ALONE WITH GOD------

Since the law provided a curse for disobedience and a blessing for keeping it, we may well ask, "Why did God give the law if the people could not keep it?" The answer to this important question is found in Gal. 3:19, which says, "Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made." This means that the law was given to bring conviction for sin. To be "added because of transgressions" does not mean that the law was added as a punishment or to make people more sinful than they were formerly. It was given to make people more aware of their sins. The preaching of the gospel has the same effect today in bringing conviction for sin. The gospel points us to a Saviour however, whereas the law condemned, except in so far as atonement was provided in blood sacrifice.

Gal. 3:23 says, "But before faith came, we were kept under the law shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed." Even the condemnation and conviction, which the law produced had its beneficial and merciful side. The law imprisoned, as it were, on every side except that of faith--transgressors were "shut up unto faith." In other words, the only way they could escape the penalty of the broken law was through faith. This of course was our heavenly Father's all wise design, because faith pointed the way to Christ.

Next we turn to Gal. 3:24, "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith." Here again the merciful side of the law is beautifully portrayed. Concerning the duty of a schoolmaster in olden days a New Standard Bible Dictionary has this to say: "The task of taking children to school primarily devolved upon the parent but in certain communities the fear that on account of luke-warmness the parents might neglect this duty led to the choice of special officials to perform it. This servant was called the "child-conductor" or "schoolmaster." You will observe then that the schoolmaster's responsibility was to take the child to the teacher or instructor. Once the child was delivered to the care of the instructor, the responsibility of the schoolmaster, or slave servant, ceased. This is what Paul inferred when he said, "the law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ." It served in similar fashion to that of the slave servant, but once it introduced the individual to Christ, the law had fulfilled its mission and was no longer in charge. It was superseded by grace in Christ.

Grace Manifested Through the Law. The same argument is found in Romans chapter 7. In verse 7 Paul asks, "Is the law sin?" Then he answers, "Nay, I had not known sin but by the law." The law did not make sin but it made sin known. It brought about the knowledge of the conviction for sin. In verses 12, 14 Paul declares, "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. For we know the law is spiritual." The law condemned without giving power to live above sin, but at the same time, the offender was pointed to a Saviour who was to dome. Faith in God, which was implicit faith in this coming Saviour, gave the believers of the Old Testament a testimony like David's, who said, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered" Psa. 32.1.

The ultimate purpose of the law was to make men righteous. In order to accomplish this end it condemned men for unrighteousness and disobedience to God's commands, and there was no escape except turning to God in faith for mercy and pardon. Paul declared, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." The law, therefore, has no claim now upon those who put their faith in Christ. Notice the beautiful harmony of the plan of salvation. It is faith rather than the flesh that counted, even under the law. Under grace we see Jews and Gentiles, Greeks and barbarians, bond and free, all included in one blessed fellowship of faith possessed of one Spirit.

Relation of the Law to the Gospel. The law had the same relation to the gospel as a foundation has to a magnificent building. This parallel is beautifully portrayed in Eph. 2:11-20. Without the law the gospel was not possible, but law without gospel was incomplete. Grace sets a person free from the law the same as memory sets a musician free from the notes of his music. The power of memory and the force of habit enable a player to cease depending upon reading the notes, for he has the music in him. The harmony he produces is the same, for it is the result of being bound by a higher law, namely that of memory, or the musical nature. In the same manner when we turn to Christ, His law is written on our hearts and we yield obedience through being bound to Him by the higher law of love. In that sense Christ is the end of the law. The worthy aim of the law was righteousness and that purpose is gloriously fulfilled in those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. For that reason the outer law was done away with when Christ came. Her. 8:7-13.