Deuteronomy 27:1-28:14
“Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.” And all the people shall say, “Amen.”
Deuteronomy 27:26
As we all (rightly) join in that “Amen” we sign our own death warrants. We should all agree that the Law is holy and righteous and good, as Jesus clearly attests (Matthew 5:17-20) and as Paul goes on to repeatedly affirm. (Romans 3:23, 7:27) And the blessings that God lays out for those who keep the Law should certainly incentivize us toward obedience. But try as we might, we cannot in ourselves fully keep the Law, and the Law does nothing to empower us to do so. Insofar as we trust in ourselves to fulfill the Law we are all thus under this curse. That’s the Bad News.
But this Bad News is really the gateway to Good News, because it is only when we understand and fully accept this Bad News that we can recognize our need for Someone to rescue us. The world around us repeatedly tells us, “Believe in yourself!” But believing in oneself brings only the curse. Jesus instead says, “Deny [renounce] yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Me.”
So what will it be for you today?