Whether it is the state of our political temperature, social media culture wars, rioting in the streets, protests, lockdowns, mandates, loss of life, loss of business, virus outbreak, social isolation and distancing, or the deep fracture lines created by irreconcilable worldviews, not many of us could have dreamed up this scale of a nightmare a few months or weeks prior to 2020. Something about 2020 feels off, something about 2020 just doesn’t feel right, and something about 2020 feels cursed—and that’s because it is. From Genesis 3 onward, creation itself has been subjected to futility under the weight of Adam’s sin (Romans 8:20–21). What we’re sensing isn’t just bad vibes or a rough patch; it’s the bitter reality of living in a world that’s been under God’s curse ever since man first rebelled in Eden. For many, there’s a sense that the storm is still brewing.
Face the facts: it is cursed
For the Christian, there’s no denying the curse. In fact, we can come alongside the despondent unbeliever, put our arms gently on their shoulder, look them straight in the eyes, and with humility, sadness, and honest affirmation, acknowledge with a heavy sigh that the world is cursed. Humanity has attempted to create a world on our own terms and in our own way, and 2020 is what we get—broken systems, broken relationships, a divided people, hatred among one another, finger-pointing accusations, disinformation, mistrust, opposing ideologies, and a deep sense that the other side is completely wrong—not to mention a virus we can’t even agree how to manage, control, or live with. How did we get here? Everything seemed fine on January 1st. Did the curse sneak in unexpectedly and invisibly like the coronavirus?
The source of the curse: Adam’s disobedience
Actually, the curse was pronounced in Genesis 3 when Adam, our covenant head, disobeyed God. In that one act, sin entered the world and death spread to all mankind (Romans 5:12–19). Every generation since—including our own—continues to add to that rebellion, but we’re born already under its shadow. Our ongoing disobedience doesn’t cause the curse anew—it’s the tragic fruit of Adam’s first sin.
What exactly is this curse? Is it disunity? A virus? Sickness? Trouble? Pain? Suffering? Bitterness? Brokenness? Injustice? Lawlessness? Godlessness? Rebellion? Confusion? Discontentment?
Yes to all of that, and more. And it gets worse.
Wrath now, wrath to come
The New Testament makes plain that not only is our disobedience the cause of the curse, but our curse places us under God’s wrath. Romans 1:18 says, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” Disobedience doesn’t just make life bitter under the curse; it leaves every person, by nature, already under God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:3). Romans 1 shows that wrath is presently revealed as God hands sinners over to their own darkened desires. And apart from Christ, that present judgment will culminate in future, final wrath when His righteous judgment is fully poured out (Romans 2:5).
Everyone knows but suppresses the truth
No person will face God’s wrath for lack of knowledge of His truth. The wicked face His judgment because they reject and suppress the truth that God has revealed to them (Romans 1:18). Romans 1:21–25 describes it: “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him… They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.”
Everyone has a conscience that bears witness to God’s law (Romans 2:14–15). Deep down, people know it’s wrong to take innocent life or distort God’s design for humanity. But sin doesn’t erase that knowledge—it suppresses it. The mind grows futile, the conscience seared (1 Timothy 4:2), so that what was once clear is denied and resisted. Wicked laws and philosophies don’t spring from ignorance but from deliberate suppression of God’s revealed truth.
The curse is already broken, awaiting its full reversal
The effects of the curse have spread like yeast and slowly infected everything in God’s creation. The world is broken and it needs to be fixed. Fortunately, God has not left His creation to be perpetually cursed. This is still His creation. And here’s the crazy thing—Christians actually know how to fix it!
God has promised that one day there will no longer be any curse (Revelation 22:3). This doesn’t mean the curse might be broken—it has already been broken decisively at the cross. When Jesus hung on that tree, He didn’t merely make reversal possible—He actually redeemed His people from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13). The decisive blow has been struck. And while we still feel the lingering effects of sin in this fallen age, Revelation promises a day when the victory Christ already won will be fully revealed: “No longer will there be anything accursed.”
We need someone capable of breaking the curse
Jesus, the Christ—God’s one and only Son—is the promised curse-crusher foretold in Genesis 3:15. From the moment sin entered the world, God declared that the Seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head.
On the cross, Jesus became a curse for us, bearing the full punishment and wrath of God we deserved (Galatians 3:10, 13). In doing so, He didn’t just jump in front of the curse-train to save us from disaster—He let that train run Him over so that He could derail it forever. His resurrection proves the curse’s ultimate power—death—has been defeated (1 Corinthians 15:54–57).
How do we receive this curse-reversal?
If Christ bore the curse and has already secured redemption for His people, what must unbelievers do to receive this benefit? The same thing every person must do: repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15). Politicians, governments, educators, influencers, public servants, and every sinner on earth must turn from disobedience and submit to King Jesus in faith and obedience.
The decisive act of redemption has already happened—Christ bore the curse—but the personal experience of that redemption comes only by union with Him. Outside of Christ, you remain under wrath; in Christ, you are redeemed, justified, and promised participation in a curse-free new creation (Romans 8:1; Revelation 22:3).
The mission of the Church
God loves His creation and has redeemed it with His own blood (Acts 20:28). Those who repent and believe are no longer cursed but blessed in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). They await the day when God will make “all things new” (Revelation 21:5).
In the meantime, Jesus commissions His church to announce this good news to the nations:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18–20).
Notice—it’s not just about rescuing individual souls from hell but discipling whole nations to obey Jesus as King. Because Jesus reigns now, we proclaim His lordship now, calling every sphere of life to submit to His Word and promises until His kingdom fully comes.
The Church in a curse-infested world
From its earliest days, the church flourished in a curse-ridden, hostile world. Persecution came early (Acts 8:1), scattering believers far and wide. Yet rather than extinguishing the flame, persecution spread it. The blood of the martyrs became the seed of the church.
This pattern has continued for 2,000 years: flourishing → crisis → greater flourishing. Why? Because the risen Christ builds His church, and “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
Where we stand today
We find ourselves again in a moment of crisis—political upheaval, cultural decay, hostility toward truth. But this is still Jesus’ creation. He is still King. He is still reversing the curse. Therefore, the nations must repent and obey His commands. And because Jesus has “all authority in heaven and on earth,” the church must therefore go, teaching and discipling to the ends of the earth.
Conclusion: The gospel is bigger than you think
The gospel doesn’t only deal with personal salvation—it’s cosmic in scope. The same blood that redeems individual sinners is the blood that will renew the world. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and to reconcile all things to Himself (Colossians 1:20).
So stop believing the story that says the world will only spiral downward until Jesus snatches us away. The second Adam came to finish what the first Adam failed to do; that is, to fill the earth with God’s glory (Habakkuk 2:14). Through the church, empowered by the Spirit, Christ is advancing His reign like a mustard seed growing into a tree (Matthew 13:31–32). Yes, there will be crisis moments, but every crisis is a prelude to greater flourishing.
With respect to sinful passions and worldly lusts, the Christian is a pilgrim. But with respect to earthly involvement and discipling the nations, we press in and press on. We don’t retreat from culture; we redeem it. The curse is being rolled back as far as the gospel goes forth.
And it will go forth until every enemy is placed under Christ’s feet, the last enemy, death itself, is destroyed, and the redeemed inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world (1 Corinthians 15:25–26; Matthew 25:34).