Amid the blackness and the darkness of the smoking mount, the law was given to Moses. In that law God gave to man the rule by which he was to walk. It was a righteous rule, showing what was due from man, as a creature, to God, his Creator. It was not a law, or rule, that could give life to man; neither could it make him righteous, nor yet could the keeping of it justify him from his sins. (Rom. 3:2020Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20); Gal. 3:2121Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. (Galatians 3:21).)
And man being a sinner, needs justification; being dead in sins, he needs life.
The law does not give; it asks—it requires; it is, Thou shalt do this—thou shalt not do that. And its requirements are such that no one but the perfect Man, Christ Jesus, has ever been able to keep it. All others have failed, and the result of their failure is that they are under a curse; as it is written, “Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of law to do them.” (Gal. 3:1010For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10).)
Are you ready to ask, Why did God give such a law—one that could not be obeyed—one that brought condemnation and death, instead of life and peace? He tells us that-it was to “prove” man —to show what was in him. “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” “I had not known sin, but by the law.” Maybe I can make this clearer to you by giving you a few illustrations. Light shining into a disorderly room manifests the condition of the room, but it will never bring order out of confusion. If you have a dirty spot on your face, you will see it by looking into the glass, but the looking-glass will never make your face clean. If a wall is crooked the carpenter will discover it by hanging his plumb line beside it, but the plumb-line will never set the wall straight. So it is that the law of God will show you have sin in your heart and sin in your life, but it will never give you life and righteousness. It takes something more than the plumb-line to make the wall straight; it takes something more than the looking-glass to make the face clean; it takes something more than the light to set the room in order. And it takes something more than the law to give life. It is of the utmost importance that this truth be grasped, for many, many people are trying to do good, and to be good in order to get everlasting life; but it is only to fail and be left under the curse.
There is a way of life—there is salvation for lost and guilty sinners, but it is outside the law.
If the Lord will, we will speak of this in another paper.
ML 07/12/1903