What does the Law give to a person?
The Law gives a person the knowledge of sin. It convicts them of their utter sinfulness, stops every mouth, and makes all the world guilty before God. It was given to show mankind how far they fall short of God's standard, not to help them do right or be saved.
Les explains that only Israel was put under the Law, but the convicting power of the Law did not stop with Israel; it went out to the whole human race. Quoting Galatians chapter 3, he notes that the Law stops every mouth and makes all the world guilty before God. This is the exact opposite of what most people think. Many assume the Law was given to help people do right and good so God would overlook their faults. Les teaches that the Law was given for only one purpose: to show mankind how far they fell short of God's standard. No one has ever lived who could keep the Ten Commandments; it is impossible. Verse 20 makes it clear that by the deeds of the Law no flesh can be saved or justified in His sight, because by the Law comes only the knowledge of sin. Les hopes his classes learn that the Law can do nothing but convict a person of their utter sinfulness. That is why it was added. Up until that time, God could not even impute all that wickedness before the Flood.
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.