Romans 4:13-15 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
If we could be made righteous by the law, then there is no place for faith. Obeying the law is important, but it should come as the result of faith and is the guide for faith. Trying to keep the law leads to failure because of the power of sin within us. Since Abraham lived before the law was given through Moses, and since he was considered righteous because of his faith, then we too must follow this same sequence. Faith comes first, and then the law as the guide. Paul re-evaluates the law also and puts it through the filter of Christ and shows that the law is summed up with the word “love.” Faith is meaningless if we can be justified by our own ability to keep the law. If we are honest with ourselves, we will realize that we do not measure up to God’s expectations of holiness. We all have selfishness, hatred, envy, lust, and many other secret sins that indicate the brokenness inside. We need the help of God to change our hearts of stones into hearts of flesh. The law only shows how sinful and depraved we are. The law reveals sin. We would not know that a particular action or thought is sinful unless the law says so. The Bible reveals God’s laws. The laws written on the conscience of those who have not read the Bible are consistent with and found in the Bible. I have concluded that life is dynamic and not easily categorized or analyzed. People are creative in their rebellion, pride, and selfishness. We must be honest with ourselves and see that God’s response of justice is wrath. There is an option and a solution to God’s wrath found in faith.
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