Application of the Law of God to Man

"And the moral law is necessary in order to the development of

character according to man's nature and relations. Where there is no law, says the scripture, there is no transgression; and it is equally true that where there is no law there is no obedience. 

Therefore without law there can be no character developed, either good or bad. If God had given man no law, he might just as well have made him an unreasoning creature, for he could have formed no more character than the brutes.
 

Noah was righteous before God, while the wickedness of the people was great, and the thoughts of their hearts were only evil. Gen. 6:5; 7:1. 

Lot also was righteous, while the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners exceedingly. Gen. 13:13. 

Of course Noah and Lot did righteousness, while the people around them transgressed the law of God; for they were sinners, and sin is the transgression of the law, and "sin is not imputed where there is no law." Rom. 5:13. 

 

But their sins were imputed to them. Peter says that the righteous soul of Lot was vexed with the "unlawful deeds" of the men of Sodom. 2 Peter 2:6-8. 

Abraham kept the law of God, even all his commandments. After speaking of the fact that all nations were to be blessed in him, Paul adds:--
"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ." Gal. 3:13, 14.

In this scripture we notice these points: 

1. Christ does not redeem us from the law, but from its curse; and the curse falls only on the transgressor. Therefore all who have an interest in the redemption of Christ, are amenable to the law of
God, and are transgressors of the law. 

--Christ came to call sinners to repentance--

 2. This redemption is in order that the Gentiles, or all nations, may receive the blessing of Abraham. And this again proves that the curse of the law rests on the Gentiles.

 

The same law that Abraham kept, was afterward declared to Israel at Sinai.
The covenant with Abraham embraced these two main points, namely:

1. The promise of the land to him and to his seed. 

2. The promise was given to him because he kept the commandments of God. 

In other words, the promises were conditional, the condition being the law of God."

Joseph Waggoner