No, the law cannot justify a person before God—Scripture says no flesh is justified by the deeds of the law.
The law's purpose is to silence every mouth and make the whole world guilty before God, and it gives the knowledge of sin rather than salvation. Les Feldick consistently teaches that the law only condemns and has no power to save. The only justification God gives comes apart from the law through faith in Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:20 — This verse directly answers the question: no flesh can be justified in God's sight by deeds of the law; the law only brings knowledge of sin.
Romans 3:19 — It shows the law's role: it stops every mouth and makes all the world guilty before God, which is why justification cannot come through it.
Romans 3:19 declares that everything the law says is spoken to those under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. Romans 3:20 then draws the conclusion: "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." The law does not provide a verdict of righteousness; it provides a verdict of guilt and a knowledge of sin. Romans 2:13 states that not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. Romans 3:23 then declares that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The law's standard is doing, not merely hearing; the universal verdict is that all have sinned.
Les Feldick is emphatic: the law, especially the Mosaic Ten Commandments, was never given to justify anyone. He points to Romans 3:20 as the plain statement that "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified" and notes that the law's only God-given job is to condemn. He says the law was given to show man he is a lawbreaker, to stop every mouth, and to make the whole world guilty before God. It gives the knowledge of sin, not salvation. He also stresses that while Israel operated under the Judaic law system, the law itself has no saving power—it is a ministration of death. The flip side, however, is "but now" in Romans 3:21: the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, and it comes through faith in Jesus Christ to everyone who believes, made possible by what Christ accomplished on the cross. Les also connects this to the imputed righteousness of God as part of the plan of salvation.
Les teaches that the law was given to do one thing: condemn mankind. It shuts every mouth and makes the whole world guilty before God. In his words, the law was "given to do nothing but condemn" and "had nothing in it to save." It shows a person that he is a lawbreaker and not fit for God's heaven. This is why Romans 3:20 concludes that by the deeds of the law no flesh is justified—the law gives the knowledge of sin, not salvation.
Les acknowledges that the law was spoken to Israel—Israel was under the law, not the Gentiles. But he points out that the power of the law did not stop with Israel. Because every human being, Jew or Gentile, has broken the law, every mouth is stopped and all the world becomes guilty before God. No flesh, Jew or Gentile, can be justified by keeping the Ten Commandments.
For Les, the phrase "for by the law is the knowledge of sin" is the key. The law does absolutely nothing but condemn; it has no power to save anyone. It gives the knowledge of sin and death. Romans 3:20 says "by the law is the knowledge of sin," not salvation. That is all the law could do—condemn.
Paul's "but now" in Romans 3:21 signals the flip side: even though the law cannot bring anyone into salvation, there is something that does. The righteousness of God is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe. Les ties this to the imputed righteousness of God and says God is able to justify us freely because of what Christ accomplished on the cross.
Imputed Righteousness and Salvation
Les connects the imputed righteousness of God to the plan of salvation, showing that salvation involves something the law could never produce.
The Law Could Only Condemn
Les teaches that the law's only purpose was to condemn mankind and reveal that man is a lawbreaker, so no one can be justified by deeds of the law.
The Deeds of the Law Justify No One
Les stresses that because the law makes everyone guilty, keeping the law cannot justify anyone; all the law provides is the knowledge of sin.
The Law Has No Saving Power
Les explains that while Israel's law system promised salvation for that time, the law itself does absolutely nothing but condemn and has no power to save.
Law Condemns Jew and Gentile Alike
Les says the law was given to Israel but its power silences every mouth and makes all the world guilty; no flesh, Jew or Gentile, can be justified by keeping the Ten Commandments.
All Have Broken the Law
Les notes that every human being except Christ has broken the law, so all are under its condemnation; even the principle that doers of the law are justified applies only under that law.
Righteousness Apart From the Law
Les points to the testimony of the Law and Prophets and then to the righteousness of God by faith of Jesus Christ given to all who believe, because of Christ's work on the cross.
But Now: The Flip Side
Les emphasizes Paul's "but now" in Romans 3:21: even though the law cannot bring anyone into salvation, there is something that does—the righteousness of God apart from law.
Romans 3:19: Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
This shows the law's universal effect: it silences every mouth and brings guilt to the whole world.
Romans 3:20: 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.
This is the key verse answering the question: no flesh is justified by law-deeds; the law only gives knowledge of sin.
Romans 3:21: But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
This verse introduces the alternative: God's righteousness is revealed apart from the law.
Romans 3:22: Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
This verse explains how justification comes: through faith in Jesus Christ, not through keeping the law.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
This states the universal need: every person has sinned, so no one can be justified by law-keeping.
Romans 2:13: (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
This acknowledges the law's standard of doing, but since all have sinned, it becomes a standard no one can meet.
No. Les Feldick teaches that the law, including the Ten Commandments, was given to condemn mankind and to give the knowledge of sin, not to save. Romans 3:20 says plainly, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight." Keeping the commandments cannot make anyone righteous before God.
Les explains that in the gospel accounts, Israel's approach was to keep the commandments and the law, and within that Judaic system there was salvation for that time. But the law itself has no power to save anyone; even under that system, the law only condemns. Paul's point is that no flesh is justified by deeds of the law.
It means the law's role is to reveal sin and make people conscious of their guilt. Les says that's all the law could do—condemn. It doesn't save, and it has no power to help a person obey. It simply shows that every person is a lawbreaker.
Les points to Romans 3:21-22: "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested... by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe." Justification is not earned by law-keeping; it is received by believing in Jesus Christ, because God is able to justify us freely on the basis of what Christ accomplished on the cross.
Watch the Teaching: God's Righteousness Explained — Romans 3 Verse by Verse