Covenant (17) Purpose 7: Conviction of Sin

God used the law to remind his people of their sinfulness.

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin (Rom 3:20).

Before the law was given there could be debate about what God required. People could claim that what they were doing was acceptable.

To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command (Rom 5:13-14).

Once some sins were specified in black and white in the written law, the ability to claim innocence was gone.

The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase (Rom 1:20).

It was not that the law made people sin more, unless they were rebellious and wanted to push the boundary. The law made it clear that all people had sinned. The daily sacrifices were a constant reminder that everyone had sinned and needed forgiveness.

The condemning role of the law is now complete, because Jesus has already satisfied the righteous requirements of the law to set us free from the law of sin and death.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Rom 8:1-4).

The Holy Spirit has now been poured out on the people of God, which gives him much greater freedom to work in the world. He has taken over responsibility for convicting people of sin, so the law no longer has this role.

And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8).