For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

Romans 3:20

One of the greatest challenges faces the Church and followers of Christ is a dependence on the Scripture. One of the ways churches move toward apostacy is first by letting go of the authority of the Bible in the daily life of the believer.

Paul disagreed. In the verse above from Pual’s letter to the Romans, we read Paul’s view as to the intention of the Old Testament Law to reveal to us just how lost we are without Christ. Paul goes on to describe the sin of coveting –

In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”  But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power.

Romans 7:7b-8

The point of the Law is to point us to what Paul refers to as “godly grief” and repentance.

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

2 Corinthians 7:10

How has God’s law pointed you toward repentance?