Why was the law unable to do what it should according to Romans 8:3?
The law was unable because it was weak through the flesh; its weakness came from the fleshly side, from man’s point of view. The law itself was righteous and, from God’s standpoint, perfect, but the flesh prevented it from accomplishing what it should.
Les explains that Romans 8:3 says the law could not do what it should because “it was weak through the flesh.” The problem was not the law; Les notes that the law was righteous and, from God’s point of view, perfect. Its inability came “from the fleshly side, from man’s point of view.” In the same verse, God sent His own Son “in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin” to take the place of the old Adam, so that we could be crucified with Him and old Adam condemned in the flesh. Les also reminds listeners that in Romans, singular “sin” usually means the old Adam, the Adamic sinful nature, while plural “sins” are the things old Adam causes us to do.
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
More Questions
Why could the law not do what was needed according to Romans 8?
The law was perfect from God's point of view, but it was weak through the flesh—weak from man's point of view—which is why it could not do what was needed.
Why could the law not do what God required?
What the law could not do, it could not do because it was weak from the fleshly side, from man's point of view.