In the bible, the phrase "the law" is used to describe a very long list of rules (613 of them) that include the 10 commandments, the religious ceremonial laws, and all of the civil laws of the Israelites. It is basically God's standard for righteous behavior.
It is a flawless and glorious standard, and it demands lifelong perfection with no mistakes. It divides humanity into two groups.
Group 1 - Those who keep the law perfectly without mistakes for their entire life.
Group 2 - Those who have broken one or more of the laws at some point in their life.
Unfortunately, it is impossible for humans beings to reach this standard, and so Group 1 is empty (except for Jesus).
If you have ever told a lie, or even thought about telling a lie, then you are completely guilty of breaking the whole law. Just make one small mistake in your entire life, a single wrong thought, and you have fallen short, putting yourself in the same category with murderers and thieves.
If you study the what the law says, you will never find that people are encouraged to try to keep it. There is no "trying." You either keep the whole law, or you break the whole law. To keep it, you have to keep it 100% forever without a single mistake. Trying is not an option.
The apostle Paul summarizes the purpose and the effects of the law in the following passages.
Romans 3:19-20 - Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The purpose of the law is to show you that you are guilty. It shows you where you have missed the mark. It shows you the hopeless impossibility of attaining righteousness through behavior modification. It makes you aware that you are guilty before God.
To quote Watchman Nee..."God knows...that I am weakness incarnate; that I can do nothing. The trouble is that I do not know it." The law solves that problem for us.
Galatians 3:19 (NLT) Well then, why was the law given? It was given to show people how guilty they are. But this system of law was to last only until the coming of the child to whom God's promise was made....
The law is perfect. People, however, are not perfect. The law shows imperfect people their shortcomings. It shows them in big bold letters that they are in desperate need of help. They are drowning and they need to be rescued. They are in a hopeless situation with no way out, unless someone steps in to save them.
That brings us to the good news. Someone did step in to save.
That brings us to the good news. Someone did step in to save.
Jesus kept the law perfectly, and deserved to receive all of the blessings that come from it. However, instead of receiving these rewards, He took on Himself the punishment that was coming to the rest of us:
Isaiah 53:4-5
4 - Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 - But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Jesus got what we deserved for our sin. And in exchange, He gave us what He deserved for His righteousness. He took our curse, and gave us His blessing. He took our sin, and gave us His righteousness. He took our sickness and gave us His healing.
Now, look at this:
Galatians 3:22-26
22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
If you have believed the gospel and received salvation, then the law has done its job, and you are no longer subject to it....it no longer applies to you.
Think about this, and let it sink in. Christians are not subject to the law. We no longer have to do the animal sacrifices. We are not judged by whether or not we keep the 10 Commandments. We are not cursed if we don't bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. We are not asked to keep all of the feasts of Israel.
All that the law demands has already been accomplished fully and perfectly by Jesus. To all of those that believe the Gospel of Jesus, He gives righteousness as a free gift (Romans 5:17). He did what we were unable to do, and gave us what we were unable to attain.
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