Galatians 3:24, "Wherefore 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."
Most people misunderstand the reason why God gave mankind “The Law.” God knew how sinful men were, but men didn't know how sinful men were. So God needed to show them; thus, God gave mankind His holy Law. The Ten Commandments are the benchmark of God Law. Mankind tried to keep God's Law and utterly failed. No man was able to obey all the Law... “For all have sinned” (Romans 3:23a).
The Apostle Paul reiterates the purpose of God's Law in Romans 7:13, “Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.” The Law shows mankind his inability to please God in his own self-righteousness. Mankind tried to keep God's Law and utterly failed. Mankind said, “God, we cannot keep these Laws, for we are inherently sinful and prone to wrath and rebellion.” God said, good, that's what I wanted you to realize, i.e., that you cannot perfectly keep my Law. God DIDN'T give us the Law to merit or work our way into Heaven. This is what many people foolishly believe. That is self-righteousness. No one can keep the whole Law of God. We all fall short of pleasing God in our own human effort.
The purpose of God's Law is to show men their hopeless sinful condition and consequent need for a Savior. Everyone has violated and broken God's Laws. We've all broken the Ten Commandments, and others, if only in our thoughts. Jesus said that hate and lust are equivalent to the sins of murder and adultery (Matthew 5:22, 28). John 8:7, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” No one is without sin.
Although the Ten Commandments are commonly considered “The Law,” God's Law includes the entire Law of God as recorded in the Old Testament. For example: There is no prohibition in the Ten Commandments against practicing witchcraft, but Exodus 22:18 condemns witchcraft as punishable by death in God's justice system. Modern apostate American society loathes the idea of such intolerance toward witches, Sodomites and abortionists (murderers); but the Bible condemns them all to Hell, as It does all of us sinners (Romans 3:23). Jesus Christ is man's only hope, sin's only remedy and the only way to Heaven.
The False Teaching of Tolerance
The false teaching of tolerance goes totally contrary to the Scriptures, which requires Christian believers to be INTOLERANT towards evil (Psalm 97:10), and to separate from those who commit evil (2nd Corinthians 6:14-17). That is not to say that we should be unkind to anyone, it just means that we are not to accept the sinful lifestyle of the wicked, nor honor them, nor willingly allow them to influence our children, nor have close associations with them, nor marry them, et cetera. We are to reprove every work of darkness (Ephesians 5:11). Television glamorizes sinful works of darkness; but the Bible tells us to reprove, i.e., to expose, them for the evil they are. The best way to expose the darkness is to shine the Light of God's Word upon everything.
People need to stop listening to quacks like Oprah, Dr. Phil and other so-called “experts,” and instead SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES as Jesus commanded in John 5:39. The truth us that modern society has become intolerant towards God and the Bible... “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” (2nd Timothy 4:3).
Jesus was only a Friend of sinners in that He was willing to reach out to them with the Gospel. He did not condemn them (John 3:16-18). Yet, Jesus DIDN'T support their wickedness either. Hebrews 1:9 tells us that Jesus hated iniquity.
This life will be over before we know it and all that will matter then is what we did with God and His Word. Religion is NOT the answer. Self-sacrifice is NOT the answer. Changing one's life for the better is NOT the answer. You MUST be BORN-AGAIN as Jesus told Nicodemus.
We are sinners, and the Bible indicts all of us as having violated God's holy Law. Thankfully, God in His mercifulness has provided a way of escape from the judgment and condemnation we deserve. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, paid our sin debt with His own precious blood. We are saved simply by acknowledging our debt of sin and trusting upon Jesus as the Christ to forgive our sins. He is the Savior, we are the sinners. It's that simple. Salvation is of the Lord alone. We have no part in God's salvation, except to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:30,31). God does the rest.
“And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness” (1st John 5:19).
