We Are No Longer Cursed

We see Christians nowadays that go down two different paths. Some choose to live by grace while others choose to live by the law. Many are deceived and taught that they must provide God with their own works and righteousness after salvation. Yet, what is grace and the purpose for why Jesus Christ came down to die for us? This is a very important subject because it has the ability to change our whole lives once we fully realize the full aspect of what the cross achieved for us.

We must first realize that there is nothing that we can bring to the table. We cannot create or compose something even halfway decent to give back to God on our own. Even at our very best, we still put Him on the cross. He still had to die for those whom we consider to be the very best Christians or the most righteous and "good" people we know.

All our righteousness still put Him on the cross!

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" Isaiah 64:6

The Bible calls our righteousness filthy rags. Those are the filthy rags that those with leprosy had to wipe off the pus from their boils with! Our righteousness is filthy in the eyes of God.

Is there any exception for anybody on this Earth? Nope!

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one" Romans 3:10

and every man has failed to meet the exceptionally high quota of God which is perfection.

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

So we have concluded that we are not righteous and we all are sinners. Is that bad news? Actually, not really because if we were good enough, we wouldn't need Jesus at all. That's the thing! How many of us actually think that we can produce our own righteousness and become "good enough" for God? Actually, a lot of us still do.. but the danger is that in this belief, there is no need for Jesus and what He did for us on the cross.

The Bible says that if we follow the law and try to produce our own righteousness by following the law, then we are fallen from grace! That's a terrifying thought!

"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." Galatians 5:4

Grace is the gift of God. Grace is what God's own son did for us on the cross. Grace is knowing that we will never be good enough for God, and accepting this free gift. If we reject grace, then we reject the price that Jesus Christ paid for us on the cross. If we choose righteousness by the law, then Christ is dead for nothing!

"I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." Galatians 2:21

A lot of us subconsciously worry about being good after we are saved. We try to be good enough and feel like we owe God something. Should we feel that way? No, because there is no debt we need to pay. We don't owe anybody anything! The debt has ALREADY been paid! Why are we working as if we're paying off a debt?

"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Romans 4:4,5

We are no longer under the old covenant where we had to observe the law to become righteous in the eyes of God. Jesus came to fulfill all 613 of the old Torah laws because the law was a curse and it brought death.

The law was given to us because of the sin that was brought on to the world and now we are redeemed! Adam disobeyed God and sinned against Him, then sin and death reigned in the world. The world was cursed with law and sin until God sent His Son to redeem us. This was the promise that the old testament saints waited for thousands of years.

"Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator." Galatians 3:19

(Note: Jesus Christ is the mediator, 1 Tim 2:5)

God gave the Gentiles free righteousness without law and works through His Son. Israel had the law and their works to give an account for their righteousness but we have something far greater. We have the Son and our faith is our righteousness. If we seek God through the deeds of the law and not of faith, we shall stumble and fall. We will fail.

"What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone." Romans 9:30-32

We are justified by our faith and not by the law or of works. Isn't that amazing? Faith is what justifies us!

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." Romans 3:28

 We know that it was our faith in Jesus Christ that saved us. It was our salvation! Why do we turn back and return to the law and works? Faith is what got us in, and faith is what brings us home.

"Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? " Galatians 3:3

 Here is a warning. I have been to many churches personally that teach grace, but they also teach us to follow certain laws in the Old Testament. The law is one and whole. There are 613 laws in the OT that is called the Torah. Those 613 laws are commandments from God in the old covenant. If we choose to keep and observe a few, even just a select few, we are bound by the law. And when we are bound by the law, we are to keep every single one of them!

Who can live up to 613 laws of righteousness? If we miss one, we have failed ALL!

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. " James 2:10

 The law is a curse and it brings death! There will be those who will tell you the law is good, but the Bible says it is a curse and all who follow the curse shall die! No man shall be justified by the law in the sight of God! No one can stand before God and present their works by the law and make it through!

"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.


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." Galatians 3:10-13

The law was created to bring us unto Jesus Christ. It gave us a need for a Saviour and God's purpose was fulfilled in His Son. Now that He has come and now that we have faith, we are no longer under the law. The law was only made to bring us HERE to be in Christ with faith.

"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." Galatians 3:24, 25

We are so blessed to be in this point of time where we have the gift of grace that is made into effect by grace that was given to us by the shedding of the blood of Jesus. Yet, it is grievous to see that there are those who choose to still be under the law even to this day! There are even those who claim to have grace but still keep some rules of the law.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8

The reason why this is so urgent is that if we have been deceived to follow the law, then we shall be judged the law. God honors our decision and our choices if we choose to follow the law. We shall be judged before the throne of God by every deed we do and by all our works! And in Revelation, no man makes it out of the Great White Throne alive. Those who have the law have the wrath of God upon them.

We need the blood of the spotless lamb for death to pass over us. We need to fully receive the blood and accept grace. In accepting grace, we are accepting the free gift of God. Jesus takes our place, and the Father will look at us and see His Son's righteousness in us! He will NOT see our own righteousness, but His Son's Righteousness!

Our righteousness are filthy rags and we will surely die! We need the righteousness of Jesus Christ upon us! What is so beautiful about this is that Jesus walked on Earth and He completed every single law perfectly! He was flawless and righteous! He was perfect! That is what the Father will see in us! We have literally traded places! Jesus paid the price of our righteousness by dying for us and he became a curse for us. He had the wrath of God upon Him on the cross! And we can take His place and become the heir to the kingdom of God! We become the adopted sons of God!

"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. " Galatians 4:4,5

We must choose faith. We must choose grace. We must realize that under the law and works, we shall be condemned and we shall die! I know that this has been an exhaustive study and this is only a few scriptures from the New Testament. I encourage those who are thirsty for more information about law and grace to read Romans and Galatians. Paul writes in depth and passion about grace and teaches it to the new believers.

"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Romans 10:4

Jesus Christ = end of the law. It is complete.



Do you believe?

Why Are We Still Tithing?

Many Christians tithe faithfully. It is taught in churches to do so. Yet, it does not make any sense why tithing is still being taught when it is a part of the old covenant, a part of the law, and when Jesus has set us free from these things. Please allow us at A Voice in the Wilderness to show you some scriptures about tithing.

In the Book of Daniel, God tells Daniel that He will give the people seventy weeks to bring His people back unto Him. Because of their transgressions and iniquity, man was separate from God. Jesus was the one who was sent to put an end to our transgressions, to bring reconciliation between man and God, and to bring in everlasting righteousness (Read Daniel 9:25, 26).

In verse 27, it was foretold that Jesus would also cause the sacrifice and oblations to cease:

"And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." Daniel 9:27

Jesus caused the sacrifices to cease. There was no longer a need to have blood sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus became the sacrificial lamb and His blood forgives our sins.

And before, I had always wondered what oblation meant. Finally, my eyes opened and I realized it was the same as tithes. Oblation means tribute, firstfruits, and offering unto God. Our tithe is the same thing. It is an offering to God of our firstfruits. Whenever we give God our first fruits, that means we give it to Him first before we use it or spend it. Oblations and tithes are freewill gift offerings to God.

Jesus caused the oblation to cease. We no longer need to give God anything or pay Him.

(examples of oblation in the old testament is: Leviticus 2:4, 2:12, Numbers 31:50, Ezekiel 44:30, Ezekiel 45:1, 48:12, and we see that God wanted their offerings, firstfruit, meat or land, same as tithes. People never paid tithes in money back then)

In Matthew 17:24-26, Jesus explains to Peter that the King's children are free from paying tribute to the King! God is our King, and we are His children.

"And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?


He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children or of strangers?


Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, then are the children free!"

In the New Testament, Jesus never said once that we were required to pay tithes. Not once was that imputed upon the believers. The only time it was mentioned in the NT was as an insult to the Pharisees and the Pharisees are men of the law.

In the New Testament, the believers would provide for their family FIRST, then meet on the first day of the week to divide the money so that they all would have the equal amount. God told them if they received anything above their needs, to give unto the poor.

*Provide for your family first: "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." 1 Timothy 5:8

*The New Way: "Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need."Acts 4:34, 35



"For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. For I mean not that other men be eased and ye burdened; But by an equality, that now at this time, your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be equality: As it is written, He that hath gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack." 2 Corinthians 8:12-15

(God may give some people a lot of riches, but he wants them to give above their needs to help their brothers and sisters in Christ who have needs. Those who are rich will not have riches above their needs, and those who are poor will not run out. No one lacked anything)

*Another example: "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come." 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2

(Paul wrote to the church of Corinthians to meet on the first day of the week and put in storage what God has given them to put away. Those in storage were usually given unto the needy saints: Romans 12:13, 1 Corinthians 16:1)

*And another example: "And sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men, as every man had need." Acts 3:45

We see the believers in the NT taking care of each other, which is a beautiful sign of charity, instead of duty by the law. The tithe was a part of the old law and Jesus has fulfilled the law. Tithes are works, and Jesus' blood covers it ALL, so our works are now dead unto Him, they mean nothing!

"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? Hebrew 9:14

And we don't owe ANY debt to God, because Jesus has PAID the debt! Whew! If we work, it is like we owe Him something which we don't!


"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Romans 4:4, 5

God just wants us to give from our hearts, and not from requirements.

"Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7


Beware of false ministers who tell you that you must give tithes as a requirement of the law (for we know we are under grace and not the law) and that paying tithe will add unto our righteousness. It is a LIE! Do not fall for it.

Ye are the children of the King and you have been made free.