The law exposed Saul of Tarsus's old Adam nature as rebellious and sinful, bringing conviction and death rather than saving him.
The law is holy, just, and good, but when it confronted Saul it gave him the knowledge of sin and showed him he was a lawbreaker. It had no power to justify him; it only condemned him and made his old Adam sinfulness unmistakable.
Romans 3:20 — States directly that no flesh is justified by the law and that by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Romans 7:12-13 — Shows the law is holy, just, and good, yet it works death by that which is good and makes sin become exceeding sinful.
Scripture says the law is holy, just, and good (Romans 7:12). It does not justify anyone: 'by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin' (Romans 3:20). Paul describes the experience of a person confronted by the law: 'For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died' (Romans 7:9). The law entered 'that the offence might abound' (Romans 5:20), and by the commandment sin becomes 'exceeding sinful' (Romans 7:13). Scripture therefore presents the law as the instrument that exposes sin and convicts the sinner, not as a means of salvation.
Les Feldick teaches that the law had one purpose in Saul's life: to show him his sin. Saul thought he knew the law from cover to cover, but he never understood what it actually said until the ascended Lord confronted him on the Damascus road. At that moment the law got a hold of him and he realized he was the biggest lawbreaker of all. The law exposed old Adam as bent in rebellion — bent to take God's name in vain, worship idols, be envious, and thieve. The law itself was holy, just, and good, but it worked death in Saul by convicting him. It had no power to save him; it could only condemn. For Saul, the law was the mirror that proved he was a sinner under old Adam and in need of death to that old nature.
Les says Saul knew the law from his mother's knee and from Gamaliel, and the law had been in force for 1,500 years. But he read it without understanding — it was just so many words to him. Saul thought he knew the Ten Commandments backwards and forwards, yet he had never really heard what they said. Les explains that people can be veneered and have everything under control until the law comes and smashes old Adam, causing him to erupt.
Les teaches that the law's only purpose is to give the knowledge of sin and to show old Adam how he really operates. The Ten Commandments show that man is bent to take God's name in vain, bent to worship idols, bent to be envious, bent to thieve, and bent to do all the things the law prohibits. The law itself is good, but it works death in a person because it convicts him and makes his rebellion apparent.
Les explains from Romans 5:20 that the law entered 'that the offense might abound' — not that it makes sin worse, but that it might be seen for what it really is. Before the written law came, man could only go by conscience. But when the written law came, everything man was doing became clearly a breaking of God's commandment and was seen as sin.
The Law Is Holy but Works Death
Les teaches that the Ten Commandments are holy, just, and good, but when they confront the old Adam — who is bent in rebellion and bent to ignore the law — they work death in him and convict him.
Saul Knew the Words but Not the Meaning
Les says Saul knew the law from childhood and under Gamaliel, and it had been enforced for 1,500 years, but he read it without understanding — it was just so many words to him.
The Law Broke Saul on the Damascus Road
Les explains that when the law finally got a hold of Saul, he realized he was the biggest lawbreaker of all and that his old Adam had to die.
The Law's Only Purpose Is to Show Sin
Les teaches that the law's only purpose is to give the knowledge of sin — to show man he is bent to take God's name in vain, worship idols, be envious, and commit all the things the law prohibits.
The Law Smashes the Veneer
Les says a person can appear polished and under control until the law comes; then it smashes old Adam and makes him erupt.
The Law Has No Saving Power
Les emphasizes that the law does nothing but condemn; there is no power in the law to save anybody.
No Flesh Justified by the Deeds of the Law
Les identifies the law Paul is talking about as the moral law, the Ten Commandments, and says keeping them can never justify anyone.
Law Made Sin Visible
Les teaches that the law entered to make the offense abound — not to make sin worse, but so it could be seen for what it really is; after the written law came, man's disobedience became clearly breaking God's law.
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 Les uses to show the law's purpose is not salvation but exposing sin.
Romans 7:12: Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Les stresses that the law itself is not evil; it is the sinner's old Adam nature that is the problem.
Romans 7:13: Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
Shows how the good law works death in the sinner and makes sin appear in its true character.
Romans 5:20: Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Les uses this to explain the law entered so sin could be seen for what it is, not to multiply evil.
Romans 7:9: For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Les applies this to Saul: he knew the law externally, but only when it truly came home did the old Adam die.
Yes, according to Les Feldick. When the law finally got a hold of Saul on the Damascus road, he realized he was the biggest lawbreaker of all because he had persecuted the believers.
The law is holy, just, and good (Romans 7:12). It is not the problem. The problem is the old Adam nature. The law convicts and kills, but that is exactly what it was designed to do.
No. By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in God's sight (Romans 3:20). Les Feldick says the law has no power to save anybody; it can only condemn.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Law Can't Save You — Romans 7:5-14 Explained