The Purpose of the Law

With all the confusion by the Jews over whether or not they needed to keep the Mosaic law, one might wonder why God gave the law in the first place. Galatians 3:17-20 has a very good answer. Paul points out that God made a covenant of grace with Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3). It wasn't until another 430 had passed that God brought about the law--and only "because of transgression" (verse 19). In other words, God knew the hearts of his people and that they needed to see their sins and their need for a Savior. Once "the Seed [Jesus] to whom the promise referred had come," the supervision of the law was no longer needed to point to a Savior. We have seen God's promises fulfilled and live by trusting in that redemption.