Daily Devotions
Hebrews
"The law made nothing perfect..."
Text: Hebrews 7:19
NOT CRITICISING THE LAW
The following text must be read carefully, lest we misunderstand the author of Hebrews as one writing to criticize the law.
“For the law made nothing perfect…”
Hebrews 7:19a
This understanding of the law was not peculiar to the author of Hebrews. Another New Testament writer who held the same view was the apostle Paul. He would be in full agreement with the above statement.
1. The law made nothing perfect
a) This was a fact that cannot be denied.
b) No one has ever kept the laws of God perfectly (except Jesus).
c) The law was given for the following reasons (except to make a thing perfect).
The following may be highlighted:-
i) To regulate society and allow it to be governed by Divine justice.
ii) To rein in sin (and its many excesses).
iii) To reach man’s heart so that he can have a proper regard for God.
d) The punitive aspect is part and parcel of the law.
i) Where man sins he would be held accountable.
ii) The law cannot but exact its due.
2. A Pauline contribution to our understanding of the law
a) A man cannot be justified before God by the works of the law (Cf. Galatians 2:16).
b) There are curses attached to the law (which can befall a breaker of the law)
(Cf. Galatians 3:10).
c) The law was meant primarily to function as a tutor leading us to Christ (Cf. Galatians 3:24)
IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD
In the kingdom of God, Jesus is King of righteousness and He can impute that righteousness to all who believe in Him! What a difference!