ROMANS 10:1-5 THE END Since the time of the giving of the law at Mount Sinai, Israelites have been seeking to justify themselves by keeping those demands in order to establish their own righteousness before God. They misused it by claiming, in essence, it to be a rule of life, missing the whole point of it. It was given to plainly reveal sin. In the zeal of many then, and some today, they have missed its real purpose. "By the law is the knowledge of sin." People then and now are way underestimating the holiness and righteousness of God. They have a faint grasp of what righteousness is in their own eyes, and miss the perfection and absolute holiness of God that the law demands. If we could even conceive in our minds some way what the unsullied light of Divine Persons is, we would never raise our heads or open our eyes.
Jews were very zealous in the past of fulfilling their own conception of the law's demands even to the point of dying for their convictions. That which was given to them was a temporary means of making them face, as a people, the problem of their own sin which their privileged position did not deal with. It condemned them to death so that the honest seeker would turn to God alone for righteousness and acceptance. They needed the new birth the Holy Spirit gives when they would learn "it is God that justifies."
When Christ came, "born under the law to redeem us (Jews) who were under the law," He himself took the place of the law. The law made its statements, but the Lord Jesus Christ clarified them when He said, "But I say unto you..." as He told the nation of His people when He fulfilled the laws demands. Christ is our righteousness - not the law nor our efforts to keep it. He brought the law to its conclusion, even for the Jews to whom it was given. The law has no more meaning or purpose now that Christ has died, been buried and risen again. The law revealed sin. Now Christ reveals not only the true reality of sin but the terrible consequences of sin in His death. The law warned of consequences; the death of Christ put those consequences right out in plain sight so the people could see that God "spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all." "The flames of hell" got hold of Him. Many other descriptions are given as to the results of sin. However, when a repentant sinner sees what Christ has done, and as a guilty sinner appreciates the fact that "Christ died for our sins," then the fullness of Christ's sacrifice makes the law seem pale and of no value - which is true.
The Law is finished. People knew they were sinners before the law was given. There were many generations of Abraham's seed who lived and died before the law was given who knew the consequences of sin, let alone what sin is. The giving of the law in the wilderness, didn't make the law. That was given so the nation would see that God was gracious and merciful toward them as a chosen people. Once Christ came and died on the cross for sin, the law of commandments and ordinances was finished, even for the Jews. His death, burial and resurrection marked the end of the law for righteousness. The standard now is the perfections of Christ Himself to which we can never attain to in the flesh. But because "Christ died for our sins" He is able to, and wants to, bless us with His own righteousness as a gift of His grace. The law that came alongside, has no living, vital life like we have been given in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit within and guiding us makes the law-principle of no value to guide the Jews, much less we Gentiles who were outside the law.
It was given by God to a discontented group of people who were slaves. And by clarifying words unmistakable, the commands of God He gave - Which were broken even before from the mountain Moses descended - Many generations later, as the result of Christ's death, the law's purpose was ended.
The standard of holiness we can see is the perfections of Christ Himself. The law fades into insignificance before Him, in essence it is put on a shelf. There is a consciousness of sin no doubt, when the words of the law we read. But the reality of sin and its consequences come clear when to Christ we give heed.
His life was perfect, His death was the cost that we might be righteous in Him. The law perhaps made us conscious of the problem, but couldn't bring an end to sin. Now in the risen and glorified Lord, we are able before God to live - Not because of the law in any way, but because of the life our Lord was willing to give.
To try and do what God has already done is a kind of great insult. That would indicate that in some way, Christ's death didn't bring the desired result. Christ has brought an end to the law; God's righteousness is given only through Him. Those who in faith trust Him alone, are those God saves from their sin.
"Father, with unreserved trust in the work of Christ alone, I find myself blessed indeed without any fear of breaking Thy law given to the Jews. May the Jews who are still in blindness seek the Lord Jesus Christ, and may the time when there is peace in Jerusalem soon come. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."