The Law gives us the knowledge of sin.
Romans 3: 20 says “Therefore by the deeds of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the Law is the knowledge of sin”.
What Paul is saying here is that there is no salvation through the keeping of God’s law, because sinful man is utterly incapable of doing so. He has neither the ability nor the inclination within himself to obey God perfectly.
It is a perverse fact of fallen human nature that the surest way to get people to do things is to tell them not to do them. When people see a sign that tells them to “Keep off the grass” their impulse is to walk on the grass. The same is true in the spiritual realm.
God’s law reveals what is right and what is wrong, and sinful men choose what is wrong. The law of God reveals sin and sin is a violation of God’s righteous standard, if no such standard existed, there would no sin.
But Paul says “by the law is the knowledge of sin”. Around the world man has taken the Ten Commandments out of our schools, colleges, universities and our government departments but there is no escaping the law of God because as Romans 2: 15, 16 says “who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel”.
Because of God’s law and our consciences we all have a sense of right and wrong that produces guilt when violated.
“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent” Acts 17: 30.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS – Exodus 20: 1 -17
And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the Lord your God, who bought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage”.
“You shall have no other gods before Me”
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image”
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain”
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”
“Honour your father and your mother”
“You shall not murder”
“You shall not commit adultery”
“You shall not steal”
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour”
“You shall not covet”
God’s law still reflects His holy will and standard for human conduct.
What is the purpose of the law of God?
1. The Law shows the world its guilt before a holy God.
2. The Law gives us the knowledge of sin.
3. The Law shows us the depth of our sinfulness.
4. The Law is a tutor to lead us to faith in Jesus Christ
By John Denman
M. E. Head ( Photographer)