Can Christians be a Curse?

Thursday, 30th November 2007

Recently, I heard a brother saying that we as Christians can be a curse to those around us. He cited the story as recorded in Numbers 22 as an example. There was a man by the name of Balaam who knew who God was, yet he chose to curse God's people.

Sorry, but I beg to differ. We are described as part of Christ's Body by the apostle Paul. If we truly believe that, then it is impossible for a part of the body to be a curse to another part of the body. The eye cannot be a curse to the ear. Neither can the hand to be a curse to the foot.

If we were to read Num 22-24, we realise that Balaam was a sorcerer who made his living by dabbling in the occult. The Israelites had just defeated the Amorites, and had camped along the plains of Moab. News of their victory spread around the region, and Balak (the king of Moab), was terrified of them. He thus engaged the services of Balaam to lay curses upon them.

Balaam was a mercenary. In Num 22:7 we read that Balak had planned to give Balaam a "fee for divination" and again in Num 24:10 that he was going to "reward Balak handsomely".

Those that dabble with the supernatural know who God is. In James 2:15, we read that demons believe that there is one God -- and they shudder. Hence, knowing who God is does not automatically make one a beloved child of God, and Balaam was definitely not one.

Hence, it is erroneous to compare him to us, the new-covenant believer. Take comfort, dear brothers and sisters, that we cannot be a curse to those around us because Christ has redeemed us from the curse (Gal 3:13) (which I will talk about more in tomorrow's post).

Anyway, there is a pleasant twist to the tale about Balaam. God intervened such that when he opened his mouth to curse, words of blessings instead came forth!

We read in Num 24
10 Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, "I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. 11 Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the LORD has kept you from being rewarded."