8.16 Understanding the law – the law must be kept inwardly as well
The Pharisees were confident that they had kept the law outwardly and became self-righteous. By thinking that they had kept the law, they did not realize the true condition of their hearts, and they could not embrace their Savior.
Jesus said that the law must be kept not just outwardly but inwardly as well. A person must not sin in thought, attitude, speech and action (Matt 5:21-30). Jesus was simply showing the Pharisees that they were not righteous after all, when measured against God’s standards.
Now, if the law had to be kept inwardly, who could keep it perfectly? Who is perfect in thought, attitude and speech? The Pharisees though that the passing mark was 50%. When Jesus raised the passing mark to 100%, nobody passed. Everyone failed.
Rom 3:20 says that no one shall be justified by the law because the law tells the person that he is a sinner. The law is like a diagnostic test that confirms the problem with the patient. The test does not provide the cure. The law wasn’t the solution.
(Rom 3:20)
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 root problem is that man is already a sinner. Every person is born in the dysfunctional family line of Adam. We were born in sin. This explains the reality that sin is pervasive in the world today.
(Rom 5:12)
Therefore, just as THROUGH ONE MAN sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because ALL SINNED…
Without the law, man would not have known sin. The Ten Commandments specifically pointed to the moral sins of the people, which are universal in nature.
(Rom 7:7)
I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”
With their failure, it pointed to the need for a better solution. Israel and the whole world needed a Savior who would deliver them from their state of sin. Therefore, the law was a signpost that points to Christ. Gal 3:24 says that the law was a tutor to bring us to Christ, who would justify us by faith. The ultimate spiritual objective of the law is to tell us that we are sinners, so that we can turn to Jesus.
Jesus said that the law must be kept not just outwardly but inwardly as well. A person must not sin in thought, attitude, speech and action (Matt 5:21-30). Jesus was simply showing the Pharisees that they were not righteous after all, when measured against God’s standards.
Now, if the law had to be kept inwardly, who could keep it perfectly? Who is perfect in thought, attitude and speech? The Pharisees though that the passing mark was 50%. When Jesus raised the passing mark to 100%, nobody passed. Everyone failed.
Rom 3:20 says that no one shall be justified by the law because the law tells the person that he is a sinner. The law is like a diagnostic test that confirms the problem with the patient. The test does not provide the cure. The law wasn’t the solution.
(Rom 3:20)
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 root problem is that man is already a sinner. Every person is born in the dysfunctional family line of Adam. We were born in sin. This explains the reality that sin is pervasive in the world today.
(Rom 5:12)
Therefore, just as THROUGH ONE MAN sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because ALL SINNED…
Without the law, man would not have known sin. The Ten Commandments specifically pointed to the moral sins of the people, which are universal in nature.
(Rom 7:7)
I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”
With their failure, it pointed to the need for a better solution. Israel and the whole world needed a Savior who would deliver them from their state of sin. Therefore, the law was a signpost that points to Christ. Gal 3:24 says that the law was a tutor to bring us to Christ, who would justify us by faith. The ultimate spiritual objective of the law is to tell us that we are sinners, so that we can turn to Jesus.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 1:12 AM
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