God made man and put us on this earth to find our salvation, live in obedience to God and do good works for the kingdom of God. These are preconditions for living in fellowship with God here on earth. God’s word, our Bible, is our owner’s manual so that as believers we can know what to do; how to be saved unto eternal life and how to live a happy and successful life here on earth by being obedient to God’s word. There’ll be a pecking order in heaven and our position up in heaven will be determined by our obedience to the commandments of God here on earth, along with the good works we do on behalf of the kingdom of God. We have a loving God who has graciously given us his truth, his wisdom, in written form to guide us on our journey through life. Believers who don’t read their Bibles daily and study it for knowledge, understanding and wisdom cannot please God because they won’t know what it is they must do and how to do it.
Genesis 2:7 – And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Genesis 12:2-3 – I will make you (Abram) a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all of the families of the earth shall be blessed.
The Bible contains 129 direct commandments from God that man is to obey in order to please God. Some of these commandments are redundant, but any way you slice it there are about one hundred commandments of God that every believer should know and make every attempt to obey. You will not remember all the commandments of God nor will you come close to full obedience. But you must make a good faith effort to do so if you’re a believer who wants to please God. Do you know the ten commandments by heart? Most believers don’t. If believers can’t even get the first ten commandments right how on earth are they going to know the other ninety commandments of God unless they study their Bibles? They can’t; which is why believers cannot please God unless they immerse themselves in God’s word. Only 10% of Christians who attend church regularly have read the entire Bible and fewer still study their Bibles on a regular basis. Very few believers are living their lives with pleasing God as their top priority; but they should be.
Romans 4:7-8 – Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.
Luke 11:28 – (Jesus speaking) – Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.
If you’re a believer and you don’t know your Bible intimately then start down that path immediately. In addition to learning God’s commandments and doing them, keep an eye out for the curses and blessings of God as you study your Bible. God is not shy about telling us about the things he hates and the curses that go along with them. On the flip side, God tells us plainly what pleases him and the blessings that accrue to those believers that obey God. It’s really quite simple to stay on God’s good side; love and obey what God loves and hate and avoid what God hates. If you follow this simple guideline you’ll always be in fellowship with God and living a life that’s pleasing in God’s sight.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
Proverbs 4:1-2 – Hear, my children, the instructions of a father, and give attention to know understanding; For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law.
When I say read and study God’s word I’m referring to both the Old and New Testaments. It’s true you only need the New Testament to be saved but you need to also know the Old Testament to please God. Why is that? The word “cursed” appears in the Bible 72 times; 67 times in the Old Testament and five times in the New Testament. That means 93% of the curses of God appear in the Old Testament. You can’t avoid all the curses of God if you don’t know what they are. Old Testament familiarity is critical for the believer who wants to avoid the curses of God and also find the blessings of God that are there for the taking. Not knowing the Old Testament is a little bit like walking through a minefield blindfolded. It won’t end well for you.
Psalm 1:1-2 – Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 2:12 – Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
It’s the same thing when it comes to the blessings of God. The word “blessed” appears in the Bible 302 times; 217 times in the Old Testament and 85 times in the New Testament. A person unfamiliar with the Old Testament would miss out on two thirds of the blessings of God intended for those who love him. By studying the entire word of God we can have a clearer picture of who God is and we can live a more bountiful life here on earth. You will only need the knowledge contained in the New Testament in order to be saved but you’ll need to know the information contained in the Old Testament if you want to really know and please God and receive all the blessings God wants to give you. The New Testament did not come to invalidate God’s law or replace the Old Testament. The New Testament came to add to, or supplement, God’s existing law and both the Old and New testaments are equally God’s law and both should be studied thoroughly for knowledge, understanding and wisdom.
Psalm 65:4 – Blessed is the man You choose, and cause to approach You, that he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, of Your holy temple.
Psalm 84:5 – Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
The dictionary defines the word “curse” as an appeal to a supernatural power to harm someone or something. To be “cursed” is to be continually affected by something bad. Only God can curse man and once God has cursed someone it lasts forever. On the flip side, the definition of the word “bless” is to ask God to protect someone or something from harm. To be “blessed” is to have or be given something that is of great value. Only God can bless man and once God has truly blessed someone (i.e. salvation) it lasts forever. To be blessed is the exact opposite of being cursed. They are two sides of the same coin; each dispensed by God. God blesses man for their obedience to the word of God and God curses man for their disobedience to the same.
Let’s look at the five verses in the New Testament where God talks about being cursed:
Matthew 25:412 – (Jesus speaking) – Then He will also say to those on the left hand, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
In God’s economy man is either blessed with eternal life in heaven or cursed with eternal death in the lake of fire. Those are the only two destinations that are possible for the creatures God has made. God is never going to curse those believers who are saved unto eternal life nor is God going to bless those men who have rejected the saving grace of Almighty God. In the above verse God defines those going to hell as being “cursed.” When God curses someone in the Bible he is sentencing them to hell.
John 7:49 – But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.
The law refers to the entire Bible. God is saying man can only be saved by the word of God and without it man is acursed, or cursed, which means they are condemned to hell for eternity. The primary reason God gave us the Bible is so that we can find our salvation and know how to be obedient to God. Nothing on this earth is more important for man to do than reading and studying God’s word; along with daily prayer.
Galatians 3:10 – For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
Salvation is only achieved by having faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and not by doing any works of the law. Going to church every Sunday and giving money to charitable causes won’t do you a bit of good if you don’t first believe in Jesus and put him above any church, pope, pastor, doctrine or ritual. This New Testament Scripture reaffirms that the Old Testament is still a valid part of God’s word. Jesus Christ did not come to destroy the Old Testament law, but to fulfill it and add a new blood covenant to it by his crucifixion, death and resurrection. Those who think the Old Testament is no longer valid should spend time meditating on this Scripture.
Galatians 3:13 – Christ has redeemed us for the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs from a tree).
Because of the sin nature all men inherited from Adam’s fall from grace in the Garden of Eden, all men are born under the curse of God. To be cursed by God means we’re all destined for eternal death in the lake of fire because of the stain of sin in our body and soul. One of the spiritual truths of God is the wages of sin is death. There was no perfect (sin free) sacrifice available to atone for man’s sin so a perfect God came off his throne and came to earth in the incarnation of Jesus Christ to die in our place so that our sins could be forgiven by a merciful God. When Jesus was crucified on a cross (tree) he took our curses upon himself and gave us his righteousness. Jesus saved us from hell by his death and he gave us eternal life in heaven by his resurrection; for those who believe on his name. Praise God for his mercy!
2 Peter 2:14 – They (evil men) have a heart trained in covetous practices; and are accursed children.
Evil men are nonbelievers. Believers and nonbelievers are both made by God and since we we’re all made by same loving God we are all equally God’s children. God is just and gives everyone the free will choice to serve God or Satan. Nonbelievers are accursed, or cursed, by God because they have chosen to serve Satan. Jesus is the only way to heaven. Nonbelievers have not been forgiven of their sins because they haven’t asked for God’s mercy and grace by accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The sins of the nonbeliever still abides on them and they will receive the wrath of God on the last day. Nonbelievers are “cursed” because God has condemned them to eternal death in the lake of fire for spitting in God’s face; for rejecting Jesus’ sacrificial death on their behalf. All nonbelievers deserve the fate they have chosen.
Revelation 1:3 – Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Revelation 22:14 – Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.