“By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:20,23).

Among the most precious doctrines in all of the Bible is that “no man is justified by the law in the sight of God . . . [Yet] Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law” (Galatians 3:11,13). Likewise, among the most precious hymns is Philip P. Bliss’ “Free From the Law, O Happy Condition.” Its thrilling words help us focus on the Biblical truth.

Free from the law, O happy condition, Jesus hath bled, and there is remission; Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall, Grace hath redeemed us once for all.

The law served a necessary function. As we see in our text, its unreachable standard fully exposed our sinfulness and need for a Savior, Christ Jesus, “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

God’s holiness allows no sin in His presence, but “God commendeth His love for us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Once accomplished, this undeserved death could be applied to the deserved penalty of sinners. “God hath set forth (Christ’s death) to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of (our) sins” (Romans 3:25).

Under the law we were cursed, for “cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (Galatians 3:10). Only when dressed in His righteousness can we be admitted into His presence.

Best of all, this work of Christ on our behalf is permanent. Neither we nor He need be punished again. “We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). JDM