“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin” (Romans 3:20).
This statement clearly sums up how the apostle Paul viewed the law. It doesn’t make us righteous but it does diagnose our sinful condition. This is an important lesson for anyone who depends on his or her behavior for salvation. Keeping the Ten Commandments is not the path to salvation for anyone. It reveals our need for salvation.
My wife, Gwen, broke her ankle in three places when she fell down the stairs in our house. She went to the emergency room and they took x-rays of her ankle. Then the doctor showed us pictures of her broken bones. The x-rays didn’t heal her, they showed us that she needed surgery.
The doctor then performed surgery and reset the broken bones, using metal screws and plates. The law is x-ray that shows us how much we need healing. Jesus is the Great Physician who makes us well. It’s great to read the Ten Commandments but don’t stop there. Continue from there to the Cross where Jesus died to save us from all our failures to keep the law. It is faith in Christ that produces the righteousness God desires from us.
