The Object of the Law
See the object for which God gave the Law. First, it was given so that people might understand God’s definition of sin. We read in Rom.3: 20, “” Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
Secondly, the law was given to us to understand God’s holiness. “Now we know that what things so ever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” Romans 3: 19.The law was there and they knew right from wrong, but when they tried not to commit sin, they failed and had to admit that not a single person had the strength or human energy to obey and fulfill what God said and thus the whole world became guilty, and every mouth was stopped before God.
I could walk through the streets of a city with simple innocent, shy faces, saying I am a good man; nobody had heard me quarrelling or telling lies, or seen me steeling and people may believe me. But when I sand before God and say that, God’s hand will shut my mouth and say, “ How dare you say so. Look at yourself and My standard of holiness.” I can deceive men but not God. Thus the law enables men to understand God’s holiness.
How did that happen? Moses went on the mount and a great fire from heaven came on the Mount; there was an earthquake and nobody dared to go near. When they saw the fire they trembled and said, “God is Holy, He is a consuming fire.” If they dared to go near where God was speaking, they would have been consumed and reduced to ashes. If that fire was so holy that nobody dared to go near it, how dare you come near the fire of God? That was a glimpse of God’s holiness and God says, “ compare yourself with that sight, look at your hands and feet and say you are holy, and then come near my fire.” Nobody was followed to go up the Mount except Moses. Thus the mouth of every man was stopped.
Thirdly the law was given to help us to know how terrible sin is. “Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin that it might appear sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful”. Rom.7: 13. The law was given to make sin still more sinful. In other words, to help us to understand how dangerous, destructive and horrible sin is.
Centuries ago, people had no knowledge of the tuberculosis bacilli because they were invisible to the naked eye. When a person coughed excessively they thought he was possessed with an evil spirit and used magical means to remove it. But with the invention of the microscope, by which even the tiniest germ is visible, people have been warned of the damage, and the destruction caused by these bacilli.
Those who have been careless are now extremely careful, and take precautions not to intentionally go near the person who has the disease.
We think so lightly of sin and say, “Oh, it is only a thought, only a desire only friendship, only affection, only a little association not much.” But the Lord tells us how dangerous a small thought is. How much destruction has been brought into homes and lives by one thought! How much darkness by one dark step! The law was given for that purpose, to make sin look exceedingly sinful.
Fourthly, the law was given to bring to Christ as we read in Gal.3: 24, “Wherefore the law was our school master to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” There is no salvation in the law. It cannot make any body righteous or bring him near to God. The law i.e. all the sacrifices offered, circumcision and commandments, prepared and trained the people like a schoolmaster for Lord Jesus Christ, and when He came, there was no longer any need for schoolmaster. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth ” Rom.10: 4. Christ is THE END of THE LAW. How clear God’s Word is, that when the Lord Jesus Christ came He put an end to Law. Now we are no longer under circumcision, Sabbath or Sacrifices, we have come under grace. It is not by doing something that we become righteous, but by believing. These Seventh Day Adventists come under God’s Judgment for changing the word of God.