The giving of the Law through Moses was not a past era neatly segmented into a dispensational chart to be shelved. The Law given was and is God’s standard for righteousness. Sadly, all have fallen short in keeping them. “There is none righteous, no not one.” Rom. 3:10. And “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Rom. 3:20. Neither Moses, Abraham, or Jacob obtained favor (grace) from God by keeping the Law. They failed. Peter, Paul and James also failed. The testimony of the apostle Peter, by the Spirit of God, echoes today: “why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” Acts 15:10.
Great news! The Lord Jesus Christ came, not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. In him, we become the righteousness of God. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Eph. 2:8-9. The Lord Jesus said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jn. 3:3. Abraham was born again looking forward, by faith, to God’s favor through the Messiah, The Lord Jesus Christ. All believers after The Cross, are born again looking back, by faith, to God’s favor displayed at Calvary and the tomb.
The Law given through Moses was never intended to impart salvation to anyone, and as stated before, will never able to do. “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made;” Gal. 3:19.
“. . . The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” Gal. 3:24-25. The law of God was, and still is God’s standard for righteousness that exposes our sinful hearts and leads us to repentance of our sin and the belief in the gospel of The Lord Jesus.
“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” Gal. 5:4-5. If we must keep the law to be saved, how then is your record? have you kept ALL? Are you guilty of breaking one?
Listen to the apostle Paul’s conclusion of the religious person who tries to keep the law for salvation: “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” Rom. 7:21-25.
Being born again through Christ, we are now called upon to “walk by faith and not by sight.” For, “without faith, it is impossible to please God. Being born again, we do not continue in sin. “We not only have a new relationship with God, but also a new relationship with sin.” We do not sin willfully! God’s seed remains in us. If we sin willfully and continue living in sin, we don’t know God. Believers in Christ are called upon to worship the Lord everyday and not one day. “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”