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THE PURPOSE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW
“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them 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 there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now 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,” (Romans 3:19-23). Coupled with such verses as Romans 6:15 which says, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid” it is clear that there are some people who are under the law and others who are not. Those under the condemnation of the Law are the unsaved: i.e. those who have not been regenerated or born again by the sovereign Holy Spirit of God. God's regenerated elect individuals are not under the Law! The passage quoted in the first paragraph above makes it clear that there is no way that anyone can be declared righteous (“justified”) in God's sight by the Law. The Law was not given as a means of sinners being righteous in God's eyes! Paul wrote, “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,” (Titus 1:8-10). There is, then, both a right or “lawful” use of the Law and an unlawful or wrong use of it! By the Law is the knowledge of sin as the Scripture states above! That is its purpose. It is for those under it: i.e. unregenerated sinners! Those who have been regenerated are not under the Law! They are under grace. God graciously (without anything done by the recipient) begins the elect sinner's experience of salvation with his regeneration. Regeneration is accomplished in a manner above the comprehension of the individual. Just as each individual's experience of life as a separate person begins with his or her birth, so it is with the new birth. The sinner is a participant in the new birth, but is not the cause of it. Thus righteousness has no connection with the Law. It is by the faith that God gives following godly sorrow and repentance. That there is only one hope for sinners was emphasized by the Lord Jesus when He said, “ye must be born again,” (John 3:7). |
