The Law Cannot Save Us
Published on: February 9, 2025
Introduction
The law of God is holy, righteous, and good (Romans 7:12), but it was never intended to be a means of salvation. Rather, it serves to reveal sin and our need for a Savior.
The Purpose of the Law
As stated previously, the law acts as a mirror, showing us our sinful nature but offering no power to save.
| Purpose | Scripture |
|---|---|
| Reveals Sin | "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20) |
| Brings Awareness of Sin | "I would not have known what sin was except through the law." (Romans 7:7) |
| Declares Guilt | "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it." (James 2:10) |
The Ten Commandments and the Conscience
The Ten Commandments serve to convict us of our sin by exposing the state of our conscience before God. Wisely consider how these laws apply personally:
- You shall have no other gods before Me. – Have you always put God first, even above yourself?
- You shall not make for yourself an idol. – Have you ever valued anything more than God, such as money, status, or personal desires?
- You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain. – Have you ever used God's name carelessly or as a curse?
- Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. – Have you always dedicated time to worship and honor God?
- Honor your father and mother. – Have you ever disrespected or disobeyed your parents?
- You shall not murder. – Jesus said hatred is equal to murder in the heart (Matthew 5:21-22). Have you ever hated someone?
- You shall not commit adultery. – Jesus said that looking at someone with lust is committing adultery in the heart (Matthew 5:27-28). Have you looked at pornography or desired someone other than your spouse?
- You shall not steal. – Have you ever taken something that doesn’t belong to you, no matter how small?
- You shall not bear false witness. – Have you ever lied, even a small white lie?
- You shall not covet. – Have you ever been jealous of someone else’s possessions, relationships, or success?
Now ask yourself honestly: What does this make you?
- I am a liar.
- I am a thief.
- I am an adulterer.
- I am a blasphemer.
- I am guilty before God.
- I the writer am also guilty and in need of Saving I am not good enough. I was once a liar, a thief an adulterer, a blasphemer, and I stood guilty before God. I would be a hypocrite to say otherwise.
The Law Condemns but Cannot Save
| The Fate of Sinners | Scripture |
|---|---|
| No Liars, Fornicators, or the Unrighteous | "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) |
| No Place for Liars | "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8) |
The Law Condemns but Cannot Save
The law brings condemnation because it demands perfect obedience, which no one can achieve.
| The Law’s Verdict | Scripture |
|---|---|
| The Wages of Sin | "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) |
| The Curse of the Law | "For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, 'Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.'" (Galatians 3:10) |
| No Justification by the Law | "Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ." (Galatians 2:16) |
Conclusion
The law exposes our sin removing the blinders of darkness, but it cannot save us.