Why can't anyone be justified by keeping the law?
No one can be justified by keeping the law because the law makes every person guilty before God, both Jew and Gentile. The Mosaic Ten Commandments do not produce righteousness; they bring the knowledge of sin. Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight.
Les explains that the law speaks to those under the law, the whole system and nation of Israel, but it does not stop there. Every mouth is included—Jew and Gentile, rich and poor—and all are under the law's demand. The world does not become righteous by law-keeping; it becomes guilty before God. Since the law, the Mosaic Ten Commandments, makes everyone guilty, by the deeds or keeping of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight. Its purpose is to give the knowledge of sin.
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
More Questions
Why can't a person be justified by the deeds of the law?
Doing the law's deeds cannot justify anyone in God's sight because the law gives knowledge of sin, not knowledge of salvation or a way to heaven.
Why can no one be saved by the law?
No one can be saved or justified by keeping the law, because Paul states that by the deeds of the law no flesh is justified and the law could not bring anyone into salvation.