ROMANS UNWRAPPED 168

"For Moses describes the righteousness of the law, that THE MAN WHO DOES THOSE THINGS SHALL LIVE BY THEM.   Romans 10v5

In verses 5 - 11 Paul now establishes the difference between "the righteousness of the law" and "the righteousness which is of faith."   He says, concerning the righteousness of the law that the man who does the law, i.e. the commandments of the law shall live by them.   In other words were we to obey the law in the spirit and in the letter for every command of God we would live; we would match up to God's standard.   Nothing short of that will do.   We are dealing with a God of perfection who will not lower His standards for anyone.   Indeed He cannot, otherwise He would cease to be God.   Here are the terms of the law.

• Leviticus 18v4-5  - "Ye shall do My judgements and keep Mine ordnances to walk therein: I am the Lord your God.   Ye shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgements, which if a man do he shall live in them: I am the Lord."
• Nehemiah 9v29   -  "Thou didst testify against them, to bring them again to Thy law, yet they dealt proudly, and harkened not to Thy commandments but sinned against Thy judgements (WHICH IF A MAN DO HE SHALL LIVE IN THEM).
• James 2v8-10   -   "If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scriptures THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF, ye do well, but if you have respect of persons you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors, for whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all.

The terms are clear.   The law of righteousness, as given to Israel through Moses, demanded complete obedience to both the letter and the spirit of the law.   Moses contended in Deuteronomy 30v11-14 .   He clearly says that there was no need to search high and low for the law, which would save them, for God had brought it near to them; so near, that it was in their mouth and in their heart.   God brought it as close to them as it was possible to be; however history proved it to be impossible.   The law was given by God to declare His righteous and morals standards, if man and God are ever to be reconciled: but NEVER could the law have saved mankind, and it was never intended to do so, but rather to prove beyond any doubt that it was not possible, and so Christ must come.  

The law was introduced as a standard to expose the sin of man, not as a means of salvation (Romans 5v20).   Paul now transfers the teaching of Deuteronomy chapter 30 over to the present day under God's righteousness.   He substitutes the word "commandment" in Deuteronomy 30v11 for "Christ" in Romans chapter 10.   Only Christ kept the law in its every aspect both in the letter and in the spirit (Matthew 5v 17-18).   Only Christ satisfied the demands of a holy God.   Only Christ can save us, no one else.   Christ is the end of the law UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS, because He alone met the demands of the law as a human being in this world.   How is all this made good to us?   By FAITH, by believing, by trusting what God says; and what God says is that only the righteousness which comes from faith in Christ can save us .   Not what anyone can do, but what Christ has done: so there is nothing left to do, only believe: as the hymn writer put it,

"Not the labour of my hands, can fulfill Thy laws demands,

Could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow,

All for sin could not atone, Thou must save,

And Thou alone".