Being born-again is not by knowledge but flows from the heart by believing in Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:10-14

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“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.”  Galatians 3:10

It is a curse for human beings to try to live up to the laws written in the Old Testament. Just look through the book of Leviticus and we see how burdensome it would be to live up to every law without breaking one. This is why there were animal sacrifices every year, year after year [along with other never-ending routines], to atone for the shortcomings of trying to live up to the laws of Judaism. In that light, every single Jewish person was cursed in their failure to continue in the written law day-by-day.

Living in the Spirit through Jesus Christ sets us free from trying to live by every verse in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and sets us free from the guilt of falling short as we live in a body of sinful flesh, “For we who are in this tent [body] groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.” 2 Corinthians 5:4 There is no condemnation as we live for God through Jesus Christ in the presence of the Holy Spirit, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

“But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” Galatians 3:11-12

We can memorize every verse in the Bible, like Paul did as a Pharisee, but until we are born-again in the Spirit, heart, and soul, we are causing Christ more pain than we could ever imagine, as Paul did while imprisoning, murdering, and persecuting Christians. Paul knew firsthand, as a Pharisee born-again through our Lord Jesus, that no one is justified in the eyes of God by following the letter of the written word. Like Paul, we live by faith in believing God.

Trying to live in the Spirit by memorizing verses, following routines, policies, and rituals is not of faith, not from the heart, and not in the spirit. The justified lives by faith. People who try to live in the Spirit from the pages of a book will have to live in those pages to make themselves feel justified. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 3:5-6

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14

In the Old Testament, it is written that anyone who is hanged on a tree [crucified on a cross] is cursed. That’s because people who broke the law were hanged on a tree and left there to die, they were cursed. Our Lord Jesus didn’t let that stop Him from being hanged on a tree [crucified on the Cross] to bring the forgiveness of sin to whoever believes in Him. Christ made it possible that instead of following the letter of the law, rituals, policies etc. we could be born-again from within the Spirit. Jesus Christ redeemed us from the curse of trying to live by requirements that our sinful flesh can never live up to. We are now under grace by the mercy of God. “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:14

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

---

“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11