The Law Clarified Sin

The Mosaic Law was given to Jews, not Gentiles, by God through Moses at Mount Sinai. The Jews being a specific, earthly nation chosen and set apart by God.

The Church at its beginning was primarily Jewish. Some of the new believers at that time were confused in their understanding of the Gospel. They thought that Gentiles who became saved by hearing and believing the Gospel were still obligated to live under the Mosaic Law. The issue was settled at the Jerusalem council as recorded in Acts 15. No one is justified nor sanctified by keeping neither the whole Law nor any part of the Law. Some of the moral provisions of the Law were repeated in the teaching of Christ and by New Testament writers. These teachings church age believers are obligated to obey.

As Paul writes in this section of his letter, he is identifying himself with the nation of Israel that he was ethnically a member of. He is making the point that the Law clarified what sin was and what the impact of being under the Law was. The Law brought greater responsibility and greater judgment, not salvation. God's means of salvation was, and is, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.