October 6, 2024

The Old Man, as the Husband, Needing to Be Exposed

Words of Ministry

The law was given that the old man might be exposed. People make a great mistake when they think that God gave man the law that he might keep it. On the contrary, God gave the law to man that he might break it and that, by breaking it, he might be completely exposed. This thought is scriptural. Romans 3:20 says, "by law is knowledge of sin." The law gives us the knowledge of sin. Moreover, Romans 4:15 says, "where no law is, neither is there transgression." You may think that the law prevents transgression, but this verse says that the law exposes transgression. You may say, "I will not try to break the law." Whether you want to break the law or not means nothing, for you will break the law. You cannot help but break the law. The law says, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Although you may try to love your neighbor, you cannot do it. Even the children in school cannot love their classmates as themselves. Everyone...has broken and continues to break at least one of the ten commandments. Who can keep the law? No one. According to Romans 7:7, we would not have known sin except through the law. In this verse Paul says that he would not have known coveting except the law had said, "You shall not covet." As a summary we may say that the law works that the offense might abound. Once the offense abounds, the law exposes it as sin. In this way the law leads us to the knowledge of sin. (Continued tomorrow)