5.21 Epistles – Righteousness under the Old Covenant of Law

When God brought Israel out of Egypt with His mighty hand, Israel did not know that they were a sinful people in covenant with a holy God. So God placed His covenant people, Israel under the system of law for about 1,500 years. Sinners were given a chance to prove that they were righteous. God knew they would fail but the problem is that they did not know it. They declared to God confidently that they could keep God's laws (Exodus 24:3).

This was the condition of the Old Covenant - if Israel kept God’s laws PERFECTLY, they would be considered righteous (without sin). If they failed at any point, they could come under the curses pronounced by the law. Israel took on the challenge to demonstrate the righteousness of man through its effort in keeping the works of the law.

(Deuteronomy 6:25, NKJV)
Then it will be RIGHTEOUSNESS for us, if we are careful to OBSERVE ALL these COMMANDMENTS before the Lord our God…

The law placed high demands on the people that must be met perfectly. It was like signing a contract with terms that the people had no ability to fulfill. The law said that it was not enough just to love God; but to love God with ALL their heart, ALL their soul and ALL their strength (Deut 6:5). Perfection was not just through external actions, but it was in the heart as well. A lawyer would know that it was an unlimited obligation.

When the Pharisees became self-righteous through keeping the law externally, Jesus told them that the law had to be kept in the heart – in attitude, thought, speech and action (Matthew 5).

James 2:10 says that those who keep the law but stumble at one point shall be guilty of breaking the whole law. God is holy and even the smallest sin would disqualify a person. The requirement is that the laws of God have to be kept PERFECTLY because it is the plumb line for sin. Those who fail to continue doing ALL THINGS demanded by the law will come under the terrible curses pronounced by the law in Deuteronomy 28.

(Galatians 3:10, NKJV)
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “CURSED is everyone who does not continue in ALL THINGS which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”

We would never understand and appreciate what Christ has done for us without first understanding the perfect demands of the law, and the consequences of breaking it. Most people bring the law down to a level where they can keep, but the law is unbending and the bar cannot be lowered. Those who are under law must live by them (Rom 10:5). The law doesn’t come down to our level. An understanding of how Jesus delivered us from the fierce judgment of the law is the first step towards understanding and embracing the amazing grace of God.