Was the law given so that men by keeping it could make themselves acceptable to the Lord? What do the Scriptures say? "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Galatians 3:24). None can be saved by obedience to the law. "By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God: for by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:20). The law was given to expose our guilt and make it evident to us that salvation by works is utterly impossible. "It must be perfect to be accepted" is the declaration of the law (Leviticus 22:21). God will not accept the best we can do. Jehovah demands perfection, and He will settle for nothing less!
What then is the ministry of the law when directed to a sinner's heart by the Spirit of the Lord? Like a stern and merciless tutor, it cracks the whip and teaches us that we are thoroughly vile and can by no means please God by our deeds. It is like a violent storm with terrifying wind that drives the sinner to the grace-provided Harbor, the Lord Jesus Christ. He honored the law in His life and in His death satisfied the penalty of our violations of the law. When we are led to believe on the Son of God for all of our righteousness before God, the law is finished with us. It has fully served its purpose with regards to us and so we read, "But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster" (Galatians 3:25).