What was the old Law like for the people under it?
The old Law functioned as cold stone: severe, condemning, and powerless to help anyone obey it. Though perfect, it had no power to clean or change the sinner. Like a mirror, it exposed what was wrong but could not reach out and clean the person.
Les explains that the Law just sat there in cold stone; there was nothing warm or cuddly about it. It was severe, it condemned, and it did nothing to help the person keep it. Though the Ten Commandments were perfect, the Law was weak and had no power. Les uses the mirror illustration: a mirror shows the sweat and grime and what needs cleaning, but it cannot reach out and clean you. That was the Law. By contrast, the indwelling Holy Spirit is warm, loving, embraces and cuddles us, and gives the desire to live pleasing in God's sight, taking away the desire to rebel.