1Co 16:20
All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.1Co 16:21
The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand.
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen
These are the closing words of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians in letter one.
And these are the closing words in his second letter to them
2Co 13:11
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
2Co 13:12
Greet one another with an holy kiss.
2Co 13:13
All the saints salute you.
2Co 13:14
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
I want to look closer at the verses throught the Love of Christ. Some have taught it is our part to curse and bless. But that is not the way of Love.
Why would Paul curse all those who do not love the Lord Jesus?
In Galatians it seems Paul cursed others again.
Gal 1:8
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
And he even repeats it for emphasis
Gal 1:9
As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
What did he forget what Jesus taught the sons of Thunder?
Luk 9:54
And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
Luk 9:55
But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
Luk 9:56
For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
Even Christians today think we should curse those who are killing Chirsitans. Let the fire of csncer fall on Bill Gates or Fauci. But you are so wrong. You are being like the « Sons of thunder »
Ready to act out of power, and call down the fire of God as Elijah did. This is so old testament thinking! This is before Jesus came to reveal that God really is love by sacrificing Himself. It wa only through sacrifice He became the Lord of ALL! Elijah and the old testament only had glimpses of the greatness of Christ and now He lives in us.
« Don’t you see the spirit we are made off » ? Don’t you see what kind of spirit Christ in you is?
We should overcome all evil by being good to them and pray that they may be saved, not destroyed.
So what was paul really saying when he said « if any love not the Lord let them be cursed »? in the closing words to the first letter to the Corinthians?
And what could Paul have meant in the opening words to the Galatians even twice?
« If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed »
Was Paul just having a bad day and wanted to bring some fire down? NO I do not think so at all.
In all these statements Paul appears to be cursing or wishing cursed upon those against the Christ and His Gospel. But look again. The word is not « I curse them » but « Let them be cursed »
It is simply Paul was allowing free will to those who do not want to be blessed. Neither God or Paul wishes any harm, they who reject the Gosple prefer to condemn themselves. And we like God are here to do anything we can to see that they may change and accept the blessings. WHo knows Bill Gates, the old Jewish Pharisee, could turn into the next Apostle Paul right? Saul did.
I see these statements as allowing free will and only saying « let them have what ever they want » It is only stating the truth that those who reject the Gospel for a false one will suffer the many consequences. Not from God or us. But they have enough to deal with have Satan as the enemy of their souls. We are here only to bless not curse.
And those who love not the Lord are missing our on the real blessing. The further ww are away from the Light the deeper we go into darkness. That is a statement of fact not a wish on my part! I wish all men would be saved and love Jesus when He returns. When people refuse to eat and drink they wlll die, But it is not the food or drink doing it! It is the absence of it! When we leave the warmth of God and HIs household we enter coldness. But it is not the fire of God that destroys us it is the absence of Gods fire that freezes our hearts to death..
Truth Prospector 