What is the purpose of the Law, anyway? 

A few years ago, a local politician began to hold the Ten Commandments up as if to say he was fighting for God. It was, in reality, just grandstand-ing. God’s Word ought never be used to gain an office but rather to save a lost world. So many have said, “You, in the church, do not believe in the Old Testament, do you?” It is the fact that sometimes we do not know how to answer a person when that person says they live by the law of the Ten Commandments. Let’s take time to explore that idea today. 

As we study Romans 15:4 we come face to face with this truth: the Old Testament, including the Ten Commandments, is valuable. That Old Law is a reminder of God and His love and compassion. We read those pages and learn from those examples. However, the Old Testament does have weaknesses. In Hebrews 10:1-4, we read that Old Law did not REMOVE sin. In Galatians 3:12 Paul writes the Old Law could not justify man before God. We must understand the fact that the Old Testament was not possible to redeem the sin of mankind because THE SACRIFICE WAS INFERIOR. It is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away the guilt of man’s sin because the sacrifice is not equal to the sinner. 

While the Old Law had weaknesses, it did have and fulfill its God-given purpose. The duty of the Old Testament was to serve us as a tutor and lead mankind to Jesus (Galatians 3:24-25). With that Law, mankind was reminded of the horror and consequences of sin (Romans 3:20). That Old Testament also demonstrates to us that the law is holy because that Law was given to mankind by the holy and mighty God. 

We need to really understand this fact: All of mankind, EVERYONE, is no longer under the Old Law. By no longer being under that Law, man is now under the authority of the New Law. In Colossians 2:13-17, we are told by God that the Old Law was crucified with Christ. We are now living and we will be judged by the New Covenant. 

In Exodus 20, when God gave His handwritten Law to Moses, that Law was a place holder until the perfect sacrifice would be made and that perfect Law was instated.