Why did the law give no freedom and why was it contrary to us?
The law gave no freedom because human nature was always bumping against its ordinances, which were against us and contrary to us. Christ took the handwriting of ordinances out of the way by nailing it to His Cross, ending the law. Believers are no longer under its binding power, though still under its moral code.
Les explains that there was no freedom under the law because human nature was always bumping them; the ordinances were contrary to us. Christ took it out of the way by nailing it to His Cross, and that finished it—the Cross was the end of the Law. This is why so much preaching and teaching remains in the area before the Cross, and why people can hang on to legalism and the commandments without recognizing that the Cross completely finished it. The Lord nailed those things, including the Ten, to the Cross, so we are not under their binding power; yet we still live under the moral code of the Ten. Romans 13 shows they still have a valid role in our Christian experience, but not as a religious dogma.
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;