Law and Gospel

MEMORY VERSE: “We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” —Romans 3:28

ROMANS 3:19-28

THE Law of God which was given to the nation of Israel at Mt. Sinai established a very high standard of righteousness, and the principles of right and wrong set forth in the Ten Commandments have been recognized by most of the Lord’s own people as a moral code second to none. The Israelites were promised that if they really kept this Law they would live. We recall the young Israelite who asked Jesus what good thing he could do to inherit eternal life, and Jesus referred him to the Law, the Ten Commandments.

But the Israelites, even as all the other peoples of earth, were members of a sin-cursed and dying race, each and all having inherited imperfections from parents, an inheritance which was passed on to all, beginning with our first parents. Because of this it was not possible for any member of the human family to gain life by his own efforts to live righteously. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” the apostle wrote.

God knew in advance that no one could gain life through the Law, but he wanted this fact demonstrated so that the Israelites, and all mankind, might eventually know that the only way to eternal life is through Jesus, who died to redeem mankind from sin and death. Paul wrote, “The Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” in the atoning work of Christ.—Gal. 3:24

Thus the Law served a good purpose in the outworking of the divine plan for human salvation. Our lesson states, “Now we know that what things so-ever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”—vs. 19

Thus, while it is impossible to attain justification before God by keeping the Law, it did serve another good purpose, as Paul says: “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” (vs. 20) Today, when there is a general breakdown of moral values, the question is often asked as to who knows what is right and wrong. This illustrates Paul’s point that a knowledge of sin is by the Law.

It is a sin to commit murder because God’s Law says, “Thou shalt not kill” The “thou shalts” and “thou shalt nots” of the Law prescribe clearly what is right and what is wrong. But alas, those who have lost faith in God’s Word no longer feel bound by the commandments, and are a law unto themselves. Individuals who take this position feel that they know as much about the matter as did Moses, or any of the other writers of the Bible.

“But now,” Paul continues, “the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”—vss. 21-23

Paul then outlines the real basis for justification before God, or being acceptable to him, and in the way of life which he has provided. We quote: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”—vss. 24-26

Paul adds, “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” (vs. 27) There could be boasting if one could be justified by faithfulness to the Law. But by God’s arrangement the righteousness that we enjoy is through Christ, and we can come under that righteousness only upon the basis of faith, through “the law of faith” The conclusion of the matter is that “a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law,” even as our memory verse states.

QUESTIONS

Was it possible for any Israelite to keep the Law given at Sinai?

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