For no one can ever be made right in God's sight by doing what his law commands.For the more we know God's law,the clearer it becomes that we aren't obeying it. -Romans 3:20.
No justification by works of the law
The Jews possessed the Old Testament scriptures with revelation that God had given of Himself in them and His righteous demands in the law.But that did not make them any better than other nations.By what means they did not even become righteous.Indeed,it was and still is not possible to be justified before God through "deeds of the law"."And the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as the person who has broken all of God's laws. -James 2:10.
The aim of the law of God was not to save sinful man.God's intention was rather to show mankind through the law that he was guilty and needed salvation.
"By the law is the knowledge of sin." Only those who know God's righteous demands are aware that they cannot fulfil them.The more a person endeavous to do what the law demands,the sooner he will realize that a sinful power rules over him,attracting him to rebel against God's righteous commandments and transgress them.
God's law thus proves to be
"the strenght of sin","For sin is the sting that results in death,and the law gives sin its power." -1
Corinthians 15:56,although
it is "holy and just and
good "But still, the law itself is holy,and its commands are holy and right and good." -Romans 7:12.
So God's law can in no way
grant mankind justification
that give him a standing
before God,nor can it free
him from the power of sin
that dwells in him.
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law,as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.And this is true for everyone who believes,no matter who we are. -Romans 3:21-22.
Paul had shown that
mankind cannot lay claim
to any righteousness that
has any credit with God.Nor
can the law of Moses help in
any way; that only serves to
show up our guilt,since we
are incapable of keeping it.
"But now"- that points to a
new age,the one in which we
live,which is often called
"the age of grace".During
this time the righteousness
of God is offered through
the gospel.And wbereas the
law of Sinai applied to the
people of Israel.God's free
offer of grace in the gospel
is available to all without
any distinction.No-one need appear before God in the rags and tatters of his life: God's own
righteousness is offered to
everyone.This is what is
mearnt by "to all".
How then does sinful man
actually attain a share in
God's righteousness? Not
by "deeds of the law but
simply through faith,and
not just any faith but
"through faith in Jesus
Christ".Man can do nothing
by or for himself;he must
accept what Christ has done
in His work of atonement on
the cross for himself by
faith.
That is the necessary
condition,for God's
righteousness comes only
"on all who
believe".Whoever trusts not
in himself and his own
supposed righteousness,but
admits his guilt before
God,believing in Christ,is
saved.He is justified before
God and safe from
judgment.
No justification by works of the law
The Jews possessed the Old Testament scriptures with revelation that God had given of Himself in them and His righteous demands in the law.But that did not make them any better than other nations.By what means they did not even become righteous.Indeed,it was and still is not possible to be justified before God through "deeds of the law"."And the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as the person who has broken all of God's laws. -James 2:10.
The aim of the law of God was not to save sinful man.God's intention was rather to show mankind through the law that he was guilty and needed salvation.
"By the law is the knowledge of sin." Only those who know God's righteous demands are aware that they cannot fulfil them.The more a person endeavous to do what the law demands,the sooner he will realize that a sinful power rules over him,attracting him to rebel against God's righteous commandments and transgress them.
God's law thus proves to be
"the strenght of sin","For sin is the sting that results in death,and the law gives sin its power." -1
Corinthians 15:56,although
it is "holy and just and
good "But still, the law itself is holy,and its commands are holy and right and good." -Romans 7:12.
So God's law can in no way
grant mankind justification
that give him a standing
before God,nor can it free
him from the power of sin
that dwells in him.
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law,as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.And this is true for everyone who believes,no matter who we are. -Romans 3:21-22.
Paul had shown that
mankind cannot lay claim
to any righteousness that
has any credit with God.Nor
can the law of Moses help in
any way; that only serves to
show up our guilt,since we
are incapable of keeping it.
"But now"- that points to a
new age,the one in which we
live,which is often called
"the age of grace".During
this time the righteousness
of God is offered through
the gospel.And wbereas the
law of Sinai applied to the
people of Israel.God's free
offer of grace in the gospel
is available to all without
any distinction.No-one need appear before God in the rags and tatters of his life: God's own
righteousness is offered to
everyone.This is what is
mearnt by "to all".
How then does sinful man
actually attain a share in
God's righteousness? Not
by "deeds of the law but
simply through faith,and
not just any faith but
"through faith in Jesus
Christ".Man can do nothing
by or for himself;he must
accept what Christ has done
in His work of atonement on
the cross for himself by
faith.
That is the necessary
condition,for God's
righteousness comes only
"on all who
believe".Whoever trusts not
in himself and his own
supposed righteousness,but
admits his guilt before
God,believing in Christ,is
saved.He is justified before
God and safe from
judgment.
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