Will keeping the commandments earn you enough favor to get into heaven?
No. Commandment-keeping does not provide enough favor for entrance into heaven. The law was given to Israel, yet its influence reaches all people so every mouth is stopped and all the world becomes guilty before God. By deeds of the law no flesh is justified; the law's one function is to show mankind how sinful they are.
Les explains that the law—the Ten Commandments—was given directly to the nation of Israel, not to the Gentile world, but because it is the Law of the sovereign Creator God, its influence extends to the ends of the earth. The result is that every mouth is stopped, and all the world—Jew and Gentile—become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the Law, by law-keeping or works, no flesh shall be justified in His sight. The law has only one function: to show mankind how sinful they really are. People may think that by keeping the commandments they are making brownie points and that God will someday let them slip in under the door, but Les says it will not work that way. The law was not given for that purpose.