandments. Neither was guile found in His mouth, His words as well as His actions were all sincere, just, honest and right. When He was reviled – blasphemed, mocked, spit upon, buffeted, crowned with thorns and all the rest, He threatened not, but committed himself to God who would in time vindicate Him. Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, the sins of the world were imputed to Jesus as He died as our sacrificial Lamb and sin-bearer, this was a legal transaction in accordance with Divine Justice whereby the sacrificial death or

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Jesus was accepted as full payment for the sins of the world, in fulfillment of the animal type which was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Believers who are justified by faith in Christ’s holy redeeming blood are dead to sin, sin has lost its power to curse us with sickness, disease, suffering, poverty and damn us to the second death in the lake of fire and brimstone. Our sins were imputed to Jesus that His righteousness could be imputed to believers, those washed and made clean by the blood of Jesus are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, hence we live unto righteousness, by whose stripes we were healed. Prior to giving His life the perfect ransom for sin Jesus bore the stripes of the scourge - an instrument of torture, as He bore blow after blow, stripe after stripe He was bearing our sicknesses and carrying our pains to set us free from the curse of the law. Sickness, pain, disease, poverty and torment in the lake of fire and brimstone. Jesus was fulfilling the scapegoat type by bearing the pain, agony, and torment of untold numbers of stripes. The Law allowed no more than forty stripes so the Jews under the Law gave 39 stripes incase of a miscount. (Deut 25:3)but Jesus was wounded and striped by the Romans who were not under the moderation of the Law so we do not know how many agonizing stripes He bore to set us free from the curse of the law.

Lesson 6 Leviticus 16:11-14

* And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself: * And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil: *And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony that, he die not: * And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

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Having killed the bullock as a sin offering to cover the sins of the priesthood Aaron then took a censer of burning coals in one hand, and a dish full of sweet incense in the other hand and passed through the veil into the holy of hollies, into the very presence of the Holy One of Israel, he set the coals before the Ark of the Covenant and sprinkled them with the incense which filled the room with a sweet smelling incense. This typified the death of Christ as being a sweet smelling savor in the sight of God, which would free believers from paying the penalty for their sins and suffering the curse of the law.(See Eph 5:2) The high priest then went and fetched the sacrificial blood and sprinkled it with his finger upon the mercy seat and seven times before the mercy seat, thus divine justice for the sins of the priesthood was appeased.

Leviticus16:15-16 * Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: * And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

The next procedure was to kill the goat which was a sin offering for the Jewish congregation, and he had to follow the same procedure with the blood by sprinkling it on the mercy seat in the presence of Almighty God to atone for the sins of the people. He also had to sprinkle the sacrificial blood around the Holy Place and the other two rooms in the tabernacle to cleanse from the presence of sin that the Holy God of Israel could continue to abide in the midst of an unclean people. All this typified the fact that God the Holy Ghost was going to take up residence in bodies of people who were unclean and defiled by hereditary sin, the believer’s body is the temple of God! The Jewish

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temple was a type of the believer’s body which is cleansed in every area by the redeeming blood of Jesus.

Leviticus16:21-22 * 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: * 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.

The high priest laid his hands upon the head of the scapegoat and once again made confession of sin; the laying on of hands was a legal transaction in accordance with divine justice whereby the curse of the law was imputed to the scapegoat typifying the fact that Christ would redeem those who were cleansed by His blood from the curse of the law. The result of Adam’s sin brought sickness, pain, suffering, poverty and the second death upon fallen humanity. Once the sins of the Jews were covered and cleansed by the sacrificial blood of the Covenant the curse could not work against them. When they broke the covenant agreement by looking to other gods or got into a state of unbelief concerning the Covenant contract they stepped out from under God’s divine protection and the curse automatically worked against them. The scapegoat was then led out into the wilderness by the hand of a FIT man not a sick man and was released revealing that sin was atoned for and the curse removed by the fact that the goat was lost in the wilderness. Sin and the consequences of sin were fully dealt with in the atonement in Christ Jesus. By His blood we were cleansed and by His stripes we were healed. When Jesus endured the scourging He was bearing our sicknesses and carrying our pains as he fulfilled the symbolism of the scapegoat. Jesus was our sacrificial lamb as well as our scapegoat.

Isaiah53:4-5 Surely he hath borne our grief’s and carried

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our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement

of our peace was upon him; AND WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED

Jesus was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities; He bore the scourge to set us free from the curse which Adam’s sin had brought upon humanity. He took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses when He endured the pain, agony, suffering, and torment of the cruel scourge to set us free from the curse of the law. As proof that Jesus had the power to redeem believers from the curse of the law, he went about doing good healing all that were oppressed of the devil, prior to His crucifixion.

Mathew 8:16-17 When the even was come, they brought

unto him many that were possessed with devils: and cast out the spirits with his word,

and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias

the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

Jesus healed all that were sick as He knew that He was going to fulfill the scapegoat type and shadow which set God’s chosen people the Jews free from the curse of the Law. Jesus healed all that were sick as proof that He was indeed the Promised Messiah who had the power to forgive sin and free fallen humanity from the curse of sickness, suffering and eternal death. Jesus fulfilled the type and shadow of both goats in Leviticus chapter sixteen, the scapegoat was led out into the wilderness by the hand of a fit man – a healthy man and was released into a land not inhabited so therefore was never seen again. This typified the fact that the curse of the law was removed, annulled by Christ’s bearing the stripes of the scourge to redeem us from the curse of the law, by whose stripes we were healed. Praise Him! Praise Him, for only He is worthy of all praise, glory honor and thanks giving. His name is none other than the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Lord Jesus Christ, the God- man was the only man who walked on this earth and perfectly kept the Ten Commandments. Jesus put

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an end to the sacrificing of animals by laying down His own life, as the sacrificial Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world. He bore our sicknesses and carried our pains by being our scapegoat who endured the scourge the lashes of the torturous whip. In so doing He redeemed us from the curse of the law and so fulfilled the law on our behalf.

Deuteronomy 28: 1-2 * And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: * And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

We read; If though shall diligently hearken unto the voice of the Lord, and keep the commandments, then all the blessing will come upon you”. Jesus removed the If in Deuteronomy 28:1-2. He perfectly kept the law and fulfilled the law on our behalf. The purpose of the law was to expose sin and show fallen humanity that we have no hope without a Saviour; the law pointed us towards grace and faith. After faith is come we are no longer under law, but under grace. One is either under law or under grace! Those under the law, walk in the flesh trying to achieve holiness by their works, good living standards, religious law keeping, and personal code of holiness. Those under grace walk “in the spirit” whole-heartedly trusting in the complete work of the atonement in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. Those under grace live by faith! Those under law live by works!

LESSON 7 The Lord led me to minister His word to a body of people in Jamaica who had obeyed the scriptures, and “come out” of dead ritualistic religion. They had actually been crying out to the Lord for help, I was the answer to their prayers. Many were sick, others were depressed, and they tried to put the word into action by praying for one another but saw no manifestation of their healing. Something was wrong! Trouble was they were living under the

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“curse of the law” without realizing it. They were walking in the flesh believing they were accepted by God because of the way they lived their lives and adhered to religious laws and personal code of holiness, as apposed to “walking in the Spirit” whole-heartedly trusting in the finished work of the atonement in Jesus Christ, by faith. Sadly religion has introduced New Testament Law! This particular body of people had “come out” of organized religion but they had brought with them a set code of holiness and religious laws. They believed that by obeying a set code of holiness they could earn right-standing with God. Truth was they were trusting in their performance, trusting in their own righteousness which was filthy rags in God’s sight, in other words they were mixing works with faith for acceptance with God. Hence they had fallen from grace, and the curse of the law was working against them. The Lord really set me up! We were actually on a sight seeing outing with swimming planned in a special place, but first we planned a quick visit to the Fig Tree Fellowship so named as the members met under the shade of a big tree. I arrived at the meeting place wearing a pair of shorts and short sleeved t- shirt and sat on the back row noticing that they were all dressed in their Sunday best wearing; “holy hats” and long skirts I was the only woman wearing shorts and only the men wore trousers. The wearing of hats by the women was one of their religious rules. The wearing of skin tight trousers in a Christian assembly does not glorify God but is a sexual attraction that gets the eyes of man to look away from God, to the flesh. However we cannot lay down laws as we are not under law but under grace. Women should dress to please Jesus who is our Heavenly Bridegroom, the Christian assembly is a gathering together unto the Lord – no flesh should be taken into His Holy presence. You can image how I felt no hat, bare arms and legs, wearing only t-shirt and shorts. In order to rid myself of the uncomfortable feeling I spoke to the Lord and said, “thank you Lord that you look upon the heart, not the outward appearance”. Suddenly the lady pastor said, “If any of our guests would like to share a word with us the pulpit is open to you”. The Holy Ghost propelled me out there and I took the microphone and began to preach under the anointing of God’s Spirit, then I prayed for the sick and God worked with me

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confirming His word with signs following by healing people there and then of all kinds of sicknesses. The congregations were amazed that God would use a hat-less woman, wearing shorts and a t-shirt to demonstrate His miraculous power. I spent the following 5 months ministering God’s word to the brethren there. Their minds were renewed by the word and they were set free from the curse of the law. This particular congregation, whom I grew to love dearly, believed that being a new creature in Christ Jesus meant denying self by giving up certain things and obeying religious laws such as women wearing hats in church, make up was not allowed and they were under law about buying anything on a Sunday. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath and we have entered into glorious rest in Him. Their religious code of practice was similar in many ways to that of “Seventh Day Adventist”, but they held to the belief that Sunday rather than Saturday was the Sabbath Day. Seventh Day Adventists on the whole are good kind people who vow to keep the Ten Commandments. They vow to abstain from such things as alcoholic beverages, tobacco in all its forms, and from eating unclean foods, such as pork, shrimp, lobster etc. By keeping this religious code of practice they believe they are accepted by God, yet they are all under the curse one way or another. Satan is a deceiver! Two things that all cults have in common are 1) they deny the Divinity of Christ and say He was a prophet or a good man. 2) They all preach a good works gospel – what the individual has to do and give up to be accepted by the false religious god – Satan. Being a new creature in Christ Jesus has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with keeping religious laws, has nothing to do with ones personal code of holiness, or list of do’s and don’ts. The new creature Paul is teaching about is described in scripture in the following ways. The new birth :( John 1:13 and 3:3). The new creation: (Galatians 6:15). His workmanship created in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:10). Newness of life: (Romans 6:4). A spiritual quickening: (Ephesians 2:5). A spiritual resurrection :( Colossians 2:12 & 3:1). A new heart and spirit: (Romans 7:6).

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Putting on of a new man: (Ephesians 4:24). The Inward man: (Romans 7:22). The circumcised heart: (Romans 2:29). The Divine nature: (2 Peter 1:4). Regeneration (Timothy 3:5) It is our spirit-man that becomes a new creature! We then learn to put off the old man not as a means of gaining right standing with God, the sacrificial death and redeeming blood of Jesus was all-sufficient to provide righteousness for us. We put off the old man to glorify God and stop giving Satan an inroad into our lives. Our spirit-man that was dead in trespass and sin is joined to the Lord and receives the life of Christ by the regenerating power of the indwelling Holy Ghost, and is created in the image and likeness of God. Image; God is an eternal being therefore our born again spirit is created possessing eternal life. Likeness; God is perfectly holy and righteous therefore our born again spirit is created perfectly holy and sinless. For spiritual evidence that it is the spirit-man that is instantly changed at salvation and not the carnal flesh with its imputed hereditary sin, we will look at 1John 3:9.

1 John 3: 9 * Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Is there anyone here who can testify that they never sinned, since they were saved? We have all sinned in our flesh since we were saved, but our regenerate spirit which has been created in the image and likeness of God is incapable of sinning, because it is born of God. Our spiritual salvation is complete our spirit-man was resurrected, brought from death unto life, born of the seed of God – the indwelling Holy Ghost and has been sealed till the day of redemption when our salvation will be completed. All in Christ are therefore sanctified and perfected forever!

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Hebrews 10: 14 * For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Believing that you are a new creature in Christ because you now adhere to a set of religious laws, and abstain from certain foods, drink and tobacco is trusting in a false gospel - a gospel of works which stands in opposition to the true gospel of grace through faith. Those, who preach that holiness comes about by our efforts of adhering to religious laws and a set rule of do’s and don’ts, tell us, “Straighten up your act, obey our religious standard, give up this and that”. If you are not holy with the holiness we preach and practice God will not bless or use you. This spiritual black mail is witchcraft which puts the individual in bondage and under a yoke of performance. In other words it keeps you under the curse of the Law. Using religious law keeping Satan has taken our attention away from Jesus and what He provided in the atonement, and turned peoples attention to self, to works, to performance, to law-keeping. Satan knows how to keep individuals under his control under the curse of the law. Yet, the scriptures teach, “Therefore by the works of the law, shall no flesh be justified”.

LESSON 8

Galatians 2: 16 * Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

The Law of Moses is being spoken of here as “works of the law” but it also means any religious law or rule that a person observes in an attempt to be accepted in right standing with God. No one can be justified by any form of religious law keeping in God’s sight. Works of the law produce self-righteousness and God will not accept our self-righteousness. God’s standard of righteousness is perfect righteousness – only the righteousness of Christ. Works of the law have always been man’s attempt to be accepted by God.

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Many people approach God on the basis of how good they have been living, and not on the basis of what Jesus accomplished in the atonement for them. Many rely on their good works and performance to keep them in right standing with God. Our own futile attempt to walk in holiness is filthy rags in God’s sight because it denies the full sufficiency of the atoning death and redeeming blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:9 * And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Self –righteousness is obtained by law keeping; God’s standard of acceptance is when believers are clothed in Christ’s imputed righteousness by faith. Which is obtained through the faith of Christ that was imparted to our regenerate spirit? The just live by faith not by self-righteous works, lest any man boast. Those who are justified by faith have nothing to boast about, we give Jesus all the glory for the works He did to save us from the curse and eternal damnation. He alone is worthy of all praise and glory!

Titus 3: 5-7 * Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; * Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; * That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

We are justified by God’s amazing grace not by our self-righteous acts. Many believe in and teach gradual justification and sanctification. They believe they will eventually reach a place of perfection in their flesh- justification by their own good works and performance. Such a belief is not based on Biblical doctrine. If there is no justification by grace through faith no one can be heirs of eternal life with Christ, we can only be partakers of adoption and son ship through the justification and

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sanctification freely provided in the atonement in Christ Jesus. Self effort and commandment keeping cannot earn anyone the right to eternal inheritance with God. On the contrary self effort and commandment keeping will take individuals to eternal damnation in the lake of fire and brimstone because they traded the works Christ did to atone for their sin for their own efforts and law keeping.

Ephesians 2: 8-9

* For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; * Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Many people try to live holy to earn the blessings of God and be used by Him. God will not be bribed! It has been said to me, “I have been fasting. I have been praying. I have been reading the Bible. I have been living as holy a life as I know how. I have given this up. I have given that up. Why has God not healed me?” The words of their own moths reveal what their problem is! The reason they have not been healed is because they have been focusing on the things they have done. Believing that God is going to bless them and heal them in proportion to how good they have been living. If you believe that, you are going to get what you believe. Self-effort produces nothing of spiritual value, and seeks to cause the sacrifice of Jesus to be in vain. Thank God for His amazing grace and mercy, praise His holy name! Thank God he does not give us what we deserve. We don’t need justice we need mercy and grace! Those deceived by a false gospel of works and religious law keeping don’t understand God’s mercy and grace and think they will get what they deserve. In fear of being judged and condemned they strive with all their will power to obey the religious laws, set code of holiness, good works to try and earn God’s favor. Let us not deceive ourselves; in spite of all the good works in the world if not for God’s mercy and grace, we would all be headed for the Lake of fire and brimstone. We cannot earn right- standing with God by keeping or obeying a set code of practice, or by keeping religious laws or commandment

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keeping. We cannot earn healing which is a free provision of the atonement which is received by faith in the promises of God’s word. We cannot earn prosperity but receive it by faith in the promises of God’s word. We cannot earn eternal life which is the free gift of God. All the provisions of the atonement have been freely given by God’s mercy and grace and are received by the individual by faith alone. Faith is not produced by something we do to try and get God to respond to us. God does not respond to a false faith that is worked up by personal performance, good living standards, or commandment keeping. True faith is the “faith of the Son of God” which is imparted to the regenerate spirit, which operates in response to that which Jesus has already done and freely provided in the atonement. The Lord Jesus redeemed us from all the curses written in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. Also every sickness and disease, which is not written in the book of the law, which would include all modern diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, Aids etc. Deuteronomy 28:15-68, is literally “the curse of the law”. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, but as many are of the works of the law, are under the curse. Those who live by commandment keeping and any form of religious law keeping are under the curse of the law, because they are guilty of breaking the Law.

Galatians 3: 9-11 * So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. * For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the law to do them. * But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith.

Abraham was a man of faith; the only way we can partake of Abraham’s blessing is by faith. Paul brings out a very important point here:

“For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse”. Those who seek to be in right standing with God by obeying religious laws, commandment keeping and follow a set code of

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do’s and don’ts, are trusting in their works and performance, and are under the curse. No one, absolutely no one, can be justified in the sight of God by obeying religious laws, keeping a set code of do’s and don’ts, or commandment keeping. The just live by faith! Those who are truly justified by Christ’s redeeming blood are justified by faith. No one can be saved or justified by religious law keeping, commandment keeping or works. Spiritual life and all the blessings of the Covenant are imparted to the individual by God’s mercy and grace through the faith of the Son of God. The faith of Christ is released in our lives through knowledge of God’s word! No word knowledge no faith to receive the blessings!

Galatians 3: 12-13 * And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. * 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.

This is yet another radical statement! “The law is not faith” Trying to keep the law produces self-righteousness therefore keeping the law (commandment keeping) cannot produce faith. Romans 14:23 reads, “What so ever is not of faith, is sin”. Legalists who preach works and law keeping are not only living in sin under the curse of the law. They are teaching and preaching sin. The Old Testament law its-self is not sin (Romans 7:7). But it is sin to try and use any form of religious law keeping, as a means of justification with God. We read, the law is not faith, and what-so-ever is not of faith is sin. Under law a person gets what they deserved because they are trusting in self! Under grace, we receive unearned, unmerited, undeserved favor with God, through faith in the atonement in Christ our Lord. Any departure from God’s mercy and grace through faith, especially a departure back to Old Testament Laws or New Testament Religious Laws, you must wear a hat, and women must not wear trousers! You must not drink alcohol! I wonder what these Legalists have to say about the first miracle Jesus performed when he turned water into wine? The legalistic Jews of Jesus day,

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accused Him of being gluten and wine bibber because he sat in the company of sinners ate, and drank wine. Jesus ate that which was necessary to feed the human flesh and drank wine with His meal, but was without sin; therefore drunkenness was out of the question as far as our Lord was concerned. Whatever we do let it be done decently and in moderation. New Testament Law as taught by legalistic of our day, “You must have your infants baptized into the church family by water sprinkling. You must give up all vice! Women must not wear makeup or cut their hair etc, etc!” All who adhere to such religious laws to try and gain favor with God are in the depths of sin, the worst kind of sin, religious self-righteousness which denies the full sufficiency of the atonement in Christ Jesus. By seeking justification and favor with God by their efforts, religious law keeping and works, they void Christ substitute death, on their behalf. They might just as well slap the Saviour on the face and say, “Your sacrifice was not sufficient for me, I will do it my way”. Is it any wonder they are under the curse, plagued with sickness, disease and die a premature death?

LESSON 9 If we are going to be victorious in this final battle of the ages we need to realize that the curse of the law cannot work against those who are not under the Law, but under grace, who walk in Covenant relationship with God by faith. Satan is subtle, on the legalistic religious front he has everyone walking in self-righteousness with a holler than thou attitude. On another front he works against true saints and plagues them with a sin consciousness. Instead of living by faith in who they are “in Christ”, the enemy keeps them focusing on their mistakes, failures and weaknesses and they can’t see past the outward carnal man. The just live by faith, trusting in God’s own ability to fulfill His own word! We must diligently seek God and believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, and know that he hath made us meet, to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Instead of focusing on the outward carnal man, we must focus on who we are “in the Spirit”. Our spirit-man has been regenerated indwelt by God the Holy Ghost! Our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is sanctified by the water- the word of God and the

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redeeming blood of Jesus and the presence of the indwelling Holy Ghost. Our spirit-man has been regenerated in the image and likeness of Jesus, we have become joint-heirs with Him, we do not live to serve Him, we live to let Jesus live in us and work through us.

“It is no longer I that liveth but Christ that liveth in me”.

Galatians 2:20-21 * I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. * I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Paul is here teaching death to self – that is not living for self but living to let Christ live through us by doing the same works He did, that the world might believe that Jesus is alive and on the Throne – the same yesterday today and forever that the Father be glorified in the Son. There are some who take this “dying to self” to an extreme and instead of being free of self, they are totally self – centered, and self is on the throne of their heart. A truly humble person is totally Christ-centered and Jesus is ruling on the throne of our hearts. Many cults preach self-denial as did the legalistic Jews that Paul was preaching to, however Paul was not only dead to self he was alive to God and lived to let Christ live through him. A focus on denial of self without the enthronement of Christ in our hearts leads to legalism. The Law or religious legalism focuses on the outer- man and tells it what it must do. Grace on the other hand focuses on the inner-man and tells it what Christ’s death and redeeming blood has already freely accomplished on our behalf. Those who focus on what they must do are under law and the curse is working against them, those who live by faith in what Jesus has already accomplished in the atonement are under grace and the curse cannot touch them. Another very important point that Paul makes in verse 20 is, that he did not live by his carnal faith he lived by the faith of the Son of God – that is the faith of Christ that was imparted to His regenerate spirit by the indwelling Holy Ghost, who is God, co-

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equal with the Father and Son. Paul did not live by faith in God or faith in God’s word, but by the faith OF the Son of God. We need to renew our minds with this truth which stops us striving and thinking we do not have enough faith. Those who are regenerated by the indwelling Holy Ghost have been given the measure of Christ’s faith which is sufficient to move mountains – heal any form of disease! The first time I laid hands on the sick it was not my faith that healed the goiter, in fact my carnal mind and unbelief offended the Holy Ghost, it was the faith OF the Son of God that performed the miracles. Paul confirms that the faith which operated in him was the faith of Christ in verse 16.

Galatians 2:16

* Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Believers are justified by the faith of Jesus Christ Paul makes this clear by stating it twice. The same faith that convinces us that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus can heal the sick and raise the dead. There is a carnal faith which is limited to believing only what we can perceive through our five senses, God’s supernatural faith calls those things which be not as though they already are. We must believe in our ability through God; that is the ability God gave us through the new birth. Praise God, we have the faith of the Son of God residing in our regenerate spirit. We are washed, we are sanctified, we are justified, and our spirit-man is resurrected and alive with God. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! The grace of God is frustrated in the lives of religious legalists! Frustrate here means, to prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; nullify. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness therefore any one who is trusting in keeping religious laws or commandment keeping for acceptance with God is ignorant of Christ’s imputed righteousness.

Colossians 1: 12

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* Giving thanks unto Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.

Giving thanks unto the Father which hath - past tense, when we were born again - regenerated by the indwelling Holy Ghost, made us meet, to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. The word meet comes from the Greek word hik-anno which means; to make sufficient, or render fit. Every blood bought regenerate child of God has been supernaturally enabled to manifest the blessings of our inheritance in Christ. This means we have been equipped to do the works of Christ here on earth, the ability is there we have to act in obedience and faith to draw on the faith of Christ which has been imparted to our born again spirit. When the devil comes to try and intimidate me and says, “You blew it, you are not good enough, how can God use you?” I just shout, Hallelujah! “I don’t lay hands on the sick in my name; I do it in the name of Jesus Christ. I don’t pray with my faith, I pray with the “faith of the Son of God, it is no longer I who lives but Christ that lives in me. You don’t have a case against me and I won’t be intimidated by you. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. That demon slinks away with his tail between his legs knowing he is no match against “Christ in me”. After preaching on the power of the Holy Ghost in a meeting in Devon some years ago, a lady was pushed forward in a wheel chair, she had M.S. and was unable to stand or walk or do anything for herself. As soon as I saw her, a thought came into my mind, “You can’t deal with this one. This is too difficult for you”. It was the devil firing one of his fiery darts into my mind. I agreed with the adversary and said, “I know I can’t do it. I am not looking to me, Jesus dwells in me, by the power of the Holy Ghost, and nothing is impossible with Him. Holding her hands I prayed in the power of the Holy Ghost then rebuked the demons, rendered them powerless to continue to hold the woman in bondage of disease, and commanded her to be loosed, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. She immediately stood up, as I continued praying in tongues her body was shaking from head to foot as God’s power was healing and renewing her. Letting go her hands I turned my back on her, shut my eyes and continued praying in the power of the Holy Ghost. I did this so that my mind would not be influenced by

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unbelief. I opened my eyes when I heard the congregation shouting and praising God. It was a miracle! The lady was running around the meeting room. It was Christ in me that performed the miracle; we can do all things through Christ who enables us. We need to understand that the righteousness that came into our born again spirit-man was, the righteousness of the law, Jesus fulfilled the law on our behalf, and nothing He did was for His own benefit. He fulfilled the law to set us free from the second death and the curse of the law, as well as purchase righteousness for us. What pleases God? Faith pleases God, without faith it is impossible to please God.

Lesson 10 Did God condemn Moses for murdering the Egyptian? No! Did God condemn Peter for cursing and swearing and denying Jesus three times? No! Why? Their faith was counted to them for righteousness. The sins and weaknesses of the flesh have been dealt with by the substitutory death and holy redeeming precious blood of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. God is not dealing with us in the flesh; He looks upon the heart, the inner-man of the heart. He sees us for who we are in Jesus, joint heirs with His Son, cleansed with His holy precious blood. God is a spirit, and He communicates with our spirit-man which has been regenerated in His image and likeness. We must bring our mind and thinking into line with that which has happened to our resurrected spirit-man.

Ephesians 4: 22-24 * That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; * And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; * And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

The old man is dead it was crucified with Christ, sin has lost its power to damn us to the second death or curse us with disease we are no longer one with Adam and the devil. We are one Spirit with Holy Trinity.

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Verse 23 states; be renewed in the spirit of your mind. This is telling us that our mind and thinking, must be renewed and brought into line with the fact that our spirit man is a new creature in Christ Jesus, created in righteousness and true holiness. Putting on the new man means, clothing ourselves with the “robe of righteousness”, which Jesus holy redeeming blood freely provided for us by faith. We must take our eyes off the carnal man, and fix our faith in who we are “in Christ Jesus”.

Ephesians 4: 24

* And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

We, that is, our regenerate spirit man was created in righteousness and true holiness. The believer’s righteousness and holiness is not something we grow into, or can earn. We were created that way when we were born again. We are still working out this righteousness and holiness in our actions by fighting against the lusts of the flesh and the world, to keep Satan out of our lives. Regardless of the fact that our carnal flesh continues to have a drive to do those things we don’t want to do, our flesh has been sanctified and is made clean by the blood of Christ and the indwelling presence of God the Holy Ghost. Our regenerate spirit was created in the image and likeness of God; perfectly holy and righteous. This is an amazing truth! Our born again spirit man was created in righteousness and true holiness. True holiness implies that there is a false holiness! False holiness is self-righteousness! The good we do, to try and earn right standing with God. It is important to act holy in our relationship with one another, but let us never forget that anything other than “true holiness”, which is the gift of God, is the only thing God relates to. God is a Spirit, and we must worship Him in spirit and truth! God looks at us through our spirit and deals with us based on His “true holiness which is Christ’s imputed righteousness” which is in our new man, Hallelujah! There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.

Romans 8: 1

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* There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Living with no condemnation is a present tense experience of the believer, it is not something reserved for the future. All our punishment was placed on Jesus, our sacrificial Lamb. Therefore no condemnation comes from God. When we find our selves walking in condemnation, that condemnation is coming from one of three sources. No. 1) the devil delights in condemning the true saints of God, and robbing us of our peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. No. 2) we condemn ourselves, the emotional outworking of condemnation is guilt, instead of being tormented by guilt we must humble ourselves before the Lord. Confess your trespass, receive your forgiveness by faith, knowing that sin was dealt with by the blood of Jesus once for all and for all sin, cloth yourself a fresh and a new in Christ’s imputed righteousness, and get up and go on for the glory of God. No. 3) Self-righteous believers condemn those who do not match up to their personal code of holiness. Don’t abuse God’s grace or use the blood of Jesus as an excuse to live like the devil; God is not mocked! We have been accepted by the Father through our Lord Jesus so do not allow the devil to condemn you and make you feel unfit for use. He is a liar! God’s love, mercy and grace is amazing, through Jesus we receive that which we do not deserve, and we don’t receive that which we do deserve. What a Saviour! There is no condemnation to those who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Those who teach, preach and practice legalism and performance, have twisted this verse around to mean as follows, If you are not obeying their religious laws,or commandment keeping or set rules of do’s and don’ts, you are walking in the flesh. If you are performing in the acceptable manner and are obeying the rules, then you are walking in the spirit. That is not what this scripture is teaching! Those who live by keeping religious laws, and set rules of do’s and don’ts, are trusting in their performance, and are therefore, walking in the flesh-

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Walking in filthy rags of self-righteousness! Those who walk “in the spirit” live by faith trusting in the finished work of the atonement in Jesus. If you are under law, you are walking in the flesh, and the curse of the law will automatically work against you. If you are under grace, you live by faith, and walk in the spirit, whole-heartedly trusting in the full benefits of the atonement in Jesus. The reason why so many who claim to be Christians are sick, is because they fit into the category of those who think they are “walking in the spirit”, because they are performing in the acceptable religious manner, but in actual fact, they are under law, trusting in their ability to keep the expected standards, the reason they are sick and cannot receive their healing is because the curse of the law is working against them. There is no middle of the road, no gray areas as for as God is concerned. One is either under Law or under grace.

Rom 8:3 * For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. * That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. * For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

The Everlasting Covenant of mercy and grace established and sealed by the death and blood of Christ has set us free from the law of sin and death – that is from guilt and sins power to keep us under the curse and the sentence of eternal damnation, we are now under the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Jesus through His substitute, sacrificial death condemned sin in the flesh - that which is condemned has lost its power to accuse or bring judgment; its authority has been annulled. Although sin is still present in the carnal flesh of God’s saints it is a condemned criminal and has therefore lost its power to put us under guilt and condemnation keep us under the power of the curse or damn us to the second death. Praise Him, all ye His saints!

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The law its-self was not weak. In Romans 7:12 Paul said, “The law is holy, the commandments are holy, and just and good”. It is mankind’s flesh that is weak. Although the law was strong, it could not accomplish righteousness because of the weaknesses of the flesh. God “in Christ” came into this world in a human body, in the likeness of sinful flesh, to condemn sin in the flesh. Jesus did what no sinful flesh was capable of doing; He perfectly kept the law and satisfied divine judgment. By merit of His sinless sacrificial death Jesus condemned sin; that is broke sins power to keep us under the curse, and under the sentence of eternal punishment – the second death! Sin and the consequences of sin have been eternally dealt with through the sacrificial death, redeeming blood resurrection and ascension of the God-Man – Christ Jesus.

“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us”. Jesus was made sin that is a sin offering, that we might be made the righteousness of God “in Him”. The righteousness of the law is now fulfilled in our born again spirit man which was created in righteousness and true holiness, after the image and likeness of our Holy righteous Saviour. This imputed righteousness can only pass to those who walk in the spirit by whole-heartedly living by faith, in what Jesus did for us. Those who walk in the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. Those who walk in the flesh trust in the flesh trust in their performance; trust in their ability to conform to the rules. If you walk in the spirit, you live by God’s mercy and grace through faith in the finished work of Calvary. If you walk in the flesh, you trust in the performance and works of your flesh and the curse will work against you. Because you cause the sufferings and sacrificial death of Christ to be of little or no value for you! If you walk in the spirit, you “put on” Christ, and walk in Him by faith. Amen.

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