Romans 3:19-20, By the Law is the Knowledge of Sin

Romans 3:19-20 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Martin Luther said well, paraphrasing our text, that the function of the law is not to justify but to terrify. For by the law is the knowledge of sin, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. God gave Israel the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. It was amidst lightning and thundering, a fearsome sight. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. (Exodus 20:20) 

The law of God showed to Israel how inadequate they were in meeting the standard of God’s righteousness. How they failed miserably. Indeed, when we look at the Ten Commandments, it reminds us we are sinners needing our Saviour.  Apostle Paul concluded rightly the function of the law, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:24) It leads us to Jesus Christ, the One who would fulfil all righteousness on our behalf on the cross.

The first step toward a reconciliatory relationship with the living God of heaven, Jesus declared, is a poverty of spirit (Matthew 5:3) when we realise our spiritual bankruptcy. This yardstick for measurement is the Ten Commandments. And keeping the law of God is not a mere outward conformance but inwardly from the heart. A sincere desire to obey God’s law is insufficient strength to keep it, in reality. This was what Apostle Paul is leading his readers to understand – their spiritual bankruptcy.

And Jesus said, the next step is to mourn for our sins (Matthew 5:4). Realise our inadequacy to meet the law and surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ, that we may put on His righteousness. While Jesus was alive on earth, He fulfilled all the law on our behalf. Jesus kept all the law perfectly. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, He shed His blood and died on our behalf, to save us the judgement of God against sin which is eternity in hell fire. Three days after Jesus died, He rose from the dead victorious over sin and death to live forevermore. By faith in what Jesus Christ did on the cross, we receive salvation to be translated from hell from heaven.

What a glorious gospel we are told to proclaim. May we not be lack in the proclamation of it. Amen.