Therefore by the deeds of
the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the
knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20
Beloved, understanding the
purpose of the law is critical to your relationship with God. He gave the law
for one purpose: that you would have the knowledge of sin and recognize your
need for a Savior.
Without the law, there
would be no sin (Rom. 4:15). For example, if there is no law on how fast you
can drive on a particular road, that is, if there is no speed limit, the state
trooper cannot stop you and give you a ticket for speeding. In simple terms, no
law equals no sin. No recognition of sin equals no need for a Savior!
The law was thus given to
bring man to the end of himself so that in his despair, he would see his need
for Jesus. Because of the law, no man can say that he is not a sinner and no
man can say that he doesn’t need Jesus. That is the purpose of the law. It was
not designed to make you godly, but to expose your ungodliness.
What the devil wants to do
is keep the law over your head all the time so that you constantly feel
condemned and guilty. That is how he keeps you trapped in a cycle of defeat.
The devil is the master legalist who constantly reminds you of how unworthy you
are of God’s blessings. Known as the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10), here
are some of his common attacks:
You call yourself a
Christian?
You are a hypocrite!
Forget about praying. God
will never listen to your prayers.
Look at your life. How dare
you step into church?
My friend, these are lies,
all lies! The devil is using the law to make you conscious of all your
shortcomings. But through Jesus Christ, you are no longer under the
condemnation of the law. The devil has been disarmed by the power of the cross!
Jesus, who knew no sin, was condemned on your behalf on the cross. Through
Jesus Christ, you are now made righteous apart from the works of the law. So
when you hear the voice of the accuser condemning you, remind yourself that you
are the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). Declare it out
loud! Come on, say it with me three times, each time louder than the first:
I am the righteousness of
God in Jesus Christ!
I am the righteousness of
God in Jesus Christ!
I am the righteousness of
God in Jesus Christ!
Righteousness is a gift. It is not a reward for perfect obedience to the law. You are clothed today not in your own righteousness, which is self-righteousness, but with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. God sees you as righteous as Jesus Himself. This is your permanent, eternal standing before Him because of what Christ has done for you. (Article & Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince Ministries used with kind permission).
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