The law's purpose is to give the knowledge of sin and to condemn all mankind, not to save anyone.
Romans 3:20 says that by the law is the knowledge of sin. Les Feldick teaches that the law was never intended to save anyone—not even a Jew. It reaches every person, Jew and Gentile, and condemns everyone who has broken it. It can do nothing but show guilt.
Romans 3:20 — This is the key verse Les repeatedly cites: the law brings the knowledge of sin, not salvation.
Romans 7:12 — Shows the law itself is holy, just, and good, even though its purpose is to convict.
Romans 7:14 — Shows the law is spiritual, again stressing its divine origin while its role remains to expose sin.
Romans 3:20 states plainly: "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's purpose in Scripture is not to justify anyone; it is to produce the knowledge of sin. Romans 7:12 says, "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good," and Romans 7:14 says, "For we know that the law is spiritual." So the law is holy, spiritual, and good, but its role is to make sin known. Romans 2:12 also places the law in the context of judgment: those who sin under the law shall be judged by the law.
Les teaches that the law has one purpose in Scripture: to give the knowledge of sin. When God gave the Ten Commandments, they showed old Adam how he really operates. The law only shows man that he is bent to take God's name in vain, worship idols, be envious, thieve, and break God's commandments. It was never intended to save anyone—not even a Jew. It reaches every human being, not to save, but to condemn. Many people have totally misconstrued the role of the law, but the law can do nothing but condemn. It cannot help a person keep it, and it cannot justify anyone. The law is holy, just, good, and spiritual, but it provides no salvation.
No. Les says the law was never intended to save a Jew, and it couldn't save a Jew either. Romans 3:20 says by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified in God's sight; by the law is the knowledge of sin. The law has no power to save anybody; it has power only to condemn.
Les says the law was given to the Jew, who practiced it as his religion and approach to God, but the law did not stop with the Jew. It reaches out to every last human being. It condemns everybody, because every human being who has ever lived other than Christ has broken the law.
Les teaches that the Ten Commandments just literally showed the old Adam how he really operates. The law shows that man is bent to take God's name in vain, worship idols, be envious, want to thieve, and do all the things the law prohibits. It also compounds sinfulness by revealing that everything a person does is contrary to the will of a holy God.
Yes. Romans 7:12 says the law is holy, just, and good, and Romans 7:14 says the law is spiritual. Les affirms that the Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God and supernaturally given to Israel. But even a good, spiritual law cannot do anything but give knowledge of sin and condemn the one who breaks it.
Ishmael vs. Isaac: The Allegory of Law and Grace Explained
their attention. And he rehearses everything that had taken place up through Jewish history, and how that Christ died, and so on and so forth. But anyway, he gets to the place where he quotes Jesus as saying, "...depart from Jerusalem, they will not hear you concerning me." And then he goes on another statement or two, and then he repeats what Jesus said again. He said, "...
The Law's One Purpose: Knowledge of Sin
Les states the law has only one purpose in Scripture: to give the knowledge of sin, not knowledge of God. The Ten Commandments show man his bent to sin.
The Law Condemns Everyone
Les explains the law reaches every human being, Jew and Gentile alike. It was never intended to save; it was intended to condemn and show guilt.
The Law Convicts the Old Adam
Les says the true purpose of the law is to convict. He quotes Romans 7:12, affirming the law is holy, just, and good, even though it brings knowledge of sin.
No Justification by the Law
Les contrasts the Gospel accounts, where keeping the law was required, with Paul's teaching that there is no justification by the law. The law gives knowledge of sin and can only condemn.
The Law Exposes and Compounds Sin
Les teaches the law shows what old Adam is really made of and compounds sinfulness by revealing that everything he does is contrary to the will of a holy God. The law itself is spiritual.
The Law Cannot Justify
Les says the law can do nothing to help a person keep it; it can only condemn, saying 'Guilty, guilty, guilty.' It convicts Gentiles as thoroughly as Jews, and by the deeds of the law no flesh is justified.
The Law Judges Those Under It
Les says every human being who has ever lived except Christ has broken the law, so the law condemns everybody. He quotes Romans 2:12, noting that those who sin in the law shall be judged by the 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 central verse Les repeats throughout the clips: by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Romans 7:12: Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Even though the law cannot save, it is holy, just, and good.
Romans 7:14: For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
The law is spiritual and divinely given, but its role is to expose sin.
Romans 2:12: For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
Those under the law are judged by the law, showing that the law's function is connected to judgment.
The Bible says the law gives the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20 says by the deeds of the law no flesh is justified. Les says the law was never intended to save; it only shows man his guilt and condemns him.
It was given to Israel, but Les says it reaches every human being. It condemns everybody, since every human except Christ has broken the law.
No. Romans 7:12 says the law is holy, just, and good, and Romans 7:14 says it is spiritual. The law itself is good, but its purpose is to convict man of sin, not to save him.
Watch the Teaching: Ishmael vs. Isaac: The Allegory of Law and Grace Explained